Terry W. Rettig, P.E., Vice President  Metallurgy, Boilers, Power Plants

Areas of expertise include failure investigation, failure analysis of power plant, automotive, and aircraft components; materials selection and methods of fabrication and processing; corrosion and metallurgical failure of alloys; nondestructive inspection by acoustic emission; and preparation and examination of metallurgical specimens.

B.S. (Engineering), California State University (1967)

 

Steven A. Lefton, Vice President  Power Plant Expert

Mr. Lefton is currently Vice President of Power Plant and Special Projects at APTECH. In this position, he has provided expert testimony, managed and engineered power plant/ boiler/HRSG/gas turbine equipment design reviews, heat rate testing, combustion testing, cost/life assessment/damage/reliability analysis, and plant modification projects. He is currently involved in analysis of the costs of cycling and load regulation at some 200 fossil, Hydro/Pumped hydro and combustion turbine/combined cycle power plants in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

B.S. (Chemical Engineering), Kansas University (1969)
Pre-Engineering (Kansas State College of Pittsburgh)
Bailey Meter School for Instrument Engineers (1972)

 

Dwight D. Agan  Engineering Economics, Life Management

Seventeen years of extensive experience executing and leading energy, environmental, and business projects. Advised industry and government in making the best decisions about energy utilization and generation, optimizing economics and environmental impacts. Expertise in energy technology development and commercialization, energy market analysis, energy use. Provides solutions for reducing environmental impacts of energy use, education and training, technical regulatory assistance, strategic and tactical planning, energy services marketing, energy and economic computer simulations, and information system database development and implementation.

MS, Mechanical Engineering, Energy Studies, Stanford University     (1979)
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University (1979)

 

Philip M. Besuner Mechanics, Statistics

Mr. Besuner holds a B.S. and an M.S. degree in Mechanics as listed below. He has provided analysis methods, software, and support to the power, aerospace, auto, and oil industries for over three decades. He developed a fracture mechanics program called BIGIF to evaluate the significance of crack-like imperfections under high stress gradients and to execute cyclic plasticity analyses. His fracture mechanics research for NASA has merited special awards. He has performed probabilistic and statistical analyses to evaluate and compare the risks of consumer products and establish reinspection and rework schedules. Most recently, he participated in several independent studies to develop methods used to estimate and minimize the cost of cycling fossil units for scores of utility companies, worldwide.

B.S. (Applied Mechanics), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1965)
M.S.E. (Engineering Mechanics) with Honors, University of Michigan (1966)

 

Paul E. Buehler  Metallurgy Laboratory

Over 20 years of hands-on laboratory experience, including metallography, photography, scanning electron microscopy, fractography, mechanical testing, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and report preparation. Extensive experience in evaluating power plant components, such as tubing, headers, piping, and turbine blades. Other experience includes technical support on litigation projects and knowledge and experience in field metallographic techniques including on-site surface and borehole replication.

IATA Dangerous Goods (July 2006)
Attended San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Attended Foothill College, Los Altos, CA
Member, ASM International

 

Thomas D. Burnett Fossil Power Engineer

Mr. Burnett's experience includes condition assessment of all power plant equipment, reliability studies of major plant components and the overall plant, remaining useful life studies, and management of all phases of projects from concept to final deliverable as reports. His responsibilities with APTECH have been in working with clients to develop condition assessment and remaining useful life of all major power plant components; failure investigations of boiler explosions; operational reviews of fossil plants with performance and reliability improvements as the project goal; and various administrative duties of APTECH's Houston, Texas office. Before working at APTECH, Mr. Burnett was employed by an electric utility in the boiler and outage maintenance groups. He developed and wrote utility specifications for critical steam piping inspections and repairs, welding program, and managed projects in replacement of major components from concept to final acceptance testing. He also was a service engineer for a boiler manufacturer and has extensive experience in lignite, coal, oil, and gas combustion in utility and industrial boiler applications.

B.S. (Marine Engineering), United States Merchant Marine Academy (1973)

   

Marvin J. Cohn P.E.  Mechanical Engineering

Mr. Marvin Cohn, a degreed Physical Metallurgist and Civil Engineer, has actively participated in the ASME B31.1 Power Piping Code committee. He developed and implemented an integrated methodology to predict the safe reexamination interval and remaining useful life of high energy piping systems. His technical specialties include high energy piping finite element analyses, failure analyses, risk, and reliability evaluations. He has managed and/or conducted over 60 assessments of utility high energy piping systems while at APTECH. He has performed system reliability analyses, system design work, analyzed steel structures, seismically qualified equipment, performed dynamic analyses, and conducted creep and stress rupture analyses. Mr. Cohn has performed piping and structural analyses in compliance with AISC, ASME Section III, and ASME B31.1 Codes. He has also been program manager of more than 50 nuclear or fossil power projects to measure component wall thickness through insulation using the RTD-INCOTEST pulsed eddy current equipment.

