Operational Certainty in Coal Power Generation Through 24/7 Performance Assurance
Coal | Mine & Power Station | Performance Assurance
How a leading coal mine & power station leveraged performance assurance to ensure analyser running consistently to manage ash content
BACKGROUND
In coal fired power generation, continuous and accurate material measurement is critical to maintaining stable plant performance. Elemental and moisture analysers inform fuel quality, combustion efficiency, emissions control, and regulatory compliance. When these analysers are unavailable or unreliable, the impact is immediate, affecting boiler stability, heat rate efficiency, clinker build up and environmental performance.
At a large coal power plant, analysers are treated as essential operational assets rather than optional instrumentation. The adjacent mine site supplies the power station with on target coal, making support for the analysers essential for maintaing the strict, contractual obligations outlined by the power plant.
With the plant operating continuously with two CHPP modules, the ability to bypass, stockpile or process material means any interruption to analyser data introduces operational risk. To protect the reliability of these systems and ensure uninterrupted access to critical data, the site partnered with RTI under a 24/7 Product Support Agreement (PSA).
THE CHALLENGE
The power station relies on real time material data to manage coal quality and maintain consistent power output. Even short periods of analyser downtime can force operators to rely on assumptions or conservative operating settings, reducing efficiency and increasing risk. With both tonnage and coal quality (specifically calorific value) being at the forefront of concerns when providing coal to the power station, weather events, poor raw material feed rate or grade and inefficient processing all play a pivotal role.
Prior to implementing a PSA, analyser support was largely reactive. Faults or calibration drift could take hours or days to diagnose, particularly outside normal business hours. Given the plant’s continuous operation and compliance obligations, this approach exposed the site to unnecessary operational and commercial risk.
The plant required a support model that ensured analyser performance was actively managed through a structured calibration plan and preventative maintenance measures, not just repaired when issues or breakdowns occurred.
Having a PSA support agreement in place ensures we can maintain reliable performance across our nine online analysers. This allows us to achieve quick turnaround times for calibrations, maintenance and troubleshooting, helping us operate the plant as efficiently as possible and respond promptly to changing conditions
THE SOLUTION
RTI implemented a Product Support Agreement (PSA) providing continuous performance assurance for the site’s analysers. Rather than focusing solely on breakdown support, the PSA established an ongoing partnership built around uptime, accuracy and proactive risk reduction.
Under the agreement, the site receives 24/7 remote technical support, proactive monitoring, scheduled calibration reviews and regular performance reporting. Issues are identified early and resolved rapidly, with RTI data showing that 90 percent of remote support requests are resolved within 30 minutes. The PSA also ensures firmware, software and calibration models remain current, reducing the likelihood of unexpected failures or data quality issues.
IMPLEMENTATION & DISCOVERY
Following PSA implementation, RTI worked closely with site engineers to establish baseline performance metrics and reporting structures. Monthly diagnostics provided visibility into analyser health, data availability and error trends.
This proactive approach revealed that many potential issues could be addressed before they escalated into downtime. Calibration drift, minor sensor faults, particular component failures and configuration issues were identified early through scheduled preventative maintenance, remote monitoring and performance reporting, leading to issues being resolved quickly and, in most circumstances, remotely.
Over time, operators shifted from reacting to analyser issues to trusting that performance was being actively managed in the background.
THE RESULTS
With a 24/7 PSA in place, the site achieved measurable improvements in analyser reliability, response times and operational confidence.
- High Analyser Uptime: PSA supported sites achieve over 95 percent analyser uptime, ensuring continuous access to critical data.
- Reduced Downtime: Average ‘no data’ time reduced to less than 5 hours per month, compared to approximately 30 hours at non PSA sites.
- Fewer Errors: Analyser error rates reduced by up to 95 percent, significantly lowering operational risk.
- Faster Issue Resolution: Priority support and remote diagnostics enabled rapid troubleshooting, minimising disruption during critical operating periods.
By implementing RTI’s PSA, the operation significantly reduced downtime, ensuring their operations ran optimally.
INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS & FUTURE APPLICATIONS
This PSA driven approach to performance assurance can be applied across coal fired power generation and other continuous process environments.
- Power Generation: Maintain stable fuel quality and emissions compliance through guaranteed analyser availability.
- Coal Handling and Preparation: Ensure uninterrupted measurement across blending, bypassing, reclaim and feed systems.
- Ports and Terminals: Protect critical shipment data and avoid delays caused by analyser downtime in association with contractual obligations with both grade and moisture content.
- Other Commodities: Extend the PSA model to iron ore, copper, lithium and mineral sands operations where measurement confidence is essential.
CONCLUSION
By shifting from reactive support to a proactive Product Support Agreement, this coal mine directly supplying the power plant has ensured that its critical analysers remain reliable, accurate and continuously available. The PSA has reduced downtime, improved data quality and removed uncertainty from daily operations. The result is a partnership that safeguards performance, reduces risk and delivers real-time insights & operational certainty.
It has also allowed for more consistent budgeting and forecasting of associated costs with running the analyser, as the PSA gave the operators foresight into maintaining the analyser, ensuring it runs as intended to avoid unnecessary costs. Through preventative maintenance, RTI can assist with work orders, ordering of parts and equipment to strategically meet budgets and ensure the best possible operation.