SUMMER TRAINING REPORT

31st June to 25th July

Submitted By:-

Prateek Jain
B.Tech 2nd year
VIT University
This is to certify that PRATEEK JAIN(08BEE110), student of 2008-2012
Batch of Electrical & Electronics Branch in 2nd Year of Vellore Institute of
Technology, Vellore has successfully completed his industrial training at
Badarpur Thermal Power Station- NTPC, New Delhi for four weeks from
31st May to 26th June 2010. He has completed the whole training as per the
training report submitted by him.

Training In-charge 
Badarpur Thermal Power Station
NTPC, Badarpur New Delhi.
 Table of Contents

1. Acknowledgement

2. About the Company

3. Thermal Power Plant

 Introduction
 Operation
 Functioning

4. Electricity Generation Process

5. EMD-I

6. EMD-II

7. Control & Instrumentation

 Acknowledgement

With profound respect and gratitude, I take the opportunity to convey my thanks to
complete the training here. I express gratitude to the Program Manager and other
faculty members of Electrical & Electronics Engineering Department of SELECT
of Vellore Institute of Technology for providing this opportunity to undergo
industrial training at National Thermal Power Corporation, Badarpur, New Delhi.

I do extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Rachna Singh Bhal for providing me this
opportunity to be a part of this esteemed organization.

I am extremely grateful to Mr. G.D.Sharma, Superintendent of Im-Plant Training

at BTPS-NTPC, Badarpur for his guidance during whole training.

I am extremely grateful to all the technical staff of BTPS-NTPC for their co-
operation and guidance that 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.

Finally, I am indebted to all whosoever have contributed in this report work and
friendly stay at Badarpur Thermal Power Station, Badarpur, New Delhi.
 ABOUT THE COMPANY
CORPORATE VISION

“A world class integrated power major, powering India's growth with increasing
global presence.”

CORE VALUES:

BCOMIT

B- Business ethics

C- Customer focus

O- Organizational & professional pride

M- Mutual respect & trust

I- Innovation & speed

T- Total quality for excellence

NTPC Limited is the largest thermal 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 under
JVs, 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
through Hydro generation, 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 ventures, subsidiaries and takeover of stations.
NTPC has been operating its plants at high efficiency levels. Although the
company has 18.79% of the total national capacity it contributes 28.60% of total
power generation due to its focus on high efficiency. NTPC’s share at 31 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 stations in the financial year 2005-
2006. The Net Profit after Tax on March 31, 2006 was INR 58,202 million. Net
Profit after Tax for the quarter ended June 30, 2006 was INR 15528 million, which
is 18.65% more than for the same quarter in the previous financial year. 2005).
Pursuant to a special resolution passed by the Shareholders at the Company’s
Annual General Meeting on September 23, 2005 and the approval of the Central
Government under section 21 of the Companies Act, 1956, the name of the
Company "National Thermal Power Corporation Limited" has been changed to
"NTPC Limited" with effect from October 28, 2005. The primary reason for this is
the company's foray into hydro and nuclear based power generation along with
backward integration by coal mining.
A graphical overview
 NTPC Limited

Type Public

Founded 1975

Delhi, India
Headquarters
R S Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director
Key people
Electricity generation
Industry

Products Electricity

▲INR 416.37 billion (2008)

Revenue
▲INR 70.47 billion (2008)
Net income
23867 (2006)
Employees
Website http://www.ntpc.co.in

VISION
“A world class integrated power major, powering India's
growth with increasing global presence.”

MISSION
Develop and provide reliable power related products and services at
competitive prices, integrating multiple energy resources with
innovative & Eco-friendly technologies and contribution to the society.

