C A S E S T U D Y : B O I L E R F E E D E R P U M P O V E R H A U L A N D R E S TA R T

SERVICE OFFERING: JOHN CRANE 48VBF O-RING PUSHER SEAL UPGRADE

John Crane 48VBF Seal Upgrade

Improves Boiler Feed Pump Startups
For Colorado Coal-Fired Plant

HI G HLI G HT S
BAC KG R O UND • Bypassing proper BFP startup put
Industry: Power generation undue loads on the main BFP
Site: Coal-fired power plant turbines and pumps

Location: Colorado, United States • The out-of-service BFP jeopardized

safe and successful plant startups
End Product: Electricity
• Plant concerns and improvement
Production: Three 300–500 MW goals were discussed with a John
output units Crane Pump Repair Alliance Partner
• John Crane 48VBF, single-cartridge,
stationary head O-ring pusher
seal was put into the pump service
provider’s overhaul recommendation
• Power plant engineers considered
CU S TO ME R N E E D
another seal, but were convinced
48VBF was the right solution
• A 30-year-old, coal-fired power plant stopped using a startup boiler
feed pump (BFP) in the late ‘90s, as the plant experienced numerous • In May 2017, the plant had their first
BFP failures and low reliability because the pump was oversized successful BFP startup in two decades

Improper minimum flow caused large flow transients and spraying

water from leaking packing
• Poor steam quality and volume forced “slingshot” starts The plant experienced
• BFP pumps and turbines were damaged during the slingshot numerous BFP
startup process failures and low
• The plant wanted to fix the BFP issue during overhaul of the startup reliability because the
BFP and generators
pump was oversized.
Improper minimum
flow caused large
flow transients and
spraying water from
leaking packing.

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C A S E S T U D Y : B O I L E R F E E D E R P U M P O V E R H A U L A N D R E S TA R T

APPL I CAT I ON RE S ULT S

• Boiler feedwater pumps provide the required flow and pressure for
on-site and utility-scale power generating facilities around the world • The power plant can now seal hot
water above the atmospheric boiling
• The plant uses the BFP to pump 325°F feedwater that can flash point while minimizing BFP leakage
into steam, potentially causing personal injury
• Mean time between repairs (MTBR)
• Original BFP was supplied with outdated packing technology that has been extended
constantly leaked and sprayed water
• Outages have been avoided
• Constant BFP maintenance interventions caused unsafe
working conditions • The plant saves more than $20,000
USD by eliminating the need for a
• The plant had a longtime, trusted relationship with a John Crane Pump separate cooling system
Repair Alliance Partner
• Addressed worker safety concerns
• John Crane demonstrated the benefits of the 48VBF. The 48VBF seal was from feedwater flashing into steam
chosen for BFP upgrade because of superior technology that was best
suited to meet the plant’s performance goal • Following the first successful BFP
startup in 20 years, a plant manager
said, “I’ve never seen this pump not
spray water everywhere!”
S O LUT I ON
• The power plant has committed to
• John Crane and the pump repair partner determined the improper packing more 48VBF upgrades in the future
used was a safety hazard
• Due to John Crane’s close relationship with the pump repair partner, the
customer trusted their suggestion to incorporate the 48VBF seal into the
retrofit design Following the first
• The 48VBF pusher seal used on the startup BFP eliminated the successful BFP startup
need for a cooler support system, reducing costs from additional in 20 years, a plant
water consumption
manager said, “I’ve
• The 48VBF greatly reduced the water usage needed with the packing
never seen this pump
• Commissioned in May 2017, the BFP upgrade took place during a planned
outage that included overhauling the boiler feeder generators
not spray water
everywhere!

48VBF •
•
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AT E

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