ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

 With profound respect and gratitude, I take the opportunity to convey my

thanks to complete the training here.

I am extremely grateful to all the technical staff of BTPS / NTPC for their co-
operation and guidance that has helped me a lot during the course of training.
I have learnt a lot working under them and I will always be indebted of them
for this value addition in me.

I would also like to thank the training incharge of AFSET, FARIDABAD and all
the faculty members of Mechanical Engineering Department for their effort of
constant co- operation, which have been a significant factor in the
accomplishment of my industrial training

MOHD DANISH IDREES

AFSET, FARIDABAD
 

  TRAINING AT BTPS
 I was appointed to do 6 week training at this esteemed organization from 10 th
June to 20th July, 2013. I was assigned to visit various division of the plant,
which were:

1.Boiler Maintenance Department (BMD I/II/III)

2.Plant Auxiliary Maintenance (PAM)

3.Turbine Maintenance Department (TAM)

4.Coal Handling Department (CHD/NCHP)

These 6 weeks training was a very educational adventure for me. It was really
amazing to see the plant by yourself and learn how electricity, which is one of
our daily requirements of life, is produced. This report has been made by my
experience at BTPS. The material in this report has been gathered from my
textbook, senior student reports and trainers manuals and power journals
provided by training department. The specification and principles are as
learned by me from the employees of each division of BTPS.

NITTIN RAO
 

  INDEX
 

1. ABOUT NTPC

2. ABOUT BTPS

3. BASIC STEPS OF ELECTRICIT GENERATION

4. RANKINE CYCLE

5. BOILER MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT (BMD-I,II,III)

6. PLANT AUXILIARY MAINTENANCE (PAM)

7. TURBINE MAINTAINANCE DEPARTMENT  (TMD)

8. COAL HANDLING DEPARTMENT 

 ABOUT NTPC
NTPC Limited is the largest power generating company of India, Public
Sector Company. It was incorporated in the year 1975 to accelerate power
development in the country as a wholly owned company of  the Government of
India. At present, Government of India holds 89.5% of the total equity shares
of the company and the balance 10.5% is held by FIIs, Domestic Banks, Public
and others. Within a span of 31 years, NTPC has emerged as a truly national
power company, with power generating facilities in all the major regions of  the
country. NTPC's core business is engineering, construction and operation of
power generating plants and providing consultancy to power utilities in India
and abroad. The total installed capacity of the company is 31134 MW
(including JVs) with 15 coal based and 7 gas based stations, located across the
country. In addition u n d e r J Vs, 3 stations are coal based & another station uses
naphtha/LNG as fuel.
By 2017, the power generation portfolio is expected to have a diversified fuel
mix with coal based capacity of around 53000 MW, 10000 MW through gas,
9000 MW th r o u g h Hyd ro g e n e r a tion, about 2000 MW from nuclear sources and
around 1000 MW from Renewable Energy Sources (RES). NTPC has adopted a
multi-pronged growth strategy which includes capacity addition through green
field projects, expansion of existing stations, joint ventu res, s u bs idiaries and
takeover of stations.

NTPC has been operating its plants at high efficiency levels. Although the
company has18.79% of the total national capacity it contributes 28.60% of total
power generation due to its focus on high efficiency. NTPC’s share at 3 Mar
2001 of the total installed capacity of the country was 24.51% and it generated
29.68% of the power of the country in 2008-09.Every fourth home in India is lit
by NTPC. 170.88BU of electricity was produced by its station in the financial
year 2005-2006. The Net Prof it after Tax on March 31, 2006 was INR 58,202
million. Net Prof it after Tax for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 was INR
15528million, which is 18.65% more than for the same quarter in the previous
financial year.2005). NTPC has set new benchmarks for the power industry
both in the area of power plant construction and operations. Its providing power
at the cheapest average tariff in the country. NTPC is committed to the
environment, generating power at minimal environmental cost and preserving
the ecology in the vicinity of the plants. NTPC has under taken massive
aforestation in the vicinity of its plants. Plantations have increased forest area
and reduced barren land. The massive aforestation by NTPC in and around its
Ramagundam Power station (2600MW) have contributed reducing the
temperature in the areas by about 3°c. NTPC has also taken proactive steps for
ash utilisation. In 1991, it set up Ash Utilisation Division
A graphical overview
 JOURNEY OF NTPC

1975-  NTPC was set up in 1975 with 100% ownership by the

Government of India. In the last 30 years, NTPC has grown into the largest
power utility in India.

1997- In 1997, Government of India granted NTPC status of

³Navratna being one of the nine jewels of India, enhancing the powers to the
Board of Directors. 

2004- NTPC became a listed company with majority Government

ownership of 89.5%. NTPC becomes third largest by Market Capitalization of
listed companies

2005- The company rechristened as NTPC Limited in line with its

changing business portfolio and transforms itself from a thermal power utility to
an integrated power utility.

2008- National Thermal Power Corporation is the largest

power generation company in India. Forbes Global 2000 for 2008 ranked it
411th in the world.
 

2009
  - National Thermal Power Corporation is the largest
power generation company in India. Forbes Global 2000 for 2008 ranked it
317th in the world.
ABOUT BTPS

Badarpur Thermal Power Station started working in 1973 with a single 95 mw

unit. There were 2 more units (95 MW each) installed in next 2 consecutive
years. Now it has total five units with total capacity of 720 MW. Ownership of
BTPS was transferred to NTPC with effect from 01.06.2006 through GOI’s
gazette notification. Given below are the details of unit with the year they
installed
Address: Badarpur, New Delhi-110044
Installed capacity : 720 MW
Derated capacity: 705 MW
Coal source: Jharia coal fields
Water source: Agra canal
Unit sizes: 3*95 MW
2*210 MW
Units commissioned: Unit I- 95 MW- July 1973
Unit II- 95 MW- August 1974
Unit III- 95 MW- March 1975
Unit IV- 210 MW- December 1978
Unit V- 210 MW- December 1981
Transfer of BTPS to NTPC: Ownership of BTPS to NTPC was
transferred with effect from
01.06.2006 through GOI,s gazette
notification
 

BASIC STEPS OF ELECTRICITY GENERATION

The basic steps in the generation of electricity from coal involves following
steps:
1. Coal to steam
2. Steam to mechanical power
3. Mechanical power to electrical power
  COAL TO ELECTRICITY: BASICS
The basic steps in the generation of coal to electricity are shown below

Coal to steam
Coal from the coal wagons is unloaded in the coal handling plant. This Coal is
transported upto the raw coal bunkers with the help of belt conveyors. Coal is
transported to Bowl mills by Coal Feeders. The coal is pulverised in the Bowl
Mill, where it is ground to powder form. The mill consists of a round metallic
table on which coal particles fall. This table is rotated with the help of a motor.
There are three large steel rollers, which are spaced 120 apart. When there is no
coal, these rollers do not rotate but when the coal is fed to the table it packs up
between roller and the table and this forces the rollers to rotate. Coal is crushed
by the crushing action between the rollers and the rotating table. This crushed
coal is taken away to the furnace through coal pipes with the help of hot and
cold air mixture from P.A. Fan. P.A. Fan takes atmospheric air, a part of which
is sent to Air-Pre heaters for heating while a part goes directly to the mill
for temperature control. Atmospheric air from F.D. Fan is heated in the air
heaters and sent to the furnace as combustion air. Water from the boiler feed
pump passes through economiser and reaches the boiler drum. Water from the
drum passes through down comers and goes to the bottom ring header.
Water from the bottom ring header is divided to all the four sides of the furnace.
Due to heat and density difference, the water rises up in the water wall tubes.
Water is partly converted to steam arises up in the furnace. This steam and
water mixture is again taken to the boiler drum where the steam is separated
from water.
Water follows the same path while the steam is sent to super heaters for
superheating. The super heaters are located inside the furnace and the steam is
superheated (540rC) and finally it goes to the turbine. Flue gases from the
furnace are extracted by induced draft fan, which maintains balance draft in the
furnace (-5to -10 mm of wcl ) with forced draft fan. These flue gases emit their
heat energy to various super heaters in the penthouse and finally pass through
air-preheaters and goes to electrostatic precipitators where the ash particles are
extracted. Electrostatic Precipitator consists of metal plates, which are
electrically charged. Ash particles are attracted on to these plates, so that they
do not pass through the chimney to pollute the atmosphere. Regular mechanical
hammer blows cause the accumulation of ash to fall to the bottom of the
precipitator where they are collected in a hopper for disposal.