M.S. (Engineering), University of California, Los Angeles (1978)
B.S. (Physical Metallurgy), University of Washington (1969)
Advanced Statistics, Advanced Mathematics Courses, California State University, Northridge (1976)

 

Michael T. Cronin  Mechanical Engineering

Analysis of steady-state and transient stress, strain, and temperature fields using finite element and finite difference methods; fatigue and fracture analysis of large steam turbines, generator rotors, jet engine disks, pressure vessels, spacecraft structures, and launch vehicle platforms; risk analysis procedures for use in making run/repair/retire decisions; nondestructive examination using ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and radiographic methods; development of stress intensity factor solutions using finite element methods; and nonlinear stress and heat transfer analysis.

B.S. (Physics), Illinois Institute of Technology (1974)
B.S. (Mathematics), Illinois Institute of Technology (1979)

Rodney L. Dail Metallurgy, Welding

Mr. Dail is the Director of East Coast Operations for APTECH. He has a degree in Metallurgical Engineering and 33 years of industrial experience, including 22 years in the design, construction, and operation of fossil and nuclear utility plants. In the past 12 years, he has planned and managed over 25 utility plant condition assessment projects and/or due diligence evaluations. These projects typically include walkdowns, personnel interviews, review of plant maintenance and operation records, and inspection and testing of individual components. He has also been a key participant in litigation and petrochemical plant risk based inspection projects. Areas of expertise include metallurgical engineering, welding engineering, failure analysis, mechanical testing, nondestructive examination, corrosion engineering, and technical training. Experience includes a broad range of materials and special processes consulting activities in the petrochemical, fossil and nuclear power, and shipbuilding industries.

B.S. (Metallurgical Engineering), North Carolina State University (1967)

  

Ayman A. Ebrahim NDT Specialist

Experienced in site supervision and training NDE methods. Mr. Ebrahim is knowledgeable in industry codes, specifications, standards, and procedures. He has quality assurance/NDT inspector experience, including :

Perform ultrasonic, eddy current, magnetic particle, liquid penetrate and visual inspection on a wide variety of structures and piping systems in petrochemical and power generation plants for clients.

Perform audits and surveillance of in-process fabrication and repair of critical items. „ Extensive use of standards, procedures, references and blue prints in order to ensure compliance with all inspection, acceptance and reporting requirements.

Responsibilities include opening and closing of controlled work packages, performing maintenance and calibration of related equipments, generating and reviewing reports, and making suggestions for engineering evaluation.

BS Mechanical Engineering Technologies, National Civil Aviation Institute (1995)

 

G. Paul Grimsrud Engineering Economics and Life Management

Over 28 years of professional experience providing research and consulting services to electric and gas utilities, merchant power plants, and government agencies. Specialties include development and application of advanced methods for electric system planning and dispatch, merchant plant bidding, data acquisition and control, optimal resource allocation, and plant asset management. Extensive experience in estimating replacement power costs due to cycling-related forced outages (over 100 fossil power plants), and in testifying on the cost impacts of major forced outages. Served 7 years on the Palo Alto Utilities Commission.

B.S. (Physics), University of Puget Sound (1968)
M.S. (Ocean Engineering), University of Rhode Island (1970)

   

Kevin G. Hara Fossil Power Engineer

Mr. Hara manages APTECH's Field Engineering Group. He is a degreed Mechanical Engineer who has extensive experience in power plant boiler operations and maintenance for an electric utility. He is experienced in power plant performance, maintenance practices, plant operations, condition assessment of power plant equipment, remaining useful life analyses, and life assessment. Over the past 14 years, he has participated in well over 100 different life assessment projects for APTECH. In addition, he has played a major role in the development and implementation of APTECH's patented TubeMod technology.

B.S. (Mechanical Engineering), University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (1979)

 

Douglas Hilleman, P.E.  Senior Mechanical Power Plant Engineer.

Mr. Hilleman has thirty-eight years experience in the Power Industry as an engineer/supervisor. Experience includes general boiler design including auxiliary equipment; power plant maintenance, boiler, and balance of plant; power plant operation; plant reliability improvements; process management and improvement.

