Deviation Caught: Avoiding Component Damage & Efficiency Loss on a Combustion Turbine Author Sticky Jacqueline Vinyard Director, Product Marketing GE Vernova’s Software Business A professionally trained journalist, Jackie has a degree in journalism and has spent 15+ years’ experience as a researcher and launching innovative technology. She lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, three children and two dogs. Her latest passion is launching software at GE Vernova to accelerate the energy transition and to decarbonize the world. Palash Verma Senior Customer Reliability Engineer GE Vernova’s Software Business Palash Verma is a Senior Customer Reliability Engineer for GE Vernova with an education in Mechanical Engineering. Verma started his career with operations and maintenance training in a thermal power station. He has over 10+ years of experience in delivering various plant monitoring software projects. Prior to joining GE Vernova, he has worked with other companies offering software solution to power generation and energy industries as a solution consultant. As a member of the Industrial Managed Services team, he focuses on assisting APM customers in optimizing their investments. He utilizes predictive analytics technologies, including the SmartSignal application, to monitor and enhance the performance of over 500 industrial assets worldwide. By implementing predictive maintenance strategies, he helps clients save costs by reducing unplanned shutdowns and eliminating surprises, thereby enhancing asset reliability and operational efficiency. His emphasis on customer satisfaction ensures that clients extract maximum value from their APM solutions. Jul 07, 2025 Last Updated 3 Minute Read Share Predict: What did GE Vernova AI/ML predictive analytics software find? Industry: Power GenerationRegion: N. AmericaAsset Type: Combustion TurbineA deviation on a combustion turbine was detected at a U.S. power site using GE Vernova’s predictive analytics software, SmartSignal. The digital twin of a combustion turbine showed that the coupling end vibration sensor increased to above normal thresholds. This anomaly was not isolated, as many other turbine vibration metrics exhibited similar upward trends. In response, the GE Vernova engineering team, Industrial Managed Services (IMS), promptly included this issue in the weekly report for in-depth discussion with the customer. Prefer to listen?Stream our audio version 00:00/00:00 Diagnose & Prioritize: What was the underlying cause and risk urgency? Following the alert from the IMS engineering team, further investigation by the customer revealed that the increase in vibrations was attributed to issues with clutch engagement. Once the customer addressed and resolved the clutch problem, the bearing vibrations returned to values predicted by the model, indicating normal operation. Customer Value The early notification, sent in August by GE Vernvoa IMS team, allowed the customer to closely monitor the turbine's bearing vibrations and strategically plan for a repair during scheduled downtime in November.By fixing the clutch during this pre-planned maintenance period, the customer avoided a costly unscheduled outage. The IMS team further confirmed the success of the maintenance actions by observing that the actual values matched the expected model values post-repair. This proactive approach is estimated to have saved the customer approximately $120,000 in avoided costs, based on the North American average production loss. Clutch Engagement Vibration Issues on Gas Turbines:Vibration issues related to clutch engagement are not uncommon in gas turbines and can lead to increased wear and tear, resulting in potential operational inefficiencies and unexpected breakdowns. Addressing these anomalies promptly is crucial for maintaining the overall health and performance of the turbine.Why Catching Vibration Anomalies Early is Beneficial: Identifying vibration anomalies at an early stage is vital for several reasons. Early detection enables maintenance teams to plan for repairs during scheduled shutdowns rather than reacting to unexpected failures. This approach not only minimizes downtime but also saves significant costs associated with emergency maintenance and production losses. Furthermore, timely intervention can prevent more severe damage, extending the lifespan of turbine components and improving overall reliability. Get Started Today Contact Us Author Section Authors Jacqueline Vinyard Director, Product Marketing GE Vernova’s Software Business A professionally trained journalist, Jackie has a degree in journalism and has spent 15+ years’ experience as a researcher and launching innovative technology. She lives in Boulder, CO with her husband, three children and two dogs. Her latest passion is launching software at GE Vernova to accelerate the energy transition and to decarbonize the world. Palash Verma Senior Customer Reliability Engineer GE Vernova’s Software Business Palash Verma is a Senior Customer Reliability Engineer for GE Vernova with an education in Mechanical Engineering. Verma started his career with operations and maintenance training in a thermal power station. He has over 10+ years of experience in delivering various plant monitoring software projects. Prior to joining GE Vernova, he has worked with other companies offering software solution to power generation and energy industries as a solution consultant. As a member of the Industrial Managed Services team, he focuses on assisting APM customers in optimizing their investments. He utilizes predictive analytics technologies, including the SmartSignal application, to monitor and enhance the performance of over 500 industrial assets worldwide. By implementing predictive maintenance strategies, he helps clients save costs by reducing unplanned shutdowns and eliminating surprises, thereby enhancing asset reliability and operational efficiency. His emphasis on customer satisfaction ensures that clients extract maximum value from their APM solutions.