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Figure 1. Applied
approach to problem
solving.
28
costs on a return-on-investment
(ROI)
basis.
The
increased
reliability/availability is expected
to significantly increase the pumps
mean time between overhauls
(MTBO) to 70 000 hours (eight
years). The first of the upgraded
pumps is now installed, operating
very satisfactorily and assisting with
the generation of 25 MW more
electricity than with the original BFP.
(a)
(b)
Figure 2. (a) Historical main boiler feed pump (MBFP) cartridges changes; (b) MBFP starts per unit per year.
Reverse engineering
A common observation during a
cartridge change-out was severe
damage to the first stage impeller, as
shown in Figure 3.
In order to determine the root cause
of the vane erosion, several
parameters were reviewed:
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(a)
(b)
Figure 6. (a) Proposed design with a seven-vane impeller and a ninevane diffuser. (b) Predicted radial force for the proposed
impeller/diffuser vane combination.
30
Hydraulic
performance
Investigation of the headflow
operating point of the pump showed
the pump performance curve was not
matched to the actual operating
conditions. The BEP of the existing
hydraulics was too high for the actual
100% operating point of the pump.
As a consequence, the pump was
operating below peak efficiency, a
situation made even worse when
operating at part load.
From the operating data review, the
units were operating for 50% of the
time at 100% block load (489 MW),
and 50% of the time at 60% block
load (292 MW).
Once the operating scenario was
understood, the hydraulic design
could be tailored to best meet the
actual demands of the power station,
i.e. providing the highest possible
efficiency at the power plants future
operating conditions (Figure 7).
Energy saving
opportunities/LCC
The power station feed-water system
was reviewed for possible energy
savings using actual operating data,
and various opportunities were
identified.
Efficiency
improvements on the
MBFP
The MBFP optimized for efficiency
with the operating scenario between
100% and 60% block load,
combined with new impeller/diffuser
design, gives higher peak efficiency
Reduced regulator
valve throttling
The pressure drop across the
feedwater regulator valve over the
pump operating range is in excess
of 10 bar. For Benson and sliding
drum type boilers this is normally
HP injection, super
heated, tapped from
MBFP
Currently, the superheated HP
injection water is tapped from the
boiler economizer manifold and all
injection
water
going
into
attemperation is heated in the highpressure heaters. This HP injection
could be tapped directly from the
MBFP, if equipped with a special
attemperation
stage
impeller,
certainly when energy savings by
reduced
valve
throttling
are
implemented. By increasing only 5%
of the injection flow to the required
HP turbine
LP turbine
IP turbine
Model:
Case
Power:
HR:
EFF:
FF10
FF10OD
504.62
9438.17
38.14
Condenser
Fossil
boiler
Deaerator
LP heaters
HP7
HP6
HP5
BFPT
Condensate
pump
MBFP
Figure 8. Thermodynamic analysis of steam cycle (where HP, IP and LP = high, intermediate and low pressure,
respectively; HP5..HP7 are high-pressure feedwater heaters).
www.worldpumps.com 31
32
Original pump
design critique
A design review of the existing pump
(Figure 10) revealed a number of
Reference
Existing
condition
monitoring
equipment limited to accelerometers
on bearing housings. New cartridge to
be additionally fitted with noncontacting radial and axial shaft probes
hardwired to the on-line monitoring
system. Embedded temperature probes
are fitted to the journal together with
active and inactive thrust bearing pads.
Acknowledgement
[1]
W.H.
Fraser,
Avoiding
Recirculation in Centrifugal Pumps,
Machine Design, (1982).
Conclusion
This whole process of installation of
the upgraded MBFP was mapped out
to the customer at the beginning of
the investigation. Each of the steps of
the problem solving approach outlined in Figure 1 has been completed
and reported to the customer. By
working closely with the customer, a
detailed LCC model was produced
accurately reflecting the future costs
with and without upgraded cartridges.
This cost justification together with
success stories of working together in
the past, made for an attractive
proposal to the customer. The first
upgraded
unit
was
installed
in August 2004, naturally not without
teething issues. However, these were
quickly resolved with the cooperation between Flowserve and the
customer. The unit has been running
successfully since then with vibration
levels of 0.8 mm/s as measured on the
bearing housings.
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