Careers Biomass Power Station Preventing Boiler Tube Failure with HVTS®
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Partnership strengthened by OEM collaboration
Over the years, the OEM (SFW) and IGS teams have collaborated closely to optimize the turnaround schedule and scope, thereby maximizing boiler performance and reliability. Follow-on projects have included refurbishments, superheater bend protection, and expansion to new high-wear areas, ensuring long-term reliability of the fleet.
T25-26311
Plant and Challenge Description
A 460 MWe supercritical CFB power station in Europe, burning 100% high-ash Silesian coal, faced accelerated metal loss from its first year of operation. Designed to deliver reliable electricity at scale with enhanced environmental performance, the plant experienced severe erosion and corrosion on its boiler waterwalls, resulting in quarterly outages for inspection and emergency repairs.
Conventional solutions failed:
- Iron-based thermal spray led to hundreds of repairs each turnaround.
- Weld overlay caused tube distortion.
- Replacement was costly and time-intensive.
- Alternative vendor coatings lasted less than three months.
To restore performance, the operator needed a solution that would reduce outage frequency, eliminate tube leaks, and allow the plant to achieve long, uninterrupted operating runs.
Ensure Consistent Output and Avoid Forced Outages
Collaboration with OEM and IGS Provided the Breakthrough
In 2018, IGS and Sumitomo SHI FW (the boiler OEM) partnered with the plant to trial a 10 m² HVTS cladding patch in a high-wear zone. After six months, the IGS patch remained intact with zero metal loss, while competitor solutions in adjacent areas had already failed.
On the strength of this success, the operator and OEM engaged IGS to systematically replace failing claddings with IGS HVTS cladding — a solution proven to prevent recurring tube leaks without wall distortion, hot work, or extended outage time.
Boost Profitability Without Major CAPEX
Reduced Outages, Extended Run Length, and Safer Operations
Between 2018 and 2025, IGS executed 13 mobilizations, gradually expanding cladding to all critical boiler zones. But the true impact was in operational continuity.
- Outages reduced from quarterly to once per year, aligning inspections with planned annual shutdowns.
- Zero tube leaks in cladded areas since 2019.
- Major scopes executed in as little as 9–12 days, avoiding extension of the critical outage path.
- Over 1,000 hours of downtime avoided in 2025 alone, preventing costly replacement of furnace walls and superheater bends.
Increase Boiler Availability to Over 90%
Proven Results with Quantifiable Impact
- Over 2,100 m² cladded since 2018.
- No tube failures in protected zones for 6 years.
- Quarterly interventions eliminated, replaced by annual inspections.
- Zero safety incidents across all mobilizations, supported by IGS and the OEM’s shared safety-first execution model.
HVTS Timeline & Results
| Year | Scope | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 10 m² test | No metal loss after 6 months; other vendors failed |
| 2019 | 690 m² | Replaced failed cladding; zero defects after inspection |
| 2020 | Inspections | All zones intact; no repairs needed |
| 2021 | 181 m² + spot refurb | Replaced final vendor coating; 9-day turnaround |
| 2022 | 26.6 m² | Refurbished thin areas; verified protection |
| 2023 | 264 m² | Expanded to front wall; zero safety incidents |
| 2024 | 206 m² | Minimal degradation found; localized refurb |
| 2025 | 940 m² | Protected furnace walls and Superheater bends; avoided full replacement |
Reduced outages, zero tube leaks, and long-term continuity secured. That’s Asset Vitality.
“Our goal wasn’t just to stop tube leaks – it was to give the operator and OEM the certainty to run a highly demanding boiler year after year. Together, we’ve reduced outages from quarterly to annual and given the plant the operational confidence it needs.”
– Ondrej Jasek, Operations, IGS Europe
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