NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION

OPERATION DIVISION FORMAL DOCUMENTATION SYSTEM

OPERATION DIRECTIVE - OD/OPS/SYST/001

Issue No. : 1 Date : December 1993

BARRING OF TURBINE GENERATORS

All locations are required to comply with this Directive

Approved for
Implementation by ........................................................
Director (Operation)

Date :....................................

Enquiries to : Executive Director, Operation Services

 BARRING OF TURBINE GENERATORS

CONTENTS

Page Nos.

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

2.0 SUPERSEDED DOCUMENTS 1

3.0 SCOPE 1

4.0 DIRECTIVE 1

4.1 Cause of Permanent Bending of Turbine Rotors 1

4.2 Purpose of the Turning Gear 2

4.3 Implementation 2

5.0 REVIEW 5
 Page 1
OD/OPS/SYST/001
Issue - 1 Dec-93

BARRING OF TURBINE GENERATORS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This Directive draws attention to the need to exercise great care in the use
of Turning Gear on a Turbine Generator if there is any indication or
suspicion of transient or permanent bending of the turbine rotors. Because
severe damage can occur during turning, all stations shall review their
turbine turning procedures and, if not in compliance with this Directive,
prepare suitable operating instructions in conjunction with the turbine
manufacturer.

2.0 SUPERSEDED DOCUMENTS- None

3.0 SCOPE

Applicable to all steam driven prime movers provided with Barring Gear.

4.0 DIRECTIVE

4.1 Cause of Permanent Bending of Turbine Rotors

Permanent bending of a turbine rotor is invariably the result of a self-

sustaining rub between the rotating element and the fixed glands. The
continuation of heavy rubbing causes local heating over a certain area of
the rotor periphery, tending to maintain the bend and leading to further
bending in the same direction. The material adjacent to the self-sustaining
rub is subject to high compressive stress because of the frictional heating
of the rotor, in this region some yielding in compression takes place with
the consequence that, on cooling down, the bend reverses, invariably
leaving the rubbed side of the bend.

It follows that the degree of the permanent bend is a function of the

severity of the rubbing and the length of time it is sustained. Obviously,
any severe rubbing which is likely to cause a permanent bend must be
stopped, whether it occurs at barring speed or any higher speed. A
transient bend will disappear if the rubbing is so light that insufficient heat
is generated to sustain the bend.

Note : Thermal bends produced in a stationary rotor never in the

past proved to be permanent.
 Page 2
OD/OPS/SYST/001
Issue - 1 Dec-93

4.2 Purpose of the Turning Gear

The purpose of the Turning Gear is to maintain rotor temperature after

shutdown and thus prevent rotor eccentricity from developing. Top-to-
bottom casing differential temperatures are likely to occur even with high
speed barring and it is not possible to be specific on the maximum
indicated eccentricity that can be tolerated on Turning Gear because this
varies between one type of the machine and another, the manufacturer
should be consulted if these figures are required. Eccentricity should fall
rapidly after barring commences, and if it does not, the Turning Gear
should be stopped and hand turning applied where possible.

4.3 Because of the differences in design and behaviour of rotors and glands
and the different Turning Gear and supervisory instruments installed, it is
necessary to consider the turning procedure at each power station
individually. Power Station General Managers shall review their Turning
Procedures, and if found necessary in the light of this Directive, issue new
instructions which have the full written agreement of the turbine
manufacturer. The following points may be useful in formulating these
instructions :

4.3.1 If the Turning Gear is not capable of turning the rotors - due to rotor
seizure, bearing failure, etc steam MUST NEVER be admitted to the
machine for the purpose of `steam barring'. The rotors should be turned by
hand barring if possible; half a revolution every 10 minutes, as long as no
undue force is required.
If excessive force is necessary, indicating seizure, THE ROTORS
SHOULD BE LEFT STATIONARY UNTIL, after cooling, they become
free. Barring may then by cautiously resumed, initially by hand and thus,
having ensured that the rotors are free, power barring may be used.

4.3.2 If when a machine stops, failure of the Turning Gear has occurred , steam
MUST NOT be admitted for the purposes of `steam barring' if the rotors
have been stopped for more than 10 minutes. Hand barring of the machine
should be carried out where possible; half a revolution every 10 minutes.

4.3.3 If there is a rising trend of eccentricity or vibration whilst on Turning Gear,

power barring MUST BE STOPPED and the rotors turned carefully by
 Page 3
OD/OPS/SYST/001
Issue - Dec-93

hand, half a revolution every 10 minutes, unit the trend has been reversed
when power barring may be resumed.

4.3.4 If while on Turning Gear a rub occurs followed by an increase in

eccentricity or vibration, the procedure outlined in 4.3.3 above should be
followed.

A rotor rub during Turning Gear operation should be evident from

observation of the Turning Gear motor current where this indication is
provided, or by local observation for noise.

4.3.5 In case of failure of lub oil or jacking oil and the rotors have come to rest,
no attempt shall be made to turn the shafts by either hand or power
barring until the oil supplies are restored.

4.3.6 In case of failure of generator seal oil supplies and if it is essential to turn
the rotors, only the hand barring system will be used.

5.0 REVIEW

The Executive Director, Operation Services will be responsible for

reviewing this Directive on a 2-yearly basis.