Steam to Mechanical Power

 From the boiler, a steam pipe conveys steam to the turbine through a stop valve
(which can be used to shut-off the steam in case of emergency) and through
control valves that automatically regulate the supply of steam to the turbine.
Stop valve and control valves are located in a steam chest and a governor,
driven from the main turbine shaft, operates the control valves to regulate the
amount of steam used. (This depends upon the speed of the turbine and the
amount of electricity required from the generator).

Steam from the control valves enters the high pressure cylinder of the turbine,
where it passes through a ring of stationary blades fixed to the cylinder wall.
These act as nozzles and direct the steam into a second ring of moving blades
mounted on a disc secured to the turbine shaft. The second ring turns the shafts
as a result of the force of steam. The stationary and moving blades together
constitute a µstage of turbine and in practice many stages are necessary, so that
the cylinder contains a number of rings of stationary blades with rings of
moving blades arranged between them. The steam passes through each stage in
turn until it reaches the end of the high-pressure cylinder and in its passage
some of its heat energy is changed into mechanical energy.

The steam leaving the high pressure cylinder goes back to the boiler for
reheating and returns by a further pipe to the intermediate pressure cylinder.
Here it passes through another series of stationary and moving blades.

Finally, the steam is taken to the low-pressure cylinders, each of which enters at
the centre flowing outwards in opposite directions through the rows of turbine
blades through an arrangement called the µ double flow- to the extremities of
the cylinder. As the steam gives up its heat energy to drive the turbine, its
temperature and pressure fall and it expands. Because of this expansion the
blades are much larger and longer towards the low pressure.

Mechanical power to Electrical power

As the blades of turbine rotate, the shaft of the generator, which is coupled
to the turbine, also rotates. It results in rotation of the coil of the generator,
which causes induced electricity to be produced.

BASIC POWER PLANT CYCLE

A simplified diagram of steam power plant

The thermal (steam) power plant uses a dual (vapour + liquid) phase cycle. It is
a close cycle to enable the working fluid (water) to be used again and again. The
cycle used is Rankine Cycle modified to include superheating of steam,
regenerative feed water heating and reheating of steam.

On large turbines, it becomes economical to increase the cycle efficiency by

using reheat, which is a way of partially overcoming temperature limitations.
By returning partially expanded steam, to a reheat, the average temperature at
which the heat is added, is increased and, by expanding this reheated steam to
the remaining stages of the turbine, the exhaust wetness is considerably less
than it would otherwise be conversely if the maximum tolerable wetness is
allowed, the initial pressure of the steam can be appreciably increased.

Bleed Steam Extraction: For regenerative system, nos. of non-regulated

extractions is taken from HP, IP turbine.

Regenerative heating of the boiler feed water is widely used in modern power
plants; the effect being to increase the average temperature at which heat is
added to the cycle, thus improving the cycle efficiency.

FACTORS AFFECTING THERMAL CYCLE EFFICIENCY

Thermal cycle efficiency is affected by following: 

1. Initial Steam Pressure.

2. Initial Steam Temperature.

3. Whether reheat is used or not, and if used reheat pressure and temperature.

4. Condenser pressure.

5. Regenerative feed water heating.

RANKINE CYCLE
The Rankine cycle is a thermodynamic cycle which converts heat into work.
The heat is supplied externally to a closed loop, which usually uses water as the
working fluid. This cycle generates about 80% of all electric power used
throughout the world, including virtually all solar thermal, biomass, coal and
nuclear power plants. It is named after William John Macquorn Rankine, a
Scottish polymath.

Description
 Physical layout of four main devices used in Rankine cycle

A Rankine cycle describes a model of the operation of steam heat engines most
commonly found in power generation plants. Common heat sources for power
plants using the Rankine cycle are coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear.

The Rankine cycle is sometimes referred to as a practical Carnot cycle as, when
an efficient turbine is used, the TS diagram will begin to resemble the Carnot
cycle. The main difference is that a pump is used to pressurize liquid instead of
gas. This requires about 1/100th (1%) as much energy as that compressing a gas
in a compressor (as in the Carnot cycle).

The efficiency of a Rankine cycle is usually limited by the working fluid.

Without the pressure going super critical the temperature range the cycle can
operate over is quite small, turbine entry temperatures are typically 565°C (the
creep limit of stainless steel) and condenser temperatures are around 30°C. This
gives a theoretical Carnot efficiency of around63% compared with an actual
efficiency of 42% for a modern coal-fired power station. This low turbine entry
temperature (compared with a gas turbine) is why the Rankine cycle is often
used as a bottoming cycle in combined cycle gas turbine power stations.

The working fluid in a Rankine cycle follows a closed loop and is re-used
constantly. The water vapour and entrained droplets often seen billowing from
power stations is generated by the cooling systems (not from the closed loop
Rankine power cycle) and represents the waste heat that could not be converted
to useful work.

Note that cooling towers operate using the latent heat of vaporization of the
cooling fluid. The white billowing clouds that form in cooling tower operation
are the result of water droplets which are entrained in the cooling tower air flow
; it is not, as commonly thought, steam. While many substances could be used
in the Rankine cycle, water is usually the fluid of choice due to its favourable
properties, such as nontoxic and unreactive chemistry, abundance, and low cost,
as well as its thermodynamic properties.

One of the principal advantages it holds over other cycles is that during the
compression stage relatively little work is required to drive the pump, due to the
working fluid being in its liquid phase at this point. By condensing the fluid to
liquid, the work required by the pump will only consume approximately 1% to
3% of the turbine power and so give a much higher efficiency for a real cycle.

The benefit of this is lost somewhat due to the lower heat addition temperature.
Gas turbines, for instance, have turbine entry temperatures approaching 1500°C.
Nonetheless, the efficiencies of steam cycles and gas turbines are fairly well
matched.

Processes of Rankine Cycle

Ts diagram of a typical Rankine cycle operating between pressures of 0.06 bar

and 50 bar .There are four processes in the Rankine cycle, each changing the
state of the working fluid. These states are identified by number in the diagram
to the right.

i. Pr 1-2: The working fluid is pumped from low to high pressure, as the fluid is
a liquid at this stage the pump requires little input energy.

ii. Pr 2-3: The high pressure liquid enters a boiler where it is heated at constant
pressure by an external heat source to become a dry saturated vapour.
iii. Pr 3-4: The dry saturated vapour expands through a turbine, generating
power. This decreases the temperature and pressure of the vapour, and some
condensation may occur.

iv. Pr 4-1: The wet vapour then enters a condenser where it is condensed at a
constant pressure and temperature to become a saturated liquid. The pressure
and turbine would generate no entropy and hence maximize the network output.
Processes 1-2and 3-4 would be represented by vertical lines on the Ts diagram
and more closely resemble that of the Carnot cycle.

The Rankine cycle shown here prevents the vapour ending up in the superheat
region after the expansion in the turbine, which reduces the energy removed by
the condensers.

Real Rankine Cycle (non-ideal) : Rankine Cycle with superheat

In a real Rankine cycle, the compression by the pump and the expansion in the
turbine are not isentropic. In other words, these processes are non-reversible and
entropy is increased during the two processes. This somewhat increases the
power required by the pump and decrease the power generated by the turbine.

In particular the efficiency of the steam turbine will be limited by water droplet

formation. As the water condenses, water droplets hit the turbine blades at high
speed causing pitting and erosion, gradually decreasing the life of turbine blades
and efficiency of the turbine. The easiest way to overcome this problem is by
superheating the steam. On the Ts diagram above, state 3 is above a two phase
region of steam and water so after expansion the steam will be very wet. By
superheating, state 3 will move to the right of the diagram and hence produce a
dryer steam after expansion.

Rankine cycle with reheat

In this variation, two turbines work in series. The first accepts vapour from the
boiler at high pressure. After the vapour has passed through the first turbine, it
re-enters the boiler and dis-reheated before passing through a second, lower
pressure turbine. Among other advantages, this prevents the vapour from
condensing during its expansion which can seriously damage the turbine blades,
and improves the efficiency of the cycle.

