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Condition Monitoring of Steam Turbines by Performance Analysis
Condition Monitoring of Steam Turbines by Performance Analysis
Author : Ray Beebe, FIEAust CPEng Monash University Gippsland School of Engineering Churchill, Victoria 3842 Australia This paper was originally presented at the 52nd Conference of the Machinery Failure Prevention Society, Virginia Beach, April 1998
Abstract Steam turbines today are required to run for well beyond their intended lifetimes. Opening up machines for inspection is expensive, and owners need to consider all relevant information in making the decision. Problems in steam turbines which reduce machine efficiency and output, such as deposits on blades and erosion of internal clearances, can be detected and monito red using condition monitoring by performance analysis. The paper outlines with some examples some condition monitoring techniques which have contributed to running some large machines for up to 17 years without opening high pressure sections. In machines with an HP-IP opposed-flow casing, increased N2 packing internal steam leakage can occur from the high pressure turbine section into the intermediate pressure section has a large effect on output and efficiency. The application of a simple test method for estimating this leakage explained observed poor performance on two sets. Key Words: condition monitoring; optimisation; plant performance; predictive maintenance; steam turbines; testing; N2 packing
INTRODUCTION
Steam turbine generators are reliable machines, and often operate continuously for many months. Such operation at steady outputs can lead to deposition from the steam on the fixed and moving blades. Deposits cause output and efficiency to drop, by reducing the efficiency of energy transfer and eventually restricting steam flow. This occurs less on sets which vary in load, as they undergo a regular bladewashing effect. Where a machine is taken from service, coastdown and running up through shaft bending critical speeds can allow momentary rubbing at the internal seals. The resulting enlarged flow area can reduce the internal efficiency, such that less energy is extracted from the steam. This also results from internal leakage within a casing which allows steam to bypass blading stages. These effects are particularly evident on the turbine design with both High Pressure and Intermediate Pressure sections in the one casing, with flow in opposite directions. Retractable packings have been developed by manufacturers and after -market suppliers. These avoid shaft rubbing as they do not close into their normal clearances until the machine is near operating speed, having passed through the bending critical speed or speeds. Vibration analysis can detect the occurrence of such shaft rubbing and other conditions of the rotor line, but cannot detect the extent of internal wear or deposition. It is well suited for other quite different failure modes, such as when blades or parts of them come off and cause consequential damage. As with the application of all condition monitoring, the rule is to choose techniques to match the likely failure/wearout modes. As steam turbines are critical machines, all the main techniques have their place. Performance analysis can be applied to most machines, rotating and stationary. It is the one condition monitoring technique which allows the optimum time for restorative maintenance to be calculated, where the deterioration results in increased fuel consumption, or in reduced output, or both. (Beebe 1998)
For some plant items, it is possible to use the normal plant instruments and data processing system to determine condition parameters. (Beebe 1998a). In the case of steam turbines, a more refined method using test quality instruments is needed to give warning well in advance of changes evident from permanent instrumentation systems. (Groves 1996). This paper describes some performance tests used for monitoring turbine condition and their application.
Leakage due to wear, Shaft and distortion, breakage interstage glands (seals)
end glands 15 to 25kW. IP: blade tips, 2.5kW; interstage 2kW per stage; end glands 5kW LP: blade tips and interstage, 1.5kW per stage; end glands 2kW.
For reaction blading, the effect will be greater. Likely to occur gradually, mostly in areas around 260C. Some on-load blade washing occurs with forced steam cooling. Performance analysis detects. Blade surface roughness has biggest effect at higher steam pressures. One case gave 17% drop in output from deposits varying between 250 to 2300 m in thickness. Permissible roughness for LP blading can be 100 coarser than for HP blading. One test with surface finish equivalent to 500 grit emery paper caused 5% to 7% less efficiency in HP blading, about 2% in LP. Electrical plant testing (several techniques (not detailed in this paper) Performance analysis (not detailed in this paper) Performance analysis (not detailed in this paper) Performance analysis. Acoustic leakage detection (not detailed in this paper) is also possible.
Deposits (more prevalent with base loaded sets as cyclic loading tends to have a blade washing effect).
