Anyone Can Run a Model – We Make Sure It’s Worth Running
Thermodynamic software doesn’t solve problems—people do. At McHale & Associates, Inc., we don’t just operate tools like GateCycle™, EBSILON®Professional, and our proprietary McHale Performance Suite. We build cycle models from the ground...
Powering Precision: The Critical Role of Baseline Performance in Geothermal Plant Success
Baseline establishment is critical at a geothermal power plant, especially after commissioning, because it provides a clear reference point for evaluating future performance. This initial performance benchmark—recorded when all systems are new and...
Achieve Unmatched Temperature Accuracy
When precision is non-negotiable, trust matters. Our ISO 17025-accredited temperature calibration services deliver industry-leading accuracy and reliability—ensuring every measurement you take is one you can stand behind. From thermometers and...
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Oversight When It Matters. Expertise When It’s Challenged.
At McHale & Associates, Inc., we act as the technical and contractual backbone for developers, asset owners, and investors—providing impartial oversight, engineering rigor, and lifecycle guidance.
GTCC vs PV Performance Testing — Similar Goals but Different Process
OEMs, EPCs, Owners and Investors see performance testing through one lens: risk versus value. In GTCC, that means fuel efficiency. In PV solar, it’s performance ratio and energy yield. Both matter and require different skill sets.
Cracking the Code: Troubleshooting for Peak Performance in Geothermal Power Plants
Troubleshooting operational issues is essential at geothermal power plants because it helps identify and resolve the root causes of performance problems, ensuring consistent power output, system reliability, and efficient resource use. Given the...
Is Natural Gas Renewable or Nonrenewable?
As someone who's spent years working in the power generation industry, I've seen firsthand how often people get confused about natural gas and its classification. The question "is natural gas renewable or nonrenewable?" comes up constantly in our...
Sustaining the Steam: Why Geothermal Resource Assessments Matter
Resource sustainability assessment is essential for geothermal power plants because it ensures the long-term viability of the geothermal reservoir—the natural heat source that powers the entire operation. Unlike fossil fuels, geothermal energy is...
Exploring the Power of Precision: Wind Tunnel Innovation at McHale & Associates, Inc.
Thank you to everyone who attended John Shaffer’s recent presentation at the NCSL International Workshop & Symposium! His session, on the Design, Revitalization, and Application of Precision Calibration and Testing using a Wind Tunnel, sparked...
How can McHale Help You Get Your Cooling Tower Line Certified?
CTI STD 201 Thermal Certification Testing is based on CTI ATC 105Test Methods and Measurements, with a few exceptions: Flow measurements are made with either a CTI-owned Pitot Tube or Mag Flow Meter. Each LTA is assigned two (2) Pitot Tubes The CTI...
Battling Equipment Degradation in Geothermal Power Plants
Monitoring equipment degradation is essential at geothermal power plants because it ensures reliable performance, minimizes downtime, and protects both the equipment and the geothermal resource. Geothermal environments are particularly harsh on...
ASTM E2848 Isn’t Plug & Play—Here’s What That Means in Practice
ASTM E2848: It’s a Baseline, Not a Blueprint ASTM E2848 is well known as the standard for short-term capacity testing of PV systems, and for good reason. It provides a structured method to verify whether a solar asset is delivering the power it...
Building Trust Through Performance: The Role of Third-Party Validation
Aligning Expectations: The Role of Independent Validation in Utility-Scale Solar Performance Delivering a utility-scale solar project requires coordinating many moving parts and aligning diverse stakeholder goals. Engineering, Procurement, and...
Common Pitfalls in PV Testing & How to Avoid Them
The Seven Rules for Reliable PV Testing Field performance testing is a pivotal process for validating photovoltaic (PV) system performance, ensuring that contractual guarantees are met, and accurately quantifying energy potential. However, test...
Are there any good reasons to be concerned with the efficiency of your geothermal power plant?
Optimizing efficiency in geothermal power plants Efficiency optimization is vital at a geothermal power plant because it directly impacts energy output, operational cost, environmental footprint, and long-term sustainability. Unlike fossil fuel...
Performance guarantees aren’t optional—and neither is the partner you choose to validate them
EPCs, are you seeking to validate your power plant projects with precision and confidence? At McHale & Associates, Inc., we specialize in Independent ASME PTC-compliant performance testing for: Gas Turbines Steam Turbines Heat Recovery Steam...