Regenerative Rankine cycle

The Regenerative Rankine cycle is so named because after emerging from the
condenser (possibly as a sub-cooled liquid) the working fluid is heated by steam
tapped from the hot portion of the cycle. On the diagram shown, the fluid at 2 is
mixed with the fluid at 4 (both at the same pressure) to end up with the saturated
liquid at 7. The Regenerative Rankine cycle (with minor variants) is commonly
used in real power stations.

Another variation is where 'bleed steam' from between turbine stages is sent to
feed water heaters to preheat the water on its way from the condenser to the
boiler.
BOILER MANAGEMENT
DEPARTMENT ( BMD )
Boiler and its Description
The boiler is a rectangular furnace about 50 ft (15 m) on a side and 130 ft (40
m) tall. Its walls are made of a web of high pressure steel tubes about 2.3inches
(60 mm) in diameter. Pulverised coal is air-blown into the furnace from fuel
nozzles at the four corners and it rapidly burns, forming a large fire ball at the
centre. The thermal radiation of the fire ball heats the water that circulates
through the boiler tubes near the boiler perimeter. The water circulation rate in
the boiler is three to four times the through put and is typically driven
by pumps. As the water in the boiler circulates it absorbs heat and changes into
steam at 700 °F (370 °C) and 3,200 psi (22.1MPa). It is separated from the
water inside a drum at the top of the furnace.

The saturated steam is introduced into superheat pendant tubes that hang in the
hottest part of the combustion gases as they exit the furnace. Here the steam is
superheated to 1,000 °F (540°C) to prepare it for the turbine. The steam
generating boiler has to produce steam at the high purity, pressure and
temperature required for the steam turbine that drives the electrical generator.

The generator includes the economizer, the steam drum, the chemical dosing
equipment, and the furnace with its steam generating tubes and the super heater
coils. Necessary safety valves are located at suitable points to avoid excessive
boiler pressure. The air and flue gas path equipment include: forced draft (FD)
fan, air preheater (APH), boiler furnace, induced draft (ID) fan, fly ash
collectors (electrostatic precipitator or bag house) and the flue gas stack.

For units over about 210MW capacity, redundancy of key components is

provided by installing duplicates of the FD fan, APH, fly ash collectors and ID
fan with isolating dampers. On some units of about 60MW, two boilers per unit
may instead be provided.
 Schematic diagram of a coal-fired power plant steam generator

 SPECIFICATIONS OFTHE BOILER 

1. Main Boiler (AT 100% LOAD)

i. Evaporation 700 tons/hr 

ii. Feed water temperature 247*C

iii. Feed water leaving economizer 276*C

2. Steam Temperature
i. drum - 341*C

ii. superheater outlet - 540*C

iii. reheat inlet - 332*C

iv. reheat outlet - 540*C

3.Steam Pressure
i. drum design - 158.20 kg/cm2
 ii. drum operating - 149.70 kg/cm2

iii. super heater outlet - 137.00 kg/cm2

iv. reheat inlet - 26.35 kg/cm2

v. reheat outlet - 24.50 kg/cm2

4.Fuel specifications
  A).Coal
i. Fixed carbon - 38%

ii. Volatile matter - 26%

iii. Moisture - 8.0%

iv. Ash - 28%

v. Grindability - 55 HGI

vi. High Heat - 4860 Kcal/Kg

vii. Coal size to Mill - 20 mm.

B).Oil
i. Low Heat Value - 10000 kcal/kg

ii. Sulphur - 4.5 % w/w

iii. Moisture - 1 % w/w

iv. Flash point - 66*C

v. Viscocity 1500 Redwood at - 37.8*C

vi. Sp. weight - 0.98 at 38*C

5. Heat Balance
i. Dry gas loss - 4.63 %

ii. Carbon loss - 2%

iii. Radiation loss - 0.26 %

 iv. Unaccounted loss - 1.5 %

v. H2 in air and H2O in fuel - 4.9 %

vi. Total loss - 13.3 %

vii. Efficiency - 86.7 %

AUXILIARIES OF BOILER

1. FURNACE-Furnace is primary part of boiler where the chemical

energy of the fuel is converted to thermal energy by combustion. Furnace
is designed for efficient and complete combustion. Major factors that
assist for efficient combustion are amount of fuel inside the furnace and
turbulence, which causes rapid mixing between fuel and air. In modern
boilers, water furnaces are used.
2. BOILER DRUM

i. Drum is of fusion-welded design with welded hemispherical dished ends.

It is provided with stubs for welding all the connecting tubes, i.e. down comers,
risers, pipes, saturated steam outlet. The function of steam drum internals is to
separate the water from the steam generated in the furnace walls and to
reduce the dissolved solid contents of the steam below the prescribed limit of
1 ppm and also take care of the sudden change of steam demand for boiler.

ii. The secondary stage of two opposite banks of closely spaced thin
corrugated sheets, which direct the steam and force the remaining entertained
water against the corrugated plates. Since the velocity is relatively low this
water does not get picked up again but runs down the plates and off the second
stage of the two steam outlets.

iii. From the secondary separators the steam flows upwards to the series of
screen dryers, extending in layers across the length of the drum. These screens
perform the final stage of the separation.
iv. Once water inside the boiler or steam generator, the process of adding the
latent heat of vaporization or enthalpy is underway. The boiler transfers energy
to the water by the chemical reaction of burning some type of fuel.

v. The water enters the boiler through a section in the convection pass called
the economizer. From the economizer it passes to the steam drum. Once the
water enters the steam drum it goes down the down comers to the lower inlet
water wall headers. From the inlet headers the water rises through the water
walls and is eventually turned into steam due to the heat being generated by the
burners located on the front and rear water walls (typically). As the water is
turned into steam/vapour in the water walls, the steam/vapour once again enters
the steam drum.

External view of an Industrial Boiler at BTPS, New Delhi

vi. The steam/vapour is passed through a series of steam and water separators
and then dryers inside the steam drum. The steam separators and dryers remove
the water droplets from the steam and the cycle through the water walls is
repeated. This process is known as natural circulation.

vii. The boiler furnace auxiliary equipment includes coal feed nozzles and
igniter guns, soot blowers, water lancing and observation ports (in the furnace
walls) for observation of the furnace interior furnace explosions due to any
accumulation of combustible gases after a trip out are avoided by flushing out
such gases from the combustion zone before igniting the coal.
viii. The steam drum (as well as the super heater coils and headers) have air
vents and drains needed for initial start-up. The steam drum has an internal
device that removes moisture from the wet steam entering the drum from the
steam generating tubes. The dry steam then flows in other super heater coils.
Geothermal plants need no boiler since they use naturally occurring steam
sources.

ix. Heat exchangers may be used where the geothermal steam is very
corrosive or contains excessive suspended solids. Nuclear plants also boil
water to raise steam, either directly passing the working steam through the
reactor or else using an intermediate heat exchanger.

3. WATER WALLS-  Water flows to the water walls from the boiler drum
by natural circulation. The front and the two side water walls constitute the
main evaporation surface, absorbing bulk of radiant heat of the fuel burnt in the
chamber. The front and rear walls are bent at the lower ends to form a water-
cooled slag hopper. The upper part of the chamber is narrowed to achieve
perfect mixing of combustion gases. The water wall tubes are connected to
headers at the top and bottom. The rear water wall tubes at the top are grounded
in four rows at a wider pitch forming the grid tubes.

4. REHEATER- Reheater is used to raise the temperature of steam from

which a part of energy has been extracted in high-pressure turbine. This is
another method of increasing the cycle efficiency. Reheating requires additional
equipment i.e. heating surface connecting boiler and turbine pipe safety
equipment like safety valve, non return valves, isolating valves, high pressure
feed pump, etc. Reheater is composed of two sections namely the front and the
rear pendant section, which is located above the furnace arc between water-
cooled, screen wall tubes and rear wall tubes.
 Tubes of a re-heater

5. SUPERHEATER-
i. Whatever type of boiler is used, steam will leave the water at its surface
and pass into the steam space. Steam formed above the water surface in a shell
boiler is always saturated and become superheated in the boiler shell, as it is
constantly. If superheated steam is required, the saturated steam must pass
through a superheater. This is simply a heat exchanger where additional heat is
added to the steam.

ii. In water-tube boilers, the superheater may be an additional pendant

suspended in the furnace area where the hot gases will provide the degree of
superheat required. In other cases, for example in CHP schemes where the gas
turbine exhaust gases are relatively cool, a separately fired super heater may be
needed to provide the additional heat.

