SERVICES
SigmaBlow™ — Advanced Steam Blow Technology
Full Load Performance with Reduced Piping, Fuel, and Water Requirements
Advanced pre-commissioning solution for combined cycle gas plants with air-cooled and surface condensers.
Global Innovation in Power Plant Commissioning
With the development of the SigmaCommissioning™ Program, FQE Power’s mission has been to deploy our patented technology worldwide, helping EPC customers, plant owners, and OEMs realize substantial benefits and cost savings through modernized pre-commissioning programs. We have successfully implemented these solutions across 28 countries on 5 continents, covering every conceivable plant design configuration.
Evolution Through Innovation
Early SigmaBlow technology generations, while delivering significant benefits, required complex temporary piping systems that proved challenging to operate. Our EPC customers faced the dilemma of incurring upfront expenses to achieve time savings, often within constrained budgets and project scopes with limited resources for schedule recovery investments.
Recognizing this challenge, FQE Power invested years in intensive research and development to dramatically reduce EPC piping installation requirements, culminating in advanced SigmaBlow™ technology configurations.
Construction of a 2×1 Combined Cycle Gas Plant with Air Cooled Condenser.
Continuous Excellence: The Philosophy Behind SigmaBlow
SigmaBlow Technology Configurations
Configuration Selection
The choice between SigmaBlow 3.0 and 4.0 configurations depends on:
- Plant design specifications
- Site-specific requirements
- Existing infrastructure
- Project timeline constraints
- Budget considerations
Both configurations deliver exceptional results, with 4.0 offering the most advanced piping optimization available in the industry.
Competitive Analysis
While other companies attempt to reduce temporary piping through alternative approaches involving:
- Acid chemical cleaning of HRSGs
- High-velocity pre- and post-chemical cleaning flushing
- Hydrolazing of main steam and hot reheat/cold reheat piping
- Larger bypass valve designs for piping-free steam blowing
These approaches fail to generate the expected results that both SigmaBlow configurations consistently deliver.
SigmaBlow 3.0 Configuration
Optimized for specific plant configurations, SigmaBlow 3.0 delivers:
- Dramatically reduced EPC piping installation requirements
- Lower fuel consumption compared to conventional methods
- 90% water reduction versus conventional steam blows
- 90% of plant commissioned simultaneously to baseload
- 2-5 weeks project schedule recovery
“Excellent Firms Don’t Believe in Excellence — Only in Constant Improvement and Constant Change.”— Tom Peters
SigmaBlow 4.0 Configuration
Building on the 3.0 platform, SigmaBlow 4.0 represents our latest advancement in piping utilization efficiency:
Leveraging advanced plant design optimization, FQE Power engineers have achieved superior piping efficiency with SigmaBlow 4.0, requiring:
- Even less piping than SigmaBlow 3.0
- Less piping than conventional low-pressure atmospheric steam blows
- Further reduced fuel and water consumption
- Same performance standards with enhanced resource efficiency
Led by Judah Hiat, P.E., who brings extensive EPC construction expertise, our engineering team continuously collaborates with specialists in:
- Piping modeling
- Stress analysis
- Dynamic flow modeling
This collaborative approach has further reduced EPC implementation costs while maintaining superior performance standards across different plant configurations.
Economic Opportunities and Project Value
Special Project Licensing Program
For multiple-unit configurations currently planning Low-Pressure Steam Blow to Atmosphere (LPSBA) with existing subcontractor awards, FQE Power offers a one-time project user license program.
Program Benefits:
- Existing infrastructure utilization — LPSBA design, temporary piping, and equipment can be modified/repurposed for SigmaBlow 4.0
- Personnel continuity — Current subcontractor teams can implement the SigmaBlow process
- Exceptional ROI — Projects achieve savings of 5 to 20 times the cost of adding SigmaBlow
Comprehensive Economic Value Model
SigmaCommissioning Program Eliminates:
❌ High-velocity flushing requirements
❌ Chemical cleaning with acid for steam cycles*
❌ Frac tank rentals
❌ Hydrolyzing operations
SigmaCommissioning Program Delivers:
- Water efficiency — Deionized water reduced to 1-2 million gallons total consumption (2×1 configuration)
- Rapid completion — SigmaBlow™ completed in <10 days
- Comprehensive commissioning — HRSG and CTGs to baseload including green rotor runs
- Complete system preparation — Entire water-steam cycle commissioned and cleaned to Action Level 1 during SigmaBlows
- Optimized piping — Temporary piping requirements minimized through advanced configurations
- Maximum performance — Highest CFRs and kinetic energy for cleaning within OEM specifications
- Schedule optimization — Up to 2-5 weeks commissioning schedule reduction
- Enhanced protection — Superior condenser protection systems
- Operational reliability — Reduced CTG trip incidents
- Quality assurance — Clean aluminum “targets” at baseload with standard plant attemperating in operation
- Environmental compliance — Zero hazardous waste from HRSG cleaning operations
- Integrated commissioning — Duct burners commissioned simultaneously
- System reliability — Elimination of fuel gas and boiler feed pump-related trips
- Pre-fire validation — ACC condenser vacuum assured before first fire
- Cost reduction — Lower labor and project daily costs
- Risk mitigation — Reduced liquidated damages exposure
- Revenue generation — Electrical generation at baseload to grid during commissioning
FQE Power Performance Certification
Comprehensive Value Guarantee:
Through combined reductions in fuel gas consumption, water costs, labor requirements, secondary cleaning services, schedule compression to Commercial Operation Date (COD), liquidated damages mitigation, time value of money improvement, and long-term steam turbine security, every project will realize cost savings exceeding SigmaCommissioning™ implementation costs.
Performance-Based Contracting
Clients willing to share documented value savings with performance bond backing will receive:
- Fixed-price contracts with zero change order risk
- Protection from external delays — Commissioning delays pause FQE Power value model calculations
- Transparent value formulas for all payment structures
*Note: Improperly stored, shipped, erected, or hydro-tested HRSGs displaying excessive corrosion may require acid cleaning to remove corrosion prior to first fire.
Contact us today to discover how our advanced SigmaBlow configurations can transform your power plant commissioning timeline while delivering unprecedented cost savings and performance improvements.