B.S. Mechanical Engineer, University of Iowa, June 1970

 

Andrew Holuszko Nondestructive Examination, ASNT, Level III

Development of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and welding procedures; engineering review for codes and customer requirements compliance; third-party surveillance and field representation; destructive testing and failure analysis of metals and non metallic materials; routine examination for flaws detection and materials characterization using conventional NDE methods; exposure to miscellaneous special techniques on the laboratory scale and their field implementation; and NDE personnel training and certification.

B.S. (Mechanical Engineering), Mechanical College, Warsaw, Poland
NDT Level III, National Certification by ASNT in Ultrasonic, Radiography, Eddy Current, Magnetic Particle, and Penetrant Methods
NDT Level II, National Certification, Canadian General Standard Board
Certified Welding Inspector by American Welding Society
Level III Welding Inspector by Canadian Welding Bureau
Member of American Society for Nondestructive Testing
Member of ASM
Member of Canadian Welding Bureau

Matthew Karabi  Mechanics, Boilers

SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE Start Ups/Troubleshooting, Equipment Optimization, Control Systems, Inspections, FGDS & SCR Systems, GE/Westinghouse/Allis Chamber Turbines, Boiler Performance, Rotating Equipment,Coal, Gas & Oil Fired units

M.S.E., Masters - Mechanical Engineering, Lamar University
B.S., Bachelors - Mechanical Engineering, Lamar University

 

Stephen M. Kohan, Ph. D.  Chemical Process Engineering

Technical specialties include chemical equilibrium modeling, technical risk analyses, chemical process modeling, combustion, transport phenomena, energy and petroleum technologies, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer. Experience includes operating plant performance testing; applications of decision analysis to R&D program planning; technical and economic modeling of fossil fuel conversion technologies; technical risk analysis; experimental design and implementation for chemical processing technologies and for aerospace technologies; and computer applications to design and performance testing.

B.S. (Chemical Engineering), Columbia University (1963)
M.S. (Chemical Engineering), Columbia University (1965)
Ph.D. (Chemical Engineering), Stanford University (1969)
Member, American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Member, American Chemical Society

Clayton Q. Lee  Mechanical Engineer, Heat Transfer

Mr. Lee holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. His experience includes transient and steady-state analyses involving heat transfer, stress analysis, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and fracture mechanics; finite element computational techniques, including commercial finite element codes COSMOS and ANSYS; proposal preparation; and project management. His recent work includes development of a patented method for extending the remaining useful life of boiler tubes by means of steam flow redistribution (TubeMod); transient and steady-state analyses of components such as pressure vessels, piping, tubing, and turbine generators for the fossil and nuclear power industries; proposal preparation and project management of several large-scale boiler condition assessment projects, including examinations and analyses of high temperature components and piping, and subsequent reexaminations of many of these components during APTECH recommended reexamination intervals; investigation of an industrial heat exchanger explosion, natural gas pipeline explosion, pipeline welding accident, check valve and gate valve failures, loading dock accident, elevator fire and glass furnace explosion; performance testing of an industrial refrigeration system; and water hammer analyses of piping.

M.S. (Mechanical Engineering), University of California, Berkeley (1985)
B.S. (Mechanical Engineering), University of California, Berkeley (1983)

Philip B. Lindsay P.E.  Corrosion and Metallurgy

Mr. Lindsay has over 30 years of experience in metallurgy, corrosion engineering, stainless steel and non-ferrous (copper, aluminum, and titanium alloy selection), failure analysis, and litigation support. His equipment experience includes condensers, feedwater heaters, heat exchangers, plumbing, fire protection systems, cooling water systems, pipelines, fasteners, air conditioning chillers, pumps, piping, tubing, tanks, and valves. He has provided his services for the electric power generation, refinery, fertilizer, chemical, water utility, and aerospace industries.

M.S. (Metallurgy), University of Illinois (1966)
B.S. (Metallurgy), University of Illinois (1965)
California Registered Corrosion Engineer
California Registered Manufacturing Engineer

  

Joe Lesiuk  Senior Turbine Specialist

Mr. Lesiuk has 33 years experience in the power generation industry including 21 years with General Electric’s (GE) steam turbine division and 12 years as a turbine consultant and project manager with Ebasco Services (later Raytheon Engineers and Constructors) and Aptech Engineering Services..