6. ECONOMISER
i. The function of an economizer in a steam-generating unit is to absorb heat
from the flue gases and add as a sensible heat to the feed water before the water
enters the evaporation circuit of the boiler.

ii. Earlier economizer were introduced mainly to recover the heat available in

the flue gases that leaves the boiler and provision of this addition heating
surface increases the efficiency of steam generators. In the modern boilers used
for power generation feed water heaters were used to increase the efficiency
of turbine unit and feed water temperature.
 Economiser

iii. Use of economizer or air heater or both is decided by the total economy that
will resulting flexibility in operation, maintenance and selection of firing system
and other related equipment. Modern medium and high capacity boilers are used
both as economizers and air heaters. In low capacity, air heaters may alone be
selected.

iv. Stop valves and non-return valves may be incorporated to keep circulation
in economizer into steam drum when there is fire in the furnace but not feed
flow. Tube elements composing the unit are built up into banks and these are
connected to inlet and outlet headers.

7. AIR PREHEATER
i. Air preheater absorbs waste heat from the flue gases and transfers this heat to
in coming cold air, by means of continuously rotating heat transfer element of
specially formed metal plates. Thousands of these high efficiency elements are
spaced and compactly arranged within 12 sections. Sloped compartments of a
radially divided cylindrical shell called the rotor. The housing surrounding the
rotor is provided with duct connecting both the ends and is adequately scaled by
radial and circumferential scaling.
 Air pre-heater

ii. Special sealing arrangements are provided in the air preheater to prevent the

leakage between the air and gas sides. Adjustable plates are also used to help
the sealing arrangements and prevent the leakage as expansion occurs. The
air preheater heating surface elements are provided with two types of cleaning
devices, soot blowers to clean normal devices and washing devices to clean the
element when soot blowing alone cannot keep the element clean.

8. PULVERIZER
A pulverizer is a mechanical device for the grinding of many types of materials.
For example, they are used to pulverize coal for combustion in the steam-
generating furnaces of the fossil fuel power plants.
 Pulverizer

Types of pulverizer
i. Ball and Tube Mills-A ball mill is a pulverizer that consists of a
horizontal cylinder, upto three diameters in length, containing a charge
of tumbling or cascading steel balls, pebbles or steel rods.

A tube mill is a revolving cylinder of upto five diameters in length used for
finer pulverization of ore, rock and other such materials; the materials mixed
with water is fed into the chamber from one end, and passes out the other end as
slime.

ii. Bowl Mill-It uses tires to crush coal. It is of two types; a deep bowl mill
and the shallow bowl mill.

Advantages of pulverised coal

i. Pulverized coal is used for large capacity plants.

ii. It is easier to adapt to fluctuating load as there are no limitations on the
combustion capacity.

iii. Coal with higher ash percentage cannot be used without pulverizing because
of the problem of large amount ash deposition after combustion.
iv. Increased thermal efficiency is obtained through pulverization.

v. The use of secondary air in the combustion chamber along with the powered
coal helps in creating turbulence and therefore uniform mixing of the coal and
the air during combustion.

vi. Greater surface area of coal per unit mass of coal allows faster combustion
as more coal is exposed to heat and combustion.

vii. The combustion process is almost free from clinker and slag formation.

viii. The boiler can be easily started from cold condition in case of emergency.

ix. Practically no ash handling problem.

x. The furnace volume required is less as the turbulence caused aids in complete
combustion of the coal with minimum travel of the particles.
PLANT AUXILIARY MAINTAINENCE
1. WATER CIRCULATING SYSTEM
Theory of Circulation
Water must flow through the heat absorption surface of the boiler in order that it
be evaporated into steam. In drum type units (natural and controlled
circulation), the water is circulated from the drum through the generating
circuits and then back to the drum where the steam is separated and directed to
the super heater. The water leaves the drum through the down corners at a
temperature slightly below the saturation temperature. The flow through the
furnace wall is at saturation temperature. Heat absorbed in water wall is latent
heat of vaporization creating a mixture of steam and water. The ratio of the
weight of the water to the weight of the steam in the mixture leaving the heat
absorption surface is called circulation ratio.

Types of Boiler Circulation System

i. Natural circulation system

ii. Controlled circulation system

iii. Combined circulation system

i. Natural Circulating System

Water delivered to steam generator from feed water is at a temperature well
below the saturation value corresponding to that pressure. Entering first the
economizer, it is heated to about 30-40*C below saturation temperature. From
economizer the water enters the drum and thus joins the circulation system.
Water entering the drum flows through the down corner and enters ring heater
at the bottom. In the water walls, a part of the water is converted to steam and
the mixture flows back to the drum. In the drum, the steam is separated, and
sent to super heater for superheating and then sent to the high-pressure turbine.
Remaining water mixes with the incoming water from the economizer and the
cycle is repeated.

As the pressure increases, the difference in density between water and steam
reduces. Thus the hydrostatic head available will not be able to overcome the
frictional resistance for a flow corresponding to the minimum requirement of
cooling of water wall tubes. Therefore natural circulation is limited to the boiler
with drum operating pressure around 175 kg/cm2.

ii. Controlled Circulation System

Beyond 80 kg/cm2 of pressure, circulation is to be assisted with mechanical
pumps to overcome the frictional losses. To regulate the flow through various
tubes, orifices plates are used. This system is applicable in the high sub-critical
regions (200 kg/cm2).

2. ASH HANDLING PLANT

The widely used ash handling systems are:

  i. Mechanical Handling System

ii. Hydraulic System

iii. Pneumatic System

iv. Steam Jet System

The Hydraulic Ash handling system is used at the Badarpur Thermal Power
Station.

Hydraulic Ash Handling System

The hydraulic system carried the ash with the flow of water with high velocity
through a channel and finally dumps into a sump. The hydraulic system is
divided into a low velocity and high velocity system. In the low velocity system
the ash from the boilers falls into a stream of water flowing into the sump. The
ash is carried along with the water and they are separated at the sump. In the
high velocity system a jet of water is sprayed to quench the hot ash. Two other
jets force the ash into a trough in which they are washed away by the water into
the sump, where they are separated. The molten slag formed in the pulverized
fuel system can also be quenched and washed by using the high velocity system.
The advantages of this system are that its clean, large ash handling capacity,
considerable distance can be traversed, absence of working parts in contact with
ash.

Fly Ash Collection

Fly ash is captured and removed from the flue gas by electrostatic precipitators
or fabric bag filters (or sometimes both) located at the outlet of the furnace and
before the induced draft fan. The fly ash is periodically removed from the
collection hoppers below the precipitators or bag filters. Generally, the fly ash is
pneumatically transported to storage silos for subsequent transport by trucks or
railroad cars.

Bottom Ash Collection and Disposal

At the bottom of every boiler, a hopper has been provided for collection of the
bottom ash from the bottom of the furnace. This hopper is always filled with
water to quench the ash and clinkers falling down from the furnace. Some
arrangement is included to crush the clinkers and for conveying the crushed
clinkers and bottom ash to a storage site.

3. WATER TREATMENT PLANT

As the types of boiler are not alike their working pressure and operating
conditions vary and so do the types and methods of water treatment. Water
treatment plants used in thermal power plants used in thermal power plants are
designed to process the raw water to water with a very low content of dissolved
solids known as de-mineralized water. No doubt, this plant has to be engineered
very carefully keeping in view the type of raw water to the thermal plant, its
treatment costs and overall economics.
 Water treatment plant

The type of de-mineralisation process chosen for a power station depends on

three main factors:

i. The quality of the raw water.

ii. The degree of de-ionization i.e. treated water quality.

iii. Selectivity of resins.

