HP-LP Bypass System
HP-LP Bypass System
HP-LP Bypass System
INTRODUCATION
Schematics
Necessity
Advantages
Assessment
Boiler
Turbine
Generator
Power transmission and
Equipment
In boiler fuel fired and steam is generated and superheated under high pressure. This
superheated steam under high pressure is supplied to high pressure cylinder of steam turbine
and expanded the low pressure exhaust steam from HP cylinder is taken again to the boiler
and reheated.
The reheated steam is used in the intermediate pressure and low pressure cylinders of the
turbine for expansion and finally steam is dumped in to the condenser the condensate from
the condenser is extracted by a condensate extraction pump and flows to the desecrator
through a series of low pressures heaters. The feed water from the detractor is pumped back
to the boiler by the boiler feed pump through a jet of high-pressure heaters.
HP bypass station
The HP bypass station while operating with a LP bypass station enables boiler operation by
establishing steam flow from main steam line to cold reheat (CRH) line and from hot reheat
(HRH) line to condenser with out co-ordination with turbine.
What is HP bypass system The process of by passing the steam from HP turbine directly to cold reheat line (CRH) line is
known as HP-bypass. The equipment, which passes steam into the re-heater by passing the
HP casing of the turbine, is known HP bypass.
What is LP by-pass?
The equipment, which passes, steam directly in to the condenser by-passing the IP and LP
turbine casing and is known as LP bypass.
Why HP/LP bypass system?
Warm start
Hot start
Load rejection
House load operation
Quick shut down of turbine
Turbine trip
Combined pressure reducing and de-superheating valve with electrohydraulic actuators of HP by pass (BP1 & BP)
Spray water isolation valve with electro-hydraulic actuator (BD valve)
Spray control valves with electro-hydraulic actuators for temperature
control (BPE1 & BPE2) of HP bypass.
During start up
During the operation the steam temperature entering the turbine should always be higher than
the turbine metal temperature.
Once the short tripping is over turbine requires steam at higher temperature as the
temperature of the turbine parts have not cooled much during the short period due to effective
insulation and high mass of materials.
If a re-start is needed after shut down interval on its the boiler steam temperature Tbs is
much lower than the turbine metal TM temperature as can be seen from the graph.
Hence it will be necessary to raise the boiler steam temperature to a value higher than the
turbine metal temperature before any steam could be admitted in to the turbine.
This is necessary to avoid thermal stresses due to temperature change in the thick walled
component like the turbine this temperature rise is shown by the dotted line.
This temperature rise is shown by the dotted line for 1 and for 2 and for 3 at three different
rates of temperature rise which takes the time of T1,T2 and T3 respectively where T is a time
taken for the boiler to give the steam temperature higher than the turbine metal temperature
reduction in time T will allow a quick re-start of the unit
How to the reduce the time TB?
The boiler steam temperature can be raised faster by increasing the rate of firing, thus
increasing the boiler load this is due to the fact that the steam temperature is dependent on the
boiler load.
Boiler load can be increased only by opening of HP/LP bypass valves as turbine valves
cannot be opened due to temperature difference between main steam temperature & turbine
metal temperature.
Re-heater protection Function of reheater
Reheater is used to increase degree of superheat of exhaust steam from HP turbine.
Why re-heating is required If we consider the Rankin cycle with out reheating. The nos. of stage handling the steam
below the saturation line are more the blades of these stages are subjected to heavy erosion
caused by water droplets.
To minimize the erosion steam is taken from HP exhaust to re-heater where the heat is added
to increase the temperature of steam.
Introduction
PRDS valve
Water pressure control valve
Temperature control valve
Hydraulic servo system
HP by-pass interlocks
Assessment
Function of HP bypass
HP bypass system is utilized for the following tasks
To establish flow at the outlet of super-heater for raising boiler parameters during startup.
To maintain or control seam pressure of preset value in main steam line during startup.
2 nos. pressure reducing and de-super heating valves with electrohydraulic actuators (PRDS or BP1 and BP2 valve)
2 nos. spray water control valve with valve electro hydraulic actuators for
temperature control (BPE1 and BPE2 valve)
1 no. Spray water pressure control valve with electro hydraulic actuator
(BD)
540c cent
140 ata
380c max
Remark
UCB operation
UCB operation
UCB checks
Local checks
Local operation
Can be altered to maintain desired HRH
steam temp up to 380c
UCB operation
Local operating are open
2 Transfer LP bypass control to auto and switch on the automatic control interface
device.
3 Transfer HP bypass control to auto
Observation
HP bypass transfer to auto
Reduce HP bypass upstream pressure set
point
HP bypass valve (BP-1/BP-2) start opening
it ms pressure is more than set point
CRH pressure starts in creasing
HP bypass temp controller transfer to auto
and maintain set value of down stream
temperature and spray pressure
Remark
-------UCB operation
UCB alarm HP bypass valve open
comes on
--------Interlock
4 Adjust/increase main steam set point to ordain desired ms pressure as soon as boiler
firing in creases.