B.S. (Mechanical Engineering), Syracuse University (1965)
M.S. (Mechanical Engineering), Syracuse University (1970)
Professional Engineer – New York State

  

Richard S. Moser  Metallurgy, Failure Analysis

Mr. Moser has over 25 years experience in applied metallurgy, particularly regarding the metallurgy of boiler tube failures. Since joining APTECH, he has analyzed over 500 electric utility boiler tube failures which were due to single or multiple causes. These causes include corrosion, erosion, material degradation, and abnormal temperatures and stresses. He is named in APTECH patents as the inventor of computer programs that model the accumulation of creep damage of steam-cooled tubes.

B.S. Metallurgical Engineering, University of California (1965)

  

Victor J. Nichols  Mechanical Engineer – Power Plant Engineering

Mr. Vic Nichols, a Registered Professional Engineer PE 9838 in the State of Oklahoma, has 35 + years of experience in fossil power plant operations, design, construction, startup, controls, maintenance, training, systems upgrades, and performance analysis. Developed and wrote utility specific new plant startup and operations procedures. Managed major new plant construction and replacement of major components from construction to final acceptance testing. Managed and Supervised Engineering Teams during the design, equipment procurement, construction, checkout, startup and final acceptance testing. Extensive experience in gas and coal combustion in conventional boiler and turbine/generator power generation stations. Experience in gas combustion Cogeneration stations in industrial applications. Managed operation and maintenance of four units totaling 1675 MW involving two 500 MW supercritical coal plants.

BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Option, Oklahoma State University
Registered Professional Engineer, PE 9838, in the State of Oklahoma

  

Jordan Norton  Nondestructive Examination, ASNT, Level III

Mr. Jordan W. Norton is a certified ACCP Professional Level III (Certificate Number 30938) in all four major NDE methods (since 1988). Additionally, in 2002, he received additional certifications by APTECH as a Level III in Eddy Current. During the last 21 years, he has been involved with over 700 projects, at over 150 nuclear and fossil power plants throughout the North America and the Middle East. Mr. Norton has published and presented technical papers at two international Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Conferences on the subject of nondestructive examination (NDE) on welded piping systems.

Bachelor’s Degree (Management), Malone College, Canton, OH
ACCP Professional Level III (Certificate 30938) in UT, RT, MT, PT
ASNT, SNT-TC-1A Level III, Eddy Current Testing
Member of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing

  

Osborne B. Nye Mechanical Engineer

Project management. Experienced in fossil power plant inspection and condition assessment, including high energy piping and boiler components. Experienced in maintenance and repairs. Developed in-house welding and weld repair program, including writing policies and procedures and obtaining regulatory certification for a Texas Utility. Developed and implemented procedures and training for high energy pipe hanger inspection and maintenance. Conducted boiler combustion testing and tuning and burner balancing

BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Tulsa, 1993
Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  

Steve R. Paterson Metallurgy and Failure Analysis

Mr. Paterson has extensive experience in metallurgical engineering; welding engineering; mechanical testing; failure analysis; nondestructive examination; fractography; theoretical and experimental fracture mechanics; analysis of material degradation at elevated temperatures; and forensic engineering.

M.S. (Metallurgy and Materials Engineering), Lehigh University (1982)
B.S. (Metallurgy and Welding Engineering), California Polytechnic State University (1980)
A.S. (Welding Technology), Contra Costa College (1976)

  

David Rockefeller Senior Piping Engineer

Mr. Rockefeller has over 25 years of experience in Civil, Mechanical, and Structural Engineering. His main areas of expertise are piping system design, plant system design, equipment specification, maintenance engineering, and energy management. He also has considerable experience in both water and air environmental engineering. Mr. Rockefeller has held the position of project engineer, being responsible for project technical direction, schedule, budget, and execution of many design and planning projects. His wide variety of experience has given him a unique blend of theoretical and practical engineering knowledge. He is also a skilled writer of technical and business documents. He is one of the most experienced users of AUTOPIPE piping stress analysis program, having used it since its inception over 12 years ago and has been responsible for many of the improvements to the software throughout its development.

B.S. (Civil Engineering) Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (1976)
Completed Graduate Level Courses in Structural Engineering and Computer Applications

  

Joe Studniarz. Business Development Manager

Extensive electric power industry application engineering, business development, sales and marketing experience. Familiar with all segments of the regulated and deregulated electric power industry, including the G&T Coop and Public Power segments. Background includes work with thermal steam power plants, combined cycle and simple cycle combustion turbine power plants, both industrial and aero-derivative combustion turbines, steam turbine generators and mechanical drive steam turbines, shell and tube heat exchangers including HRSGs, after-market power plant products and retrofits, medium voltage power plant and medium/high voltage substation electric products.