Water treatment process is generally made up of two sections:

i. Pre-treatment section.

ii. Demineralization section

Pre-treatment Section
Pre-treatment plant removes the suspended solids such as clay, silt, organic and
inorganic matter, plants and other microscopic organism. The turbidity may be
taken as two types of suspended solid in water; firstly, the separable solids and
secondly the non-separable solids (colloids). The coarse components, such as
sand, silt, etc: can be removed from the water by simple sedimentation. Finer
particles, however, will not settle in any reasonable time and must be
flocculated to produce the large particles, which are settleable. Long term
ability to remain suspended in water is basically a function of both size and
specific gravity.

Demineralisation
This filter water is now used for de-mineralizing purpose and is fed to cation
exchanger bed, but enroute being first de-chlorinated, which is either done by
passing through activated carbon filter or injecting along the f low of water, an
equivalent amount of sodium sulphite through some stroke pumps. The residual
chlorine, which is maintained in clarification plant to remove organic matter
from raw water, is now detrimental to action resin and must be eliminated
before its entry to this bed.

De-mineralisation tank

A DM plant generally consists of cation, anion and mixed bed exchangers. The
final water from this process consists essentially of hydrogen ions and
hydroxide ions which is the chemical composition of pure water. The DM
water, being very pure, becomes highly corrosive on ceit absorbs oxygen from
the atmosphere because of its very high affinity for oxygen absorption. The
capacity of the DM plant is dictated by the type and quantity of salts in the raw
water input. However, some storage is essential as the DM plant may be down
for maintenance. For this purpose, a storage tank is installed from which DM
water is continuously withdrawn for boiler make-up. The storage tank for DM
water is made from materials not affected by corrosive water, such as PVC. The
piping and valves are generally of stainless steel. Sometimes, a steam
blanketing arrangement or stainless steel doughnut float is provided on top
of the water in the tank to avoid contact with atmospheric air. DM water make-
up is generally added at the steam space of the surface condenser (i.e., the
vacuum side). This arrangement not only sprays the water but also DM water
gets de-aerated, with the dissolved gases being removed by the ejector of the
condenser itself.

4. DRAUGHT SYSTEM
There are four types of draught system: i.
Natural Draught 

ii. Induced Draught

 iii. Forced Draught

 iv. Balanced Draught

Natural Draught System

In natural draft units the pressure differentials are obtained have constructing
tail chimneys so that vacuum is created in the furnace. Due to small pressure
difference, air is admitted into the furnace.

Natural draught system

Induced Draft System
In this system, the air is admitted to natural pressure difference and the flue
gases are taken out by means of Induced Draught (I.D.) fans and the furnace is
maintained under vacuum.

Induced draft system

Force Draught System
A set of forced draught (F.D.) fans is made use of for supplying air to the
furnace and so the furnace is pressurized. The flue gases are taken out due to the
pressure difference between the furnace and the atmosphere.

Force draft system

Balanced Draft System
Here a set of Induced and Forced Draft Fans are utilized in maintaining a
vacuum in the furnace. Normally all the power stations utilize this draft system.

5. INDUSTRIAL FANS
ID Fan
The induced Draft Fans are generally of Axial-Impulse Type. Impeller nominal
diameter is of the order of 2500 mm. The fan consists of the following sub
assemblies: i. Suction Chamber

ii.  Inlet Vane Control

iii. Impeller

 iv. Outlet Guide Vane Assembly.

ID fan

FD Fan The
fan, normally of the same type as ID Fan, consists of the following components:

i. Silencer

ii. Inlet Bendy

iii. Fan Housing

iv. Impeller with blades and setting mechanism.

FD fan
The centrifugal and setting forces of the blades are taken up by the blade
bearings. The blade shafts are placed in combined radial and axial anti-friction
bearings, which are sealed off to the outside. The angle of incidence of the
blades may be adjusted during operation. The characteristic pressure volume
curves of the fan may be changed in a large range without essentially modifying
the efficiency. The fan can then be easily adapted to changing operating
conditions.

The rotor is accommodated in cylindrical roller bearings and an inclined ball

bearing at the drive side absorbs the axial thrust.

Lubrication and cooling these bearings is assured by a combined oil level and

circulating lubrication system.

Primary Air Fan

PA Fan is flange-mounted design, single stage suction, NDFV type, backward
curved bladed radial fan operating on the principle of energy transformation due
to centrifugal forces. Some amount of the velocity energy is converted to
pressure energy in the spiral casing. The fan is driven at a constant speed and
varying the angle of the inlet vane control controls the flow. The special feature
of the fan is that is provided with inlet guide vane control with a positive and
precise link mechanism.
It is robust in construction for higher peripheral speed so as to have unit sizes.
Fan can develop high pressures at low and medium volumes and can handle
hot-air laden with dust particles.

Primary air fan

6. COMPREESURE HOUSE
Instrument air is required for operating various dampers, burner tilting, devices,
diaphragm valves, etc: in the 210MW units. Station air meets the general
requirement of the power station such as light oil atomizing air, for cleaning
filters and for various maintenance works. The control air compressors and
station air compressors have been housed separately with separate receivers and
supply headers and their tapping.

Compressor house

Instrument Air System Control

air compressors have been installed for supplying moisture free dry air required
for instrument used. The output from the compressors is fed to air receivers via
return valves. From the receiver air passed through the dryers to the main
instrument air line, which runs along with the boiler house and turbine house of
210MW units. Adequate numbers of tapping have been provided all over the
area.

Air drying unit

Air contains moisture which tends to condense, and causes trouble in operation
of various devices by compressed air. Therefore drying of air is accepted widely
in case of instrument air. Air drying unit consists of dual absorption towers with
embedded heaters for re-activation. The absorption towers are adequately filled
with specially selected silica gel and activated alumina while one tower is
drying the area.

Service Air Compressor

The station air compressor is generally a slow speed horizontal double acting
double stage type and is arranged for belt drive. The cylinder heads and barrel
are enclosed in a jacket, which extends around the valve also. The intercooler is
provided between the low and high pressure cylinder which cools the air
between tag and collects the moisture that condenses.

Service air compressor

Air from L.P. cylinder enters a tone end of the intercooler and goes to the
opposite end where from it is discharged to the high-pressure cylinder; cooling
water flows through the nest of the tubes and cools the air. A safety valve is set
at rated pressure.

Two selector switches one with positions auto load/unload and another with
positions auto start/stop, non-stop have been provided on the control panel
of the compressor. In auto start-stop position, the compressor will start.

TURBINE MAINTENANCE
DEPARTMENT
TURBINE CLASSIFICATION
1. Impulse turbine-In impulse turbine steam expands in fixed nozzles. The
high velocity steam from nozzles does work on moving blades, which causes
the shaft to rotate. The essential features of impulse turbine are that all pressure
drops occur at nozzles and not on blades.

2. Reaction turbine-In this type of turbine, pressure is reduced at both fixed

and moving blades. Both fixed and moving blades act like nozzles. Work done
by the impulse effect of steam due to reverse the direction of high velocity
steam. The expansion of steam takes place on moving blades.

COMPOUNDING
Several problems occur if energy of steam is converted in single step and so
compounding is done. Following are the type of compounded turbine:

i. Velocity Compounded Turbine:

Like simple turbine it has only one set of nozzles and entire steam pressure drop
takes place there. The kinetic energy of steam fully on the nozzles is utilized in
moving blades. The role of fixed blades is to change the direction of steam jet
and too guide it.

ii. Pressure Compounded Turbine:

This is basically a number of single impulse turbines in series or on the same
shaft. The exhaust of first turbine enters the nozzles of next turbine. The
total pressure drop of steam does not come on first nozzle ring but divided
equally on all of them.

iii. Pressure Velocity Compounded Turbine: It is just the combination

of the two compounding and has the advantages of allowing bigger pressure
drops in each stage and so fewer stages are necessary. Here for given pressure
drop the turbine will be shorter length but diameter will be increased.

MAIN TURBINE
The 210 MW turbine is a cylinder tandem compounded type machine
comprising of H.P. and I.P and L.P cylinders. The H.P. turbine comprises of 12
stages the I.P turbine has 11 stages and the L.P has four stages of double flow.
The H.P and I.P. turbine rotor are rigidly compounded and the I.P. and L.P rotor
by lens type semi flexible coupling. All the 3 rotors are aligned on five bearings
of which the bearing number is combined with thrust bearing. The main
superheated steam branches off into two streams from the boiler and passes
through the emergency stop valve and control valve before entering the
governing wheel chamber of the H.P. Turbine. After expanding in the 12 stages
in the H.P. turbine then steam is returned in the boiler for reheating.

