O'Donnell

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Cracks Found in Brass Fitting of an HVAC System Call a Metallurgist! It’s a fact of life… things break. When components are made of metal, the first reaction of most is usually to “Call a metallurgist!” Although this is often a good starting point, in many cases also including a mechanical or structural engineer in …

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Failure of a splined clutch power transmission shaft Failure Analysis – the Basics Failures happen, often despite the best efforts of designers, engineers, and fabricators. The first consideration after a component failure should be to check similar components in service that may exhibit the same type of failure. There are many potential causes of failure …

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FEA Model of Feedwater Heater FEA Model of Pressure Vessel Blog – Finite Element Analysis (FEA) What is finite element analysis? Finite element analysis (FEA) is a computer simulation method useful for evaluating components, structures and systems. It is a versatile and powerful tool that models simple and complex geometries, in conjunction with linear and …

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Weld Defects and Failures: Quantifying Fitness For Service – How Finite Element Mathematical Simulations can Mitigate Risk and Cut Costs Article by Dr. William J. O’Donnell, PE, President – O’Donnell Consulting Engineers Fatigue in Welded steel components is often initiated by mathematical vibration, corrosion and thermal cycling. Fitness for service analysis is the most viable …

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GlobalSpec Article on a forensic investigation O’Donnell Consulting performed on a ductwork failure in a Pittsburgh-local school. Call Tom O’Donnell to Discuss Your Forensic Engineering Issues

Stress and Fatigue Analysis of Bellows  What in the World is a Primary Stress? Most engineers are familiar with the terms “Normal Stress”, “Shear Stress” and potentially “Equivalent Stress.” However perhaps not so much with the terms “Primary Stress” and “Secondary Stress”. What do these terms mean and why are they important? “Primary Stress” is …

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Check out our Portfolio Page of projects – we are continually adding to it. Above is a model for a base skid containing a Vapor Recovery Unit that we performed a structural analysis.

We have updated our Links Page which lists of professional societies, engineering books and resources, and as well as other links of interest.

We continually updating updated our Events Page concerning engineering conferences.

Bill O’Donnell, Sr., recently published “Handbook of Lessons Learned In Engineering, Design, Manufacturing and Construction.” It is intended for engineers, designers, manufacturers and constructors – depicting failures from thermal, structural, vibration, corrosion and other failure mechanisms. Read a sample of this book, Section 1 Designers’ Lessons. This book can be purchased at Amazon.com.

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and NuScale Power, two leading companies in the race to build small modular reactors (SMRs) for power generation, have recently announced deals that could result to new plants being constructed in Europe. See the Power Magazine article.

See Our Links Page to find resources on engineering associations, books, and more.

See two of our murals – that were painted by a local artist, depicting the various engineering and legal cases we’ve worked on.

We provide engineering design, analysis and troubleshooting services to the Petrochemical, Mining, Materials, Transportation, Aerospace, Power and other industries. See our Contact Page to Submit an Inquiry.

Advantages of Dual Linear Array Probes for Corrosion Inspection. The power generation industry is among those whose aging infrastructure contributes to increased safety concerns, and can lead to costly unscheduled maintenance and shutdowns. Facilities must be vigilant about monitoring corrosion in their in-service pipes and vessels to help ensure their integrity. Read the Power Magazine …

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The reliability and integrity of equipment, structures and piping can suffer because of vibration and dynamic responses. These depend mainly on excitation forces, stiffness, mass distribution and damping. Modal analysis, which focuses on natural frequencies and associated modal shapes, provides an important tool in understanding potential issues. Indeed, usually the first step in checking for …

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Steam turbines are used across the world as a source of power for many different industries. Even with the best maintenance procedures and preventative maintenance techniques, problems can still arise. Resolving one of the more serious issues, that of stress corrosion cracking, can often be achieved in a straightforward manner by accurately identifying the causes.  …

Mitigating Failure Mechanisms – Turbomachinery Read More »

A first-of-its-kind nuclear reactor that will use a 3D-printed core, advanced materials, and integrated sensors and controls is on track for completion by 2023. Read the Power Magazine Article.   .

See our Covid-19 Update. 

The past 10 years have been filled with trials and tribulations for both the nuclear and coal power industries. From accidents to plant closures there has been little to cheer about. Still, nuclear and coal power continue to provide reliable baseload generation to billions of customers around the globe. Here’s a look back at the …

A Decade of Turmoil: How Nuclear and Coal Have Struggled to Survive Read More »

Find the latest news, resources, and analysis tools and tips at list of resources for engineers.

IEA World Energy Outlook 2019. Solar photovoltaic (PV) could surge ahead of coal and gas and become the largest source of installed power capacity in the world by 2035 if countries pursue stated policies and targets, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its newly released World Energy Outlook 2019 (WEO2019). See the Power Magazine …

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Every year, Fast Company’s Innovation By Design Awards honor the best design in business, from products to buildings to UX. This year, we received more than 4,300 entries—a record—and the 22 winners and 483 honorees, selected by a roster of experts from across the design world, represent the best work from an immensely competitive group. …

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List of 19 revolutionary inventions from Interesting Engineering which thoroughly transformed our world as we see it today.