STRATEGIES
Technological Initiatives
 Introduction of steam generators (boilers) of the size of 800 MW

 Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Technology

 Launch of Energy Technology Centre -A new initiative for development of

technologies with focus on fundamental R&D

 The company sets aside up to 0.5% of the profits for R&D

 Roadmap developed for adopting ‘Clean Development

 Mechanism’ to help get / earn ‘Certified Emission Reduction

Corporate Social Responsibility

 As a responsible corporate citizen NTPC has taken up number of CSR
initiatives

 NTPC Foundation formed to address Social issues at national level

 NTPC has framed Corporate Social Responsibility Guidelines committing

up to 0.5% of net profit annually for Community Welfare

 The welfare of project affected persons and the local population around
NTPC projects are taken care of through well drawn Rehabilitation and
Resettlement policies

 The company has also taken up distributed generation for remote rural
areas
 Partnering government in various initiatives

 Consultant role to modernize and improvise several plants across the

country

 Disseminate technologies to other players in the sector

 Consultant role “Partnership in Excellence” Programme for improvement of

PLF of 15 Power Stations of SEBs.

 Rural Electrification work under Rajiv Gandhi Garmin Vidyutikaran

Environment Management
 All stations of NTPC are ISO 14001 certified

 Various groups to care of environmental issues

 The Environment Management Group

 Ash Utilization Division

 Afforestation Group

 Centre for Power Efficiency & Environment Protection

 Group on Clean Development Mechanism

 NTPC is the second largest owner of trees in the country after the Forest
department.
 JOURNEY OF NTPC

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

1975 Government of India. In the last 30 years, NTPC has grown
into the largest power utility in India.

In 1997, Government of India granted NTPC status of

1997 “Navratna’ being one of the nine jewels of India, enhancing
the powers to the Board of Directors.

NTPC became a listed company with majority Government

2004 ownership of 89.5%.
NTPC becomes third largest by Market Capitalization of
listed companies

The company rechristened as NTPC Limited in line with its

2005 changing business portfolio and transforms itself from a
thermal power utility to an integrated power utility.

National Thermal Power Corporation is the largest power

2008 generation company in India. Forbes Global 2000 for 2008
ranked it 411th in the world.
 National Thermal Power Corporation is the largest power
2009 generation company in India. Forbes Global 2000 for 2008
ranked it 317th in the world.

2012 NTPC has also set up a plan to achieve a target of 50,000

MW generation capacity.

NTPC has embarked on plans to become a 75,000 MW

2017 company by 2017.

NTPC is the largest power utility in India, accounting for about 20% of India’s
installed capacity.
THEMAL POWER PLANT

Introduction

Classification

Functioning
 INTRODUCTION
Power Station (also referred to as generating station or power plant) is an industrial
facility for the generation of electric power. Power plant is also used to refer to the
engine in ships, aircraft and other large vehicles. Some prefer to use the term
energy center because it more accurately describes what the plants do, which is the
conversion of other forms of energy, like chemical energy, gravitational potential
energy or heat energy into electrical energy. However, power plant is the most
common term in the U.S., while elsewhere power station and power plant are both
widely used, power station prevailing in many Commonwealth countries and
especially in the United Kingdom.

A coal-fired Thermal Power Plant

At the center of nearly all power stations is a generator, a rotating machine that
converts Mechanical energy into Electrical energy by creating relative motion
between a magnetic field and a conductor. The energy source harnessed to turn the
generator varies widely. It depends chiefly on what fuels are easily available and
the types of technology that the power company has access to.

In thermal power stations, mechanical power is produced by a heat engine, which

transforms Thermal energy (often from combustion of a fuel) into rotational
energy. Most thermal power stations produce steam, and these are sometimes
called steam power stations. About 80% of all electric power is generated by use of
steam turbines. Not all thermal energy can be transformed to mechanical power,
according to the second law of thermodynamics. Therefore, there is always heat
lost to the environment. If this loss is employed as useful heat, for industrial
processes or district heating, the power plant is referred to as a cogeneration power
plant or CHP (combined heat-and-power) plant. In countries where district heating
is common, there are dedicated heat plants called heat-only boiler stations. An
important class of power stations in the Middle East uses by-product heat for
desalination of water.
 CLASSIFICATION
By fuel

• Nuclear power plants use a nuclear reactor's heat to operate a steam turbine
generator.