PRDS valve
Function of PRDS valve
It reduces /maintains pressure of main steam equal to CRH line
Construction details
This screen shows the cut away view of the HP bypass valve. The main components are
Valve body
The valve body is made up of low alloy steel 2 and chromium and 1 molybdenum suitable
for high working temperature and pressure since these valve are normally kept closed and are
required to come in operation very quickly the design of the body has been arrived at after
considering the thermal stresses. To keep these thermal stresses low an attempt has been
made to keep the valve thickness as minimum as possible by selecting the shape of the body
as spherical and using a forged material instead of casting.
Valve system
Valve steam is o high chromium alloy steel with 11% chromium and 1% molybdenum this
material has a very high yield strength from a very high pressure to a low pressure this is
associated with sonic velocities resulting in large turbulence noise and vibration. Cross
turbulence creates high noise level whereas the fine turbulence disintegrates faster and causes
less noise. This can be achieved if the steam flow in its narrowest cross section is divided into
individual partial flows, which is sufficiently separate from one another.
Valve stem
This graph shows how the noise level is reduced by using a slotted stem.
A close up view of the slotted stem is shown in this screen.
The valve stem is guided at both its ends as shown in the diagram.
Valve seat
Valve seat is shown in red and is made up of low alloy steel with 2 and chromium and 1
molybdenum. To ensure complete seat tightness, this is sufficed with fast deposits at valve
stem-seating portion using heinous alloy.
Jet cage
Is made out of low alloy steel, which prevents direct impingement of spray water to the valve
body. It also creates turbulence in the steam water mixture for rapid evaporation. The shape
of the jet cage makes it flexible against stresses induced by vibration.
Pressure seal plug
Pressure seal plug is made out of low alloy steel to keep the bottom portion of the valve end
closed. Spray water is injected inside the valve through the inclined holes drilled in the
pressure seal plug. This also provides the bottom guide for the valve stem.
Bearing carrier
Shown in the red is the bearing carrier made out of satellite and provides upper guiding of the
stem. The link seat construction of the bearing carrier presents the transfer of vibration to the
gland packing.
Packing nut
Screw tight packing nut as shown in red is made out of 13% chromium steel and keeps the
gland packing sufficiently tightened to ensure leak tight gland.
Water pressure control valve Spray water pressure control valve or BD valve
Function
The spray water pressure control valve (BD valve) maintains the pressure of the spray water
fed to the temperature control valve.
Constructional feature
Construction feature of BD valve and BPE1 and BPE2 are similar and it will be discussed
with BPE valve
The body
The valve stem
The valve seat
The guide bush
The gland nut and
The pressure seal plug
The valve body is of cylinder shape and is made up of carbon steel or carbon moly steel
depending on parameters.
Valve stem is made up of 13% chromium steel and is guided at its both end.
The valve seat is made up of satellite investment casting. The seat is attached to the valve
body through a ring, which is welded to the seat at works leaving the welding of the ring to
be carried out at works during assembly or at site during replacement of seat. The valve seat
is pre-stressed before welding to the body.
Hydraulic servo system The valve in the HP and LP by-pass system are actuated by means of electro hydraulic servo
system. This system meets the requirements of high forces and quick positioning. Let us look
into the more details of the system.
The main items in the system are
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
HP bypass interlocks HP-LP bypass system shall come into operation under the following conditions
1
2
Fast opening
By activating fast opening signal, bypass valves are fully opened in about 3 secs. The fast
opening device is activated by the followings
Interlocks
Opening As the HP bypass valves open more than 25 or PI demand is more than 2% an auto
command is initiated to change temperature control to auto BPE valve open to minimum
value (set by MIN set0 to ensure that certain amount of water is injected into the steam
flowing through BP valves.
Closing interlocks
When the temperature at downstream of the HP bypass valves rises above a preset limit an
alarm is initiated.
If temperature still rises above the very high limit, a closing signal is given to bypass valve
followed by an alarm.
Spray water pressure valve (BD) closing INTERLOCKS
When by pass steam valves are closed (below 2%) and the PI output is less than 2% the
monitor will give a closing to BD valve.
Overrides and interlocks
By pass valve-closing interlocks
As soon as the bypass valve is les than 2% open the monitor gives a signal to close bypass
fully this is to void bypass valve from drifting open.
Spray water pressure valve opening INTERLOCK
When by-pass steam valves are more than 2% open the monitor gives a single to the BD
valve for full opening.
Introduction
Combined stop and control valve
Water injection valve
Protections
Assessment
LP by pass system is used to monitor the pressure in the re-heat system. In the event of start
up, shutdown load shedding or trip-out the amounts of excess reheat steam is passed to the
condenser.