The reheated steam from boiler enters I.P. turbine via the interceptor valves and
control valves and after expanding enters the L.P stage via 2 numbers of cross
over pipes. In the L.P. stage the steam expands in axially opposed direction to
counteract the thrust and enters the condenser placed directly below the L.P.
turbine. The cooling water flowing through the condenser tubes condenses the
steam and the condensate the collected in the hot well of the condenser.

The condensate collected the pumped by means of 3x50% duty condensate

pumps through L.P heaters to de-aerator from where the boiler feed pump
delivers the water to the boiler through H.P. heaters thus forming a closed cycle.

STEAM TURBINE
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from
pressurized steam and converts it into useful mechanical work.

From a mechanical point of view, the turbine is ideal, because the propelling
force is applied directly to the rotating element of the machine and has not as in
the reciprocating engine to be transmitted through a system of connecting links,
which are necessary to transform a reciprocating motion into rotary motion.
Hence since the steam turbine possesses for its moving parts rotating elements
only if the manufacture is good and the machine is correctly designed, it ought
to be free from out of balance forces.

If the load on a turbine is kept constant the torque developed at the coupling is
also constant. A generator at a steady load offers a constant torque. Therefore, a
turbine is suitable for driving a generator, particularly as they are both high-
speed machines.

A further advantage of the turbine is the absence of internal lubrication. This

means that the exhaust steam is not contaminated with oil vapour and can be
condensed and fed back to the boilers without passing through the filters. It also
means that turbine is considerable saving in lubricating oil when compared with
a reciprocating steam engine of equal power.

A final advantage of the steam turbine and a very important one is the fact that a
turbine can develop many time the power compared to a reciprocating engine
whether steam or oil.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES
A steam turbines two main parts are the cylinder and the rotor. The cylinder
(stator) is a steel or cast iron housing usually divided at the horizontal centre
line. Its halves are bolted together for easy access. The cylinder contains fixed
blades, vanes and nozzles that direct steam into the moving blades carried by
the rotor. Each fixed blade set is mounted in diaphragms located in front of each
disc on the rotor, or directly in the casing. A disc and diaphragm pair a turbine
stage. Steam turbines can have many stages. A rotor is a rotating shaft that
carries the moving blades on the outer edges of either discs or drums. The
blades rotate as the rotor revolves. The rotor of a large steam turbine consists
of large, intermediate and low-pressure sections. In a multiple-stage turbine,
steam at a high pressure and high temperature enters the first row of fixed
blades or nozzles through an inlet valve/valves. As the steam passes through the
fixed blades or nozzles, it expands and its velocity increases. The high velocity
jet of stream strikes the first set of moving blades. The kinetic energy of the
steam changes into mechanical energy, causing the shaft to rotate. The steam
that enters the next set of fixed blades strikes the next row of moving blades.
 Schematic arrangement of Steam Power Station

As the steam flows through the turbine, its pressure and temperature decreases
while its volume increases. The decrease in pressure and temperature occurs as
the steam transmits energy to the shaft and performs work. After passing
through the last turbine stage, the steam exhausts into the condenser or process
steam system.

The kinetic energy of the steam changes into mechanical energy through the
impact (impulse) or reaction of the steam against the blades. An impulse turbine
uses the impact force of the steam jet on the blades to turn the shaft. Steam
expands as it passes through the nozzles, where its pressure drops and its
velocity increases. As the steam flows through the moving blades, its pressure
remains the same, but its velocity decreases. The steam does not expand as it
flows through the moving blades.

STEAM CYCLE
The thermal (steam) power plant uses a dual (vapour + liquid) phase cycle. It is
a closed cycle to enable the working fluid (water) to be used again and again.
The cycle used is ‘Rankine cycle’ modified to include superheating of steam,
regenerative feed water heating and reheating of steam.

MAIN TURBINE
The 210 MW turbine is a tandem compounded type machine comprising of H.P.
and I.P. cylinders. The H.P. turbines comprise of 12 stages, I.P. turbine has 11
stages and the L.P. turbine has 4 stages of double flow.

The H.P. and I.P. turbine rotors are rigidly compounded and the L.P. motor by
the lens type semi-flexible coupling. All the three rotors are aligned on five
bearings of which the bearing no. 2 is combined with the thrust bearing.

The main superheated steam branches off into two streams from the boiler and
passes through the emergency stop valve and control valve before entering the
governing wheel chamber of the H.P. turbine. After expanding in the 12 stages
in the H.P. turbine the steam is returned in boiler for reheating.
The reheated steam for the boiler enters the I.P. turbine via the interceptor
valves and control valves and after expanding enters the L.P. turbine stage via 2
no.s of cross-over pipes. In the L.P. stage the steam expands in axially opposite
direction to counteract the trust and enters the condensers placed below the L.P.
turbine. The cooling water flowing throughout the condenser tubes condenses
the steam and the condensate collected in the hot well of the condenser.

The condensate collected is pumped by means of 3*50% duty condensate

pumps through L.P. heaters to de-aerator from where the boiler feed pump
delivers the water to boiler through H.P. heaters thus forming a close cycle.

The Main Turbine

TURBINE CYCLE
Fresh steam from the boiler is supplied to the turbine through the emergency
stop valve. From the stop valves steam is supplied to control valves situated in
H.P. cylinders on the front bearing end. After expansion through 12 stages at the
H.P. cylinder, steam flows back to the boiler for reheating steam and reheated
steam from the boiler cover to the intermediate pressure turbine through two
interceptor valves and four control valves mounted on I.P. turbine.
After flowing through I.P. turbine steam enters the middle part of the L.P.
turbine through cross-over pipes. In L.P. turbine the exhaust steam condenses in
the surface condensers welded directly to the exhaust part of L.P. turbine.

Turbine cycle

The selection of extraction points and cold reheat pressure has been done with a
view to achieve a high efficiency. These are two extractors from H.P. turbine,
four from I.P. turbine and one from L.P. turbine. Steam at 1.10 and 1.03 g/sq.
cm. Abs is supplied for the gland sealing. Steam for this purpose is obtained
from de-aerator through a collection where pressure of steam is regulated.

From the condenser, condensate is pumped with the help of 3*50% capacity
condensate pumps to de-aerator through the low-pressure regenerative
equipments. Feed water is pumped from de-aerator to the boiler through the
H.P. heaters by means of 3*50% capacity feed pumps connected before the H.P.
heaters.

SPECIFICATIONS OF TURBINE
1. Type-Tandem compound 3 cylinder reheated type.
2. Rated Power-210 MW

3. Number of stages-12 in H.P, 11 in I.P, 4*2 in L.P cylinder.

4. Rated steam pressure-130 kg/cm2 before entering the stop valve.

5. Rated steam temperature-535 C after reheating at inlet.

6. Steam flow-670T/hr

7. H.P.Turbine exhaust pressure-27 kg/cm2, 327*C

8. Condenser back pressure-0.09 kg/cm2

9. Type of governing-nozzle governing.

10. Number of bearings-5 excluding generator and exciter.

11. Lubrication oil-turbine oil 14 of IOC.

12. Gland steam pressure-1.03 to 1.05 kg/cm2 (Abs).

13. Critical speed-1585, 1881, 2017

14. Ejector steam parameter-4.5 kg/cm2

15. Condenser cooling water pressure-1.0 to 1.1 kg/cm2

16. Condenser cooling water temperature-27000 cu. M/hr

17. Number of extraction lines for regenerative heating of feed water-seven.

TURBINE COMPONENTS
1. Casing

2. Rotors

3. Blades

4. Sealing system

5. Stop and Control valve

6. Couplings and Bearings

7. Barring Gear

TURBINE CASING
HP Turbine Casing
i. outer casing: a barrel-type without axial or radial flange.

ii. Barrel-type casing suitable for quick startup and loading.

iii. The inner casing- cylindrically, axially split.

iv. The inner casing is attached in the horizontal and vertical planes in the barrel
casing so that it can freely expand radially in all the directions and axially from
a fixed point(HP- inlet side).