• Fossil fuelled power plants may also use a steam turbine generator or in the case
of natural gas fired plants may use a combustion turbine.

• Geothermal power plants use steam extracted from hot underground rocks.

• Renewable energy plants may be fuelled by waste from sugar cane, municipal
solid waste, landfill methane, or other forms of biomass.

• In integrated steel mills, blast furnace exhaust gas is a low-cost, although low-
energy density, fuel.
• Waste heat from industrial processes is occasionally concentrated enough to use
for power generation, usually in a steam boiler and turbine.

By prime mover

• Steam turbine plants use the dynamic pressure generated by expanding steam to
turn the blades of a turbine. Almost all large non-hydro plants use this system.

• Gas turbine plants use the dynamic pressure from flowing gases to directly
operate the turbine. Natural-gas fuelled turbine plants can start rapidly and so are
used to supply "peak" energy during periods of high demand, though at higher cost
than base-loaded plants. These may be comparatively small units, and sometimes
completely unmanned, being remotely operated. This type was pioneered by the
UK, Prince town being the world's first, commissioned in 1959.

• Combined cycle plants have both a gas turbine fired by natural gas, and a steam
boiler and steam turbine which use the exhaust gas from the gas turbine to produce
electricity. This greatly increases the overall efficiency of the plant, and many new
base load power plants are combined cycle plants fired by natural gas.
• Internal combustion Reciprocating engines are used to provide power for isolated
communities and are frequently used for small cogeneration plants. Hospitals,
office buildings, industrial plants, and other critical facilities also use them to
provide backup power in case of a power outage. These are usually fuelled by
diesel oil, heavy oil, natural gas and landfill gas.

• Micro turbines, Sterling engine and internal combustion reciprocating engines are
low cost solutions for using opportunity fuels, such as landfill gas, digester gas
from water treatment plants and waste gas from oil production.
 FUNCTIONING
In a thermal power plant, one of coal, oil or natural gas is used to heat the boiler to
convert the water into steam. The steam is used to turn a turbine, which is
connected to a generator. When the turbine turns, electricity is generated and given
as output by the generator, which is then supplied to the consumers through high-
voltage power lines.

Process of a Thermal Power Plant

Detailed process of power generation in a thermal power plant:

1) Water intake: Firstly, water is taken into the boiler through a water source. If
water is available in a plenty in the region, then the source is an open pond or river.
If water is scarce, then it is recycled and the same water is used over and over
again.

2) Boiler heating: The boiler is heated with the help of oil, coal or natural gas. A
furnace is used to heat the fuel and supply the heat produced to the boiler. The
increase in temperature helps in the transformation of water into steam.

3) Steam Turbine: The steam generated in the boiler is sent through a steam
turbine. The turbine has blades that rotate when high velocity steam flows across
them. This rotation of turbine blades is used to generate electricity.

4) Generator: A generator is connected to the steam turbine. When the turbine

rotates, the generator produces electricity which is then passed on to the power
distribution systems.

5) Special mountings: There is some other equipment like the economizer and air
pre-heater.
An economizer uses the heat from the exhaust gases to heat the feed water. An air
pre-heater heats the air sent into the combustion chamber to improve the efficiency
of the combustion process.

6) Ash collection system: There is a separate residue and ash collection system in
place to collect all the waste materials from the combustion process and to prevent
them from escaping into the atmosphere.
Apart from this, there are various other monitoring systems and instruments in
place to keep track of the functioning of all the devices. This prevents any hazards
from taking place in the plant.
 OPERATION

Introduction

• Steam Generator or Boiler

• Steam Turbine
• Electric Generator
 Introduction
The operating performance of NTPC has been considerably above the national
average. The availability factor for coal stations has increased from 85.03 % in
1997-98 to 90.09 % in 2006-07, which compares favourably with international
standards. The PLF has increased from 75.2% in 1997-98 to 89.4% during the year
2006-07 which is the highest since the inception of NTPC.