Insulation faults Air inleakageTube fouling Air inleakage, tube fouling by scale or oil
y y
y y
Test readings during as test run of an hour or so are carefully made using calibrated test instruments, with two separate measurements of each point. Readings of test transducers can be made manually, but it is now usual to use a data logger coupled with a computer. With the exception of some minor flows read from plant instruments and used only in correction factors, test measurements of flow are not made. This simplifies the test considerably and minimises the cost considerably compared with the full heat rate test used for the initial acceptance tests for guarantee checks.
The generator MW output over about an hour of steady operation is read using test instruments, and corrected for any variations from the datum terminal conditions. For example, if the condenser pressure on the test is higher than the datum, then the turbine output will be less that which would be expected at datum condenser pressure. Corrections are usually provided by the manufacturer for use in the initial acceptance tests but can be obtained using cycle modelling programs or from special tests. With the instrument calibration information available, the calculations are usually performed immediately following the tests. Significant changes are often small, and it is unlikely that they can be detected by the permanent instrumentation and data processing systems fitted for operation and monitoring (Groves, 1996). This may be possible with highly stable transducers of recent design, or with adequate calibration arrangements.
From experience, the reduction observed is significant. Further tests would be performed to ascertain parameters of condition of individual machine components which can be separately opened. Data for these is often gathered concurrently with the VWO tests.
SECTION PARAMETERS
Measurement of temperatures and pressures at available points along the turbine enable condition of individual sections to be assessed. If the VWO Output has reduced, then the section or sections causing the reduction can be localised. Table 2 gives some of the parameters used and their application. The following sections give examples of some of these in use. Parameter Steam strainer pressure drop Section enthalpy drop efficiency (superheated steam sections) Section pressure ratios Corrected First Stage Comments Best measured with a differential pressure transducer rather than an upstream and a downstream pair. An increase indicates blockage, probably from metal particles from boiler tube welding repairs. Calculated using steam tables computer program. A drop indicates blade fouling, or erosion damage. Stage pressures can be corrected to standard inlet pressure, but any error in measuring it is applied to all the stage pressures. Ratios use only the outlet and inlet pressures of each section. Changes show up erosion or deposition. At VWO, proportional to steam flow through the turbine, indicates first
pressure
stage condition. Increase points to upstream erosion, or downstream blockage, and vice versa.
Extraction temperatures to According to design, a higher than expected steam inlet temperature feedheaters in superheated may indicate relative internal bypassing leakage in the turbine upstream sections of the extraction point.. Extraction temperatures to feedheaters in saturated steam sections Increases above saturation temperature indicate leakage of steam from a stage upstream of the extraction point.
Where available, these may indicate relative leakage, according to Drain line temperatures design. A similar approach can be used for points before and after pipe from casings, or from shaft junctions of two streams of different temperatures. Pipe surface seal (gland) sections temperatures are sufficient for repeatable assessment. Estimated N2 packing leakage (on turbines with combined HP-IP casings) Test by varying relative inlet steam temperatures and observing effect on IP enthalpy drop efficiency.
Figure 1: Section of Mollier Chart showing expansion line. P1, T1 etc are steam pressure and temperature measured at points of extraction flows in superheated sections A relative deterioration in the HP casing is evident. Further study would be made of any other parameters available in this area.
It was deduced from careful study of construction details from available drawings that the second bellows had failed. This conclusion was confirmed by the manufacturer.
For the first test, at rated conditions, the enthalpy of the leakage steam is estimated at first stage pressure from a plot of the expansion line. The steam flow through the IP blading is assumed constant throughout the test series (as it is the sum of hot reheat flow and N2 leakage under all conditions). The enthalpy of the steam entering these blades can be calculated by heat balance for both the initial conditions and for an assumed 10% leakage flow:
where: h3 = enthalpy of steam into Intermediate Pressure blading h1 = enthalpy of steam leaking into IP blading through the N2 gland h2 = enthalpy of hot reheat steam entering the IP turbine.
The IP efficiency is plotted at datum and 10% leakage conditions. When these points are joined, the intersection of the lines gives a reasonable estimate of the actual leakage flow (Figure 2).
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