Evaluating Performance: Why CTI ATC-105 Testing Matters
The first step is to contact a CTI LTA like McHale. Once you provide basic information about your tower that includes: Air Inlet Dimensions Riser material, diameter and if Pitot taps are installed. Voltage and horsepower of the Fans The Primary...
Understanding the Dye Dilution Flow Measurement Technique
Accurately measuring flow rate can often a be a daunting task when the flows are in large pipes, undefined conduits, or if the existing piping configuration prohibits accurate measurement using conventional flow measurement devices (Orifice, pitot,...
Evaluating Your Heat Rejection Performance
Since 1995, McHale & Associates has been at the forefront of performance evaluation for power plant equipment, helping clients around the world maximize efficiency, reliability, and cost savings. Our expertise has only deepened over the years —...
Capacity Confirmation in Solar PV: The Role of ASTM E2848
ASTM E2848 is a short-term capacity test standard used to verify that a PV system performs as expected under real-world conditions. Conducted over several clear-sky days, it collects high-frequency power and environmental data, filters out...
Helping EPCs De-Risk Commissioning
We Help You Sleep at Night. As a Project Manager, you’ve got enough on your plate—tight timelines, technical hand-offs, and high-stakes guarantees. At McHale & Associates, Inc., we make one part of your job easier: verifying PV system...
Maximizing Solar Performance
Success Story: Maximizing Solar Performance & Ensuring Contract Compliance Challenge A leading renewable energy developer required independent verification of a newly commissioned utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plant to confirm...
Overcoming the Challenges of Owning and Maintaining Legacy Instruments
by Jessica Drinnon Whether the instrument has been in service for many years or you just managed to purchase a gently used or refurbished instrument, considerable complications arise when you are notified that the manufacturer or calibration...
Elevating Industry Standards: The Crucial Role of RF Calibration
At McHale & Associates we understand that RF (Radio Frequency) technology is the backbone of numerous critical industries, from telecommunications to aerospace. As these sectors evolve, the demand for precision and reliability in RF equipment...
Characterization of Elliptical Pitot Tube for Water Flow Measurements
ABSTRACT In 2018, CTI switched from simplex pitot tubes to an elliptical style pitot tubes for water flow measurements. This change was made to reduce the impact of change in Reynolds number on the calibration coefficient of the pitot tube. In...
Solar Testing Accuracy
In a field where precision becomes the difference between meeting or failing commercial guarantees and industry guidance may be evolving, McHale’s commitment to advanced data filtering methodologies ensures that projects not only meet but exceed both commercial and industry expectations.
A Real-Time Output-Loss Method for Monitoring Heat Rate for Coal-Fired Power Plants
ABSTRACT This paper describes a real-time performance monitoring method based on PTC 4-2013 for determining instantaneous heat rate for coal-fired power plants. The calculation protocol uses a modified output-loss approach applied to a control...
Exploring a Variant of PTC 4-2013 for Real-Time Performance Monitoring of Fossil Fuel Power Plants
ABSTRACT This paper describes a real-time performance monitoring method based on PTC 4-2013 that was developed for determining and reporting annual heat rate for fossil fuel power plants. Unlike for the PTC 4 test, the coal composition is typically...
A Modified F-Factor Approach for Real-Time Performance Monitoring of Fossil Fuel Power Plants
ABSTRACT This paper describes a modified F-factor approach for real-time performance monitoring of heat rate and CO2 emissions for fossil fuel power plants. The calculation protocol introduced in the present investigation is a modification of the...
Your Source for Formaldehyde Detection
Is your facility a major HAP source and has gas turbines added after January 14, 2003? If so, the US EPA is only giving you 180 days to conduct initial stack performance testing to demonstrate compliance with a formaldehyde standard.On March 9,...
Total Solar Field Direct Normal Insolation Measurement Method Under Investigation for ASME PTC 52
Setting Standards for Solar: ASME’s PTC 52 and the Future of Concentrated Solar Power Testing With an overwhelming push for “green” renewable energy in the recent years, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Performance Test Codes...
Fixed Duct Burner Heat Input Approach for Combined Cycle Power Plant ASME PTC-46 Performance Testing
ABSTRACT Since its publication in 1996, ASME PTC 46 Performance Test Code on Overall Plant Performance has established itself as the premier test code for conducting overall plant performance within the power industry, especially for combined cycle...
Consideration of Co-Variance in Power Plant Test Uncertainty Calculations
ABSTRACT One of the most important aspects of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Performance Test Code (PTC) thermal performance testing is the proper determination of test uncertainty since the Uncertainty Analysis (UA) validates the...