Operation Room of Power Plant

In Badarpur Thermal Power Station, steam is produced and used to spin a turbine
that operates a generator. Water is heated, turns into steam and spins a steam
turbine which drives an electrical generator. After it passes through the turbine, the
steam is condensed in a condenser; this is known as a Rankine cycle. Shown here
is a diagram of a conventional thermal power plant, which uses coal, oil, or natural
gas as fuel to boil water to produce the steam. The electricity generated at the plant
is sent to consumers through high-voltage power lines.
The Badarpur Thermal Power Plant has Steam Turbine-Driven Generators which
has a collective capacity of 705MW.
The fuel being used is Coal which is supplied from the Jharia Coal Field in
Jharkhand.
Water supply is given from the Agra Canal.
 Table: Capacity of Badarpur Thermal Power Station, (BTPS) New Delhi

There are basically three main units of a thermal power plant:

1. Steam Generator or Boiler

2. Steam Turbine

3. Electric Generator

We have discussed about the processes of electrical generation further. A complete

detailed description of two (except 2) units is given further.

Coal is conveyed (14) from an external stack and ground to a very fine powder by
large metal spheres in the pulverised fuel mill (16). There it is mixed with
preheated air (24) driven by the forced draught fan (20). The hot air-fuel mixture is
forced at high pressure into the boiler where it rapidly ignites. Water of a high
purity flows vertically up the tube-lined walls of the boiler, where it turns into
steam, and is passed to the boiler drum, where steam is separated from any
remaining water. The steam passes through a manifold in the roof of the drum into
the pendant super heater (19) where its temperature and pressure increase rapidly
to around 200 bar and 540°C,
sufficient to make the tube walls glow a dull red. The steam is piped to the high
pressure turbine (11), the first of a three-stage turbine process. A steam governor
valve (10) allows for both manual control of the turbine and automatic set-point
following. The steam is exhausted from the high pressure turbine, and reduced in
both pressure and temperature, is returned to the boiler reheater (21). The reheated
steam is then passed to the intermediate pressure turbine (9), and from there passed
directly to the low pressure turbine set (6). The exiting steam, now a little above its
boiling point, is brought into thermal contact with cold water (pumped in from the
Cooling tower) in the condenser (8), where it condenses rapidly back into water,
creating near vacuum-like conditions inside the condensor chest. The condensed
water is then passed by a feed pump (7) through a deaerator (12), and pre-warmed,
first in a feed heater (13) powered by steam drawn from the high pressure set, and
then in the economiser (23), before being returned
to the boiler drum. The cooling water from the condensor is sprayed inside a
cooling tower (1), creating a highly visible plume of water vapour, before being
pumped back to the condensor (8) in cooling water cycle. The three turbine sets are
sometimes coupled on the same shaft as the three-phase electrical generator (5)
which generates an intermediate level voltage (typically 20-25 kV). This is stepped
up by the unit transformer (4) to a voltage more suitable for transmission (typically
250-500 kV) and is sent out onto the three-phase transmission system (3). Exhaust
gas from the boiler is drawn by the induced draft fan (26) through an electrostatic
precipitator (25) and is then vented through the chimney stack (27).
 Steam Generator/Boiler
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 2.3 inches (60
mm) in diameter. Pulverized coal is air-blown into the furnace from fuel nozzles at
the four corners and it rapidly burns, forming a large fireball at the center. The
thermal radiation of the fireball 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 throughput 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 superheater 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 baghouse) and the flue gas stack.

For units over about 210 MW 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 60 MW, two boilers per unit may
instead be provided.
 Schematic diagram of a coal-fired power plant steam generator

Boiler Furnace and Steam Drum

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.
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

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. 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 tripout
are avoided by flushing out such gases from the combustion zone before igniting
the coal. The steam drum (as well as the superheater 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 into the superheater coils. Geothermal
plants need no boiler since they use naturally occurring steam sources. 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.

