14

MAY

2009

TS TIDINGS

FEED BACK NO.1

Project : Vijayawada stage IV, 1 x 500 MW
Problem : Generator seal oil system Emergency DPR (Differential
pressure regulator) valve was not operating and not responding
while adjusting the pressure setting spring.
Generator seal oil system is provided with emergency source from
turbine lub oil system to supply seal oil during non availability of both
AC and DC seal oil pumps. The oil tap off is taken from Turbine
AOP/MOP discharge header at TG floor elevation in the oil canal and it
is connected to seal oil discharge header before seal oil cooler. An
isolation valve and DPR is provided in the line. The DPR valve was
located near seal oil supply unit at 0 meter elevation.
During setting of the Emergency Differential Pressure Regulating valve
without running any Seal oil pump, the DP was not rising from 0 kg/cm 2.
Adjustment was done with adjusting springs and no variation in DP was
observed in any of the spring position. Also, no oil flow to seals was
observed as the DP regulating valve is in closed position and did not
open at all.
The Emergency DPR valve is of the diaphragm type whereas the main
DPR valve in seal oil system is of metallic bellow type. The DP impulse
lines to emergency DPR valve were vented and checked for through ness
and vented near DPR valve while running seal oil pumps and again
emergency
DPR
valve
was
not
working.
After
thorough
investigation/study it was suspected that the problem may be due to
very high head is acting on the diaphragm because of additional height
of 19.5 meters (Signal from generator seals to DPR location at 0
meter) on both seal oil pressure as well as H2 pressure signal lines.
This would have caused bellow to stick in one side and found no
variation in DP or no pressure is developing after DPR.

15

MAY

2009

TS TIDINGS

HEAD CORRECTION TO SIGNAL PRESSURE.

1, Seal oil DP at seal

1.5 kg/cm 2.

2, Head from Generator shaft 19.5 meter

1.9 kg/cm2.

Oil pressure at E DPR with out H 2 pressure

3.4 kg/cm2.

Oil side pressure with 3.5 kg/cm 2 of H 2 pressure 6.9 kg/cm 2.

These types of Differential pressure regulation valves are working in

KWU 200/210 MW Generators where two DPRs are in parallel and H2
pressure is 2 kg/cm2 and also head is 1 kg/cm2. The pressure at bellow
is 3 kg/cm2 in maximum condition.
In 500 MW unit, due to high head the oil pressure of 3.4 kg/cm 2 to
6.9 kg/cm2 range (minimum without H2 and Max with H2 pressure of
3.5 kg/cm 2) the diaphragm stick to one side. These operating pressures
are suspected to be beyond spring adjustment range as there was no
response with full range of adjustment. The normal DPR in seal oil unit
is of different type with metallic bellow and no problem was noticed.
Similar problem was observed at Sipat site and Bellary site also. The
emergency DPR was kept isolated.
The high static head in the DPR impulse line can be nullified by
relocating the DPR in the oil canal. It was decided to relocate the
emergency DPR and check the behaviour and the modification was
carried out at Vijayawada site. The emergency DPR was located at
elevation of SOST in the oil canal as the oil tapping was from
MOP/AOP discharge at oil canal. The behaviour of DPR was found
satisfactory. The DP variation with adjustment of spring was also found
normal.

MAY

16

2009

TS TIDINGS

Adjustment of emergency DPR:

AOP suction pressure was 7.5 kg/cm 2 before E DPR and 9.0 kg/cm2
before seal oil cooler. AC Seal oil pump was switched off. Differential
pressure was adjusted to 1 kg/cm 2 with emergency DPR. Generator air
pressure was raised in steps of 1 kg/cm2 and found that the seal
pressures are also raising accordingly.
Readings during observation are giving below:
Generator
Air
pressure
kg/cm2
0
1
2
3
3.5
3.5
3.5
Air
pressure
removed
0 kg/cm2

Pump
Pressure Differential
in
before
Pressure
service cooler
EE
2
kg/cm
kg/cm2
AOP
3.7
0.95
AOP
4.7
0.95
AOP
5.9
0.96
AOP
7.4
0.90
AOP
8.0
0.90
AC
9.0
1.60
SOP-1
AC
9
1.7
SOP-2
AC
5
2.0
sop-2

Differential
Pressure
TE
kg/cm2
0.98
0.98
1.03
1.0
0.94
1.70

Seal oil
Pressure
At seal
EE
0.95
1.95
2.80
3.83
4.2
5.0

Seal oil
pressure
At seal
TE
0.98
1.98
2.80
3.90
4.30
5.10

1.75

5.0

5.0

2.0

2.0

2.0

AOP

1.15

1.10

1.15

1.10

The H 2 side impulse was originally taken from the H2 chamber of seals.
In case of failure/puncture of the diaphragm, the seal oil below the
diaphragm can go to inside the generator through the H2 impulse line.
To avoid this, the H2 side impulse tap of is taken from the H2 side
drain line below generator after prechamber with one meter siphon as
shown in the enclosed sketch.

MAY

17

2009

TS TIDINGS

Prechamber

Emergency DPR
located at
SOST elevation

From AOP/MOP
Discharge

SOST

H2 signal from TE prechamber

drain line

To seal oil
cooler

Seal oil pressure impulse from

valve rack

To SOT