MSE, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
BSME, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA
General Electric Power Systems Engineering Course
 General Electric BWR Nuclear Training Program
Registered Professional Engineer (Missouri – Inactive)

  

Eric V. Sullivan, P.E. Metallurgy, Failure Analysis, Fires, Explosions

Mr. Eric Sullivan has over 27 years of metallurgical engineering experience in the fields of materials, metallurgical, and welding engineering, nondestructive examination, and failure investigation. Mr. Sullivan specializes in the analysis of mechanical equipment, engines, combustion and steam turbines, and devices that are involved in complex accidents, losses, fires, and explosions. Mr. Sullivan has also provided expert testimony for deposition, mediation, and trial.

B.S. (Metallurgical Engineering), California Polytechnic State
University at San Luis Obispo, California (1980)
Professional Engineer, Metallurgical, California No. 1771
Licensed Private Investigator, State of California

  

T. Steven I. Torbov  Combustion, Thermoscience

Experience and expertise ranges from the research and development of new technologies and/or system modifications to the implementation of this research and development in the design, installation, and start-up and tune-up phases in utility power plant and industrial boilers and furnaces, heat recovery boilers, and combustion equipment, rotary kilns, large diesel internal combustion engines, heat transfer, fluid mechanics. Special skills in steam boiler and industrial furnace design related to combustion, corrosion, circulation, and boiler component failure analysis. Experienced in fuel data interpretation, fuel properties, equipment impacts, and fuel switching projects for utilities and industrial power plants. Experienced in developing engineering calculation procedures for combustion and heat transfer analysis, natural or forced internal circulation thermalhydraulics, combustion gas aerodynamics, unit performance and efficiency, and component stress analysis. These procedures have been applied to utility and industrial boilers and furnaces, valves, heat exchangers, and steam and gas turbines.

B.S. (Mechanical Engineering), Technical University of Bulgaria (1958)
M.S. (Mechanical Engineering), Technical University of Bulgaria (1960)

  

Henry D. Vaillancourt  Metallurgical & Welding Engineer

Mr. Henry Vaillancourt has over 20 of years experience in the fields of welding metallurgy and failure analysis including: Failure Analysis, Fracture Mechanics, Materials Selection, Condition Assessment, Welding Methods & Procedures, Nondestructive Examination, Mechanical Testing, Remaining Life Analysis

B.S. (Metallurgical /Welding Engineering), California Polytechnic State University (1977)
American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector (AWS 97120971)

  

Martin L. Wilson Plant Operation, Maintenance,
Construction, Startup

Mr. Wilson has extensive experience in fossil power plant operation, maintenance, construction, startup, procedures, project management, performance analysis, and system operation and maintenance problem solving. His background involves working in coal, oil, gas, and combined cycle plants.

The additional experience Mr. Wilson offers includes preparation of technical scopes of work, technical oversight, and major capital and routine projects (conception to close out). His areas of experience include boiler, turbine (steam and combustion), generator, BOP, and fuel handling.

Bachelor of science Industrial Engineering Texas A&M University – graduated December, 1980
Lake Charles area Construction Trades User’s Council, 1990 to 1994

  

James J. Yavelak  Metallurgy, NDE, and RUL

Mr. Yavelak is a degreed metallurgical engineer with over 20 years experience in condition assessment of power plant components. Before coming to APTECH, he managed the development of new and innovative research techniques for condition assessment at Babcock & Wilcox Company. While at APTECH, he has participated in numerous capacities including metallurgical replication, nondestructive material property characterizations, measurement and evaluation of residual stresses in steels, and the dynamic monitoring of piping system stresses. Mr. Yavelak has personally field managed many of APTECH's large boiler condition assessment projects, including nondestructive evaluation of internal furnace tube distress, flaw evaluation, and on-site dispositioning. Mr. Yavelak specializes in root cause analyses for deterioration of power plant components. His vast experience in field project management, failure analysis, wear, stress analysis, and nondestructive testing, make him uniquely qualified to assess the condition and estimate the remaining useful lives of deteriorating power plant components.

B.S. (Metallurgical Engineering), University of Cincinnati (1974)
M.S. (Metallurgical Engineering), University of Cincinnati (1976)