IP Turbine Casing
i. The casing of the IP turbine is split horizontally and is of double-shell
construction.

ii. Both are axially split and a double flow inner casing is supported in the outer
casing and carries the guide blades.

iii. Provides opposed double flow in the two blade sections and compensates
axial thrust.

iv. Steam after reheating enters the inner casing from Top & Bottom.

LP Turbine Casing
i. The LP turbine casing consists of a double flow unit and has a triple shell
welded casing.

ii. The shells are axially split and of rigid welded construction.

iii. The inner shell taking the first rows of guide blades is attached
kinematically in the middle shell.

iv. Independent of the outer shell, the middle shell, is supported at four points
on longitudinal beams.
v. Steam admitted to the LP turbine from the IP turbine flows into the inner
casing from both sides.

ROTORS
HP Rotor
i. The HP rotor is machined from a single Cr-Mo-V steel forging with integral
discs.

ii. In all the moving wheels, balancing holes are machined to reduce the
pressure difference across them, which results in reduction of axial thrust.

ii. First stage has integral shrouds while other rows have shroudings, riveted to
the blades are periphery.

IP Rotor
i. The IP rotor has seven discs integrally forged with rotor while last four discs
are shrunk fit.

ii. The shaft is made of high creep resisting Cr-Mo-V steel forging while the
shrunk fit discs are machined from high strength nickel steel forgings.

iii. Except the last two wheels, all other wheels have shrouding riveted at the tip
of the blades. To adjust the frequency of thee moving blades, lashing wires have
been provided in some stages.

LP Rotor
i. The LP rotor consists of shrunk fit discs in a shaft.

ii. The shaft is a forging of Cr-Mo-V steel while the discs are of high strength
nickel steel forgings.

iii. Blades are secured to the respective discs by riveted fork root fastening.

iv. In all the stages lashing wires are provided to adjust the frequency of blades.
In the last two rows, satellite strips are provided at the leading edges of the
blades to protect them against wet-steam erosion.

BLADES
i. Most costly element of the turbine.

ii. Blades fixed in stationary part are called guide blades/ nozzles and those
fitted in moving part are called rotating/working blades.

iii. Blades have three main parts:

-Aerofoil: working part

-Root.

-Shrouds.

iv. Shroud are used to prevent steam leakage and guide steam to next set of
moving blades.

VACCUM SYSTEM
This comprises of :

i. Condenser : 2 for 200MW unit at the exhaust of LP turbine.

ii. Ejectors : one starting and two main ejectors connected to the
condenser located near the turbine.

iii. C.W. Pumps : Normally two per unit of 50% capacity.

CONDENSER
There are two condensers entered to the two exhausters of the L.P. turbine.
These are surface-type condensers with two pass arrangement. Cooling water
pumped into each condenser by a vertical C.W. pump through the inlet pipe.

Water enters the inlet chamber of the front water box, passes horizontally
through brass tubes to the water tubes to the water box at the other end, takes a
turn, passes through the upper cluster of tubes and reaches the outlet chamber in
the front water box. From these, cooling water leaves the condenser through the
outlet pipe and discharge into the discharge duct.

Steam exhausted from the LP turbine washes the outside of the

condenser tubes, losing its latent heat to the cooling water and is connected with
water in the steam side of the condenser. This condensate collects in the hot
well, welded to the bottom of the condensers.
 Typical water cooled condenser

EJECTORS
There are two 100% capacity ejectors of the steam eject type. The purpose of
the ejector is to evacuate air and other non-condensating gases from the
condensers and thus maintain the vacuum in the condensers.

The ejector has three compartments. Steam is supplied generally at a pressure

of 4.5 to 5 kg/cm2 to the three nozzles in the three compartments. Steam
expands in the nozzle thus giving a high-velocity eject which creates a low-
pressure zone in the throat of the eject. Since the nozzle box of the ejector is
connected to the air pipe from the condenser, the air and pressure zone. The
working steam which has expanded in volume comes into contact with the
cluster of tube bundles through which condensate is flowing and gets condensed
thus after aiding the formation of vacuum. The non-condensing gases of air are
further sucked with the next stage of the ejector by the second nozzle. The
process repeats itself in the third stage also and finally the steam-air mixture is
exhausted into the atmosphere through the outlet.

CONDENSATE SYSTEM
This contains the following.
 i. Condensate Pumps : 3 per unit of 50% capacity each located near condenser
hot well.

ii. LP Heater : Normally 4 in number with no.1 located at the upper part of
thecondenser and nos. 2,3 & 4 around 4m level.

iii. Deaerator ; one per unit located around 181 M level in CD bay.

Condensate pumps
The function of these pumps is to pump out the condensate to the desecrator
through ejectors, gland steam cooler and LP heaters. These pumps have four
stages and since the suction is at a negative pressure, special arrangements have
been made for providing sealing. The pump is generally rated for 160 m3/ hr at
a pressure of 13.2 kg/cm2.

LP Heaters

Turbine has been provided with non-controlled extractions, which are utilized
for heating the condensate, from turbine bleed steam. There are 410 W pressure
heaters in which the last four extractions are used. L.P. Heater-1 has two
partsLPH-1A andLPH-1B located in the upper parts of the condenser A and
condenser B, respectively. These are of horizontal type with shell and tube
construction. L.P.H. 2,3 and 4 are of similar construction and they
are 53 mounted in a row of 5mlevel. They are of vertical construction with brass
tubes the ends of which are expanded into tube plate. The condensate flows in
the ‘U’ tubes in four passes and extraction steam washes the outside of the
tubes. Condensate passes through these four L.P. heaters in succession. These
heaters are equipped with necessary safety valves in the steam space
level indicator for visual level indication of heating steam condensate pressure
vacuum gauges for measurement of steam pressure, etc.

Deaerator
The presence of certain gases, principally oxygen, carbon dioxide and ammonia,
dissolved in water is generally considered harmful because of their corrosive
attack on metals, particularly at elevated temperatures. One of the
most important factors in the prevention of internal corrosion in modern boilers
and associated plant therefore, is that the boiler feed water should be free as far
as possible from all dissolved gases especially oxygen. This is achieved by
embodying into the boiler feed system a de-aerating unit, whose function is to
remove the dissolved gases from the feed water by mechanical means.
Particularly the unit must reduce the oxygen content of the feed water to a lower
value as far as possible, depending upon the individual circumstances. Residual
oxygen content in condensate at the outlet of de-aerating plant usually specified
0.005/litre or less.

De-aerator

PRINCIPLE OF DEAERATION
It is based on following two laws.

i. Henrys Law

ii. Solubility

The De-aerator comprises of two chambers:

i. De-aerating column

ii. Feed storage tank

Deaerating column is a spray cum tray type cylindrical vessel of horizontal

construction with dished ends welded to it. The tray stack is designed to ensure
maximum contact time as well as optimum scrubbing of condensate to achieve
efficient de-aeration. The de-aeration column is mounted on the feed storage
tank, which in turn is supported on rollers at the two ends and a fixed support at
the centre. The feed storage tank is fabricated from boiler quality steel plates.
Manholes are provided on de-aerating column as well as on feed storage tank
for inspection and maintenance.

The condensate is admitted at the top of the de-aerating column flows

downwards through the spray valves and trays. The trays are designed to expose
to the maximum water surfaces for efficient scrubbing to affect the liberation of
the associated gases steam enters from the underneath of the trays and flows in
counter direction of condensate. While flowing upwards through the trays,
scrubbing and heating is done. Thus the liberated gases move upwards along
with the steam. Steam gets condensed above the trays and in turn heats the
condensate. Liberated gases escapes to atmosphere from the orifice opening
meant for it. This opening is provided with a number of deflectors to minimize
the loss of steam.