Functions
LP bypass system is utilized for the following task
Combined stop and control valve By pass stop and control valves are combined in a common valve body. This valve
combination dumps the steam not accepted by the turbine to the condenser.
By pass stop valve
The by-pass stop valve is arrangement in the inlet branch of the valve body and is either
closed or fully opened. The by-pass steam enters the body through the inlet branch and is
admitted to the valve cone.
The stop valve has the following parts
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Valve body
Valve cone
Valve spindle
Guide bush
Lantern
Packing rings
Gland nut
Valve body
Spring
3
4
5
6
7
8
Valve cone
Valve spindle
Pressure elements
Guide bushes
Lantern
Piston rod
Springs
Piston
Piston rod
Cylinder
Piston
Cylinder
Valve cone
Cam bush
Feed back linkage system
Bush
Sleeve
Follow-up piston
Bell crank
The pilot valve controlling the actuator of the bypass control valve opens or closes the control
valve by admitting pressure oil in accordance with the signals of the by-pas controller.
The main parts of the PILOT valve of by-pass control valve are
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Valve body
Spring disc
Thrust ball bearing
Valve bush
Flange
Helical compression spring
Wheel disc
Hood
Valve body
Thrust ball bearing
Hood
Screw plug
Bush
Retainer ring
Wheel disk
Valve body
Hood
Compression spring
Spring disc
Thrust ball bearing
Wheel disc sleeve bush
Screw plug
Protections For the protections of the condenser the following items are monitored and incorporated in
the bypass safety equipment.
The LP by-pass valves will close automatically under the following condition to prevent
damage to the condenser.
HP by-pass system
LP bypass pressure control valve
LP bypass temperature control valve
Interlock and operation
Assessment
In LMW Russian design turbines the capacity of each HP and LP bypass system is 30%. In
this case if turbine trips he boiler also trips and each of these system is capable of handling
30% of the total steam capacity generation of the boiler.
In case of KWU turbines connected with a BHEL (combustion engineering) boiler , the Hp
by-pass is 60% bypass, there by, meaning that it can handle 60% of the steam generated by
the boiler and LP by pass is a 100% by pass, capable of handling the total steam generated by
the boiler. In this case on a turbine trip, boiler does not trip.
HP bypass systems in both LMW as well as KWU sets are the same. But LP by-pass system
is of different construction.
The main features of LPBP used in LMW are explained.
LP bypass pressure control valve The function of the LP bypass control system is to monitor the pressure in the reheat system
and to control it under certain operating conditions during start up and shut down and at
operation below minimum boiler load.
The volume of steam not utilized by the IP and LP cylinders of the turbine must be passed to
the condenser via the LP bypass valves.
This requires the bypass control system to maintain the pressure in the re-heater constant in
accordance with the pre-set value.
In the event of disturbances e.g. load shedding or trip-out the amount of excess reheat steam
passed to the condenser depends on the capacity of the condenser.
Function
LP by-pas station is utilized for following tasks
The constructional feature of this valve is exactly same as HP bypass valve except that it does
not have any integral spray arrangement.
The main components are
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
LP BY-PASS TEMPERATURE CONTROL VALVE This screen shows LP by pass spray control valve the main components are
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
The body
The valve seat
The valve stem
The guide bush
The bonnet and
The packing nut
INTERLOCKES AND OPERATION The HP/LP by-pass is influenced by the following interlocks
1
2
3
4
5
Generator circuit breaker In this case station opens when generator circuit
breaker opens.
Condenser vacuum too low The station will close if the vacuum in condenser
drops below 540 mm of hg.
HP bypass valve position below 2% of its full stroke the memory sends
continuous closing signal to the valve
Down stream temperature of HP or LP bypass station become too high the closing
signal to the station is forwarded
LP bypass station is interlocked with HP bypass station during start-up or
shutdown.
ALARMS/TROUBLE SHOOTING
Alarms /annunciations
Troubleshooting
Assessment
Fault indications for HP-LP BYPASS system control are done through
Visual alarms are provided for some abnormal and unique process
conditions requiring the attention of the operator to be posted in the by-pas
system.
Through flickering lamps in the control desk
Through LEDs in the control cubicle. The led; s go off for faulty
conditions.
Blocking units
Choking of sintered bronze
filter
PROBLEM CAUSE
Blocking of the small control
holes in the spool or in the
filter holders is primarily
caused by extraneous matters
in the hydraulic system.
Step 1
BP1 valve not opening on pressing push button.
Check if flickering lamp is on.
Tap indicator if indicator is lightly stuck up it will move .
Step 2
Check if sufficient oil pressure from SOL10 card
Step 3
REMEDY
The inoperative servo valves
can be serviced by
Assessment -