FEED WATER SYSTEM

The main equipments coming under this system are:

i. Boiler feed Pump: Three per unit of 50% capacity each located in the ‘0’
meter level in the T bay.

ii. High Pressure Heaters: Normally three in number and are situated in the
TG bay.

iii. Drip Pumps: generally two in number of 100% capacity each situated
beneath the LP heaters.

iv. Turbine Lubricating Oil System: This consists of the Main Oil Pump
(MOP), Starting Oil Pump (SOP), AC standby oil pumps and emergency DC
Oil Pump and Jacking Oil Pump (JOP).( one each per unit)

Boiler Feed Pump

This pump is horizontal and of barrel design driven by an Electric Motor
through a hydraulic coupling. All the bearings of pump and motor are forced
lubricated by a suitable oil lubricating system with adequate protection to trip
the pump if the lubrication oil pressure falls below a preset value.
 The high pressure boiler feed pump is a very expensive machine which calls for
a very careful operation and skilled maintenance. Operating staff must be able
to find out the causes of defect at the very beginning, which can be easily
removed without endangering the operator of the power plant and also without
the expensive dismantling of the high pressure feed pump.

Function
The water with the given operating temperature should flow continuously to the
pump under a certain minimum pressure. It passes through the suction branch
into the intake spiral and from there, it is directed to the first impeller. After
leaving the impeller it passes through the distributing passages of the diffuser
and thereby gets a certain pressure rise and at the same time it flows over to the
guide vanes to the inlet of the next impeller. This will repeat from one stage to
the other till it passes through the last impeller and the end diffuser. Thus the
feed water reaching into the discharge space develops the necessary operating
pressure.

Booster Pump
Each boiler feed pump is provided with a booster pump in its suction line which
is driven by the main motor of the boiler feed pump. One of the major damages
which may occur to a boiler feed pump is from cavitation or vapour bounding at
the pump suction due to suction failure. Cavitation will occur when the suction
pressure of the pump at the pump section is equal or very near to the vapour
pressure of the liquid to be pumped at a particular feed water temperature. By
the use of booster pump in the main pump suction line, always there will
be positive suction pressure which will remove the possibility of cavitation.
Therefore all the feed pumps are provided with a main shaft driven booster
pump in its suction line for obtaining a definite positive suction pressure.

Lubricating Pressure
All the bearings of boiler feed pump, pump motor and hydraulic coupling are
force lubricated. The feed pump consists of two radial sleeve bearings and one
thrust bearing. The thrust bearing is located at the free end of the pump.

High Pressure Heaters

These are regenerative feed waters heaters operating at high pressure and
located by the side of turbine. These are generally vertical type and turbine
based steam pipes are connected to them.

HP heaters are connected in series on feed waterside and by such arrangement,

the feed water, after feed pump enters the HP heaters. The steam is supplied to
these heaters to form the bleed point of the turbine through motor operated
valves. These heaters have a group bypass protection on the feed water side.

In the event of tube rupture in any of the HPH and the level of condensate
rising to dangerous level, the group protection devices divert automatically the
feed water directly to boiler, thus bypassing all the 3 H.P. heaters.

Turbine Oil Lubricating System

This consists of main oil pump, starting oil pump, emergency oil pump and each
per unit.
COAL HANDLING DEPARTMENT
As coal is the prime fuel for thermal power plant, adequate emphasis should be
given for its proper handling and storage. Also it is equally important to have a
sustained f low of this fuel to maintain uninterrupted power generation. Coal is
used as the fuel because of the following advantages.

Advantages of coal as fuel :

i. Abundantly available in India.

ii. Low Cost

iii. Technology for power generation well developed.

iv. Easy to handle, transport, store and use.

COAL CYCLE
Coal Transport by MGR

Each of the NTPC Project requires transportation of large quantities of coal

from the coal mines to power station’s site of the order of 30,000tonnes/day for
atypical 2,000MWstation. This enormous coal requirement is being met from
open cast mines. Techno economic study conducted for coal transportation from
mines to power station have revealed that Merry-Go-Round
(MGR) rail transportation system is most economical and is also reliable. This
system calls for high speed load outstation at the mines which have the
following advantages :

i. High loading enables loading of trains quickly; thus achieving high turn-over
of wagons and reduction rolling stock requirement.

ii. Top open railway wagons are loaded with maximum possible load
consistently and accurately.
iii. Simple loading arrangement at a single point avoids the need for a big
marshalling yard with cumbersome operational system.

The high speed load outstation consists of one or two loading sites depending
upon the coal requirement of the linked power station. The handling capacity
of the loading site is such that it f ills at least one big rake of wagon and in some
cases, two rakes.

COAL HANDLING SYSTEM

In the coal handling system of NTPC, three coal paths are normally available
for direct conveying of coal. These are:

i. Path A-from track hooper to boiler bunker.

ii. Path B- from track hooper to stockyard.

iii. Path C-from stockyard to boiler bunkers.

Coal Handling System

The storage facilities at the stockyards have been provided only for crushed
coal. The coal handling system is designed to provide 100% standby for all
equipments and conveyors. The 200 mm coal as received at the track hopper is
fed to the crusher house for crushing. Crusher of 50% capacity is provided and
these are preferred to two crushers of 100%capacity because of increased
reliability and possible higher availability. A series of parallel conveyors are
designed thereafter to carry crushed coal directly to the boiler bunkers or to
diver t it to the stockyard.

To feed coal into bunkers, mobile trippers have been provided over bunkers on
conveyors, coal mill & therefore the bunker conveyors of 200MW units of the
earlier projects are provided between boiler and turbo-generator building.
However for better mill maintenance, accessibility, and to reduce coal dust
nuisance; the turbine plant area, coal mills, bunker conveyors are now being
placed between boiler and electrostatic precipitator.

Coal Handling division of BTPS,New Delhi

COAL HANDLING EQUIPMENTS

i. Pulley- They are made of mild steel. Rubber lagging is provided to decrease

the friction factor in between the belt and pulley.

ii. Scrapper- Conveyors are provided with scrappers at the discharge pulley
in order to clean the carrying side of the belt built up material on idler rolls.
Care should be taken to ensure that the scrapper is held against the belt with the
pressure sufficient to remove material without causing damage to the belt due to
excessive force exerted by the wiper. The following categories of scrapper are
common in use:

i. Steel Blade scrapper

ii. Rubber/Fabric Blade scrapper

iii. Nylon brush scrapper

iv. Compressed air blast scrapper

iii. Idlers- These essentially consist of rolls made out of seamless steel tube
enclosed fully at each end and fitted with stationary shaft, anti-friction bearings
and seals. They support the belt and enable it to travel freely without much
frictional losses and also keep the belt properly trained.

iv. Conveyor belt- The conveyor belt consists of layers or piles of fabric
duck, impregnated with rubber and protected by a rubber cover on both sides
and edges. The fabric duck supplies the strength to withstand the tension created
in carrying the load while the cover protects the fabric carcass. Heat resistant
belting is always recommended for handling materials at a temperature over
66*C.

v. Vibrating screen- The function of vibrating screen is to send the coal of

having size less than 20 mm to the crusher. The screen is operated by four v-
belts connected to motor.

vi. Crusher- The role of crusher is to crush the coal from 200 mm to 20 mm
size of coal received from the vibrating screen. This is accomplished by means
of granulators of ring type. There are about37 crushing elevations; each
elevation has 4 granulators-2 of plain type and 2 of tooth type, arranged
alternately. The granulators are made of manganese steel because of their work
hardening property. The coal enters the top of the crusher and is crushed
between rotating granulators and fluid case path. The crushed coal through a
chute falls on belt feeder. Normally these crushers have a capacity round
600tonnes/hr.
 Crusher

vii. Magnetic separators- This is an electromagnet placed above the

conveyor to attract magnetic materials. Over this magnet there is one
conveyor to transfer these materials to chute provided for dumping at ground
level. Because of this, continuous removal is possible. It can remove any ferrous
impurity from 10 gms to 50 kg.

viii. Vibrating feeder- It is used to feed the coal on the underground
conveyor belt from where coal goes to bunker. Coal from the stockyard with the
help of bulldozer is taken to the vibrating feeder via reclaim hopper and
underground conveyor belts. A tripper is provided in the conveyor to stack the
material at desired location on either side or along the conveyor with the help of
chute or chute fitted with the tripper itself. The tripper is provided with wheels,
which move on rails parallel to conveyor. These trippers are of three types
mainly:

i.  Motorized tripper 

ii. Bell-Propelled Manually operated Tripper.

iii. Winch driven tripper.