Fuel Preparation System

In coal-fired power stations, the raw feed coal from the coal storage area is first
crushed into small pieces and then conveyed to the coal feed hoppers at the boilers.
The coal is next pulverized into a very fine powder. The pulverisers may be ball
mills, rotating drum grinders, or other types of grinders. Some power stations burn
fuel oil rather than coal. The oil must kept warm (above its pour point) in the fuel
oil storage tanks to prevent the oil from congealing and becoming unpumpable.
The oil is usually heated to about 100°C before being pumped through the furnace
fuel oil spray nozzles.

Boiler Side of the Badarpur Thermal Power Station, New Delhi

Boilers in some power stations use processed natural gas as their main fuel. Other
power stations may use processed natural gas as auxiliary fuel in the event that
their main fuel supply (coal or oil) is interrupted. In such cases, separate gas
burners are provided on the boiler furnaces.

Fuel Firing System and Igniter System

From the pulverized coal bin, coal is blown by hot air through the furnace coal
burners at an angle which imparts a swirling motion to the powdered coal to
enhance mixing of the coal powder with the incoming preheated combustion air
and thus to enhance the combustion. To provide sufficient combustion temperature
in the furnace before igniting the powdered coal, the furnace temperature is raised
by first burning some light fuel oil or processed natural gas (by using auxiliary
burners and igniters provide for that purpose).

Air Path
External fans are provided to give sufficient air for combustion. The forced draft
fan takes air from the atmosphere and, first warming it in the air preheater for
better combustion, injects it via the air nozzles on the furnace wall. The induced
draft fan assists the FD fan by drawing out combustible gases from the furnace,
maintaining a slightly negative pressure in the furnace to avoid backfiring through
any opening. At the furnace outlet and before the furnace gases are handled by the
ID fan, fine dust carried by the outlet gases is removed to avoid atmospheric
pollution. This is an environmental limitation prescribed by law, and additionally
minimizes erosion of the ID fan.

Auxiliary Systems

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.

Boiler Make-up Water Treatment Plant and Storage

Since there is continuous withdrawal of steam and continuous return of condensate

to the boiler, losses due to blow-down and leakages have to be made up for so as to
maintain the desired water level in the boiler steam drum. For this, continuous
make-up water is added to the boiler water system. The impurities in the raw water
input to the plant generally consist of calcium and magnesium salts which impart
hardness to the water. Hardness in the make-up water to the boiler will form
deposits on the tube water surfaces which will lead to overheating and failure of
the tubes. Thus, the salts have to be removed from the water and that is done by a
Water Demineralising Treatment Plant (DM).
 Ash Handling System at Badarpur Thermal Power Station, New Delhi

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 once it 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 deaerated, with the dissolved gases being
removed by the ejector of the condenser itself.
 Electric Generator
The steam turbine-driven generators have auxiliary systems enabling them to work
satisfactorily and safely. The steam turbine generator being rotating equipment
generally has a heavy, large diameter shaft. The shaft therefore requires not only
supports but also has to be kept in position while running. To minimize the
frictional resistance to the rotation, the shaft has a number of bearings. The bearing
shells, in which the shaft rotates, are lined with a low friction material like Babbitt
metal. Oil lubrication is provided to further reduce the friction between shaft and
bearing surface and to limit the heat generated.

A 95 MW Generator at BTPS, New Delhi

 Barring Gear (or Turning Gear)

Barring gear is the term used for the mechanism provided for rotation of the
turbine generator shaft at a very low speed (about one revolution per minute) after
unit stoppages for any reason. Once the unit is "tripped" (i.e., the turbine steam
inlet valve is closed), the turbine starts slowing or "coasting down". When it stops
completely, there is a tendency for the turbine shaft to deflect or bend if allowed to
remain in one position too long. This deflection is because the heat inside the
turbine casing tends to concentrate in the top half of the casing, thus making the
top half portion of the shaft hotter than the bottom half. The shaft therefore warps
or bends by millionths of inches, only detectable by monitoring eccentricity
meters. But this small amount of shaft deflection would be enough to cause
vibrations and damage the entire steam turbine generator unit when it is restarted.
Therefore, the shaft is not permitted to come to a complete stop by a mechanism
known as "turning gear" or "barring gear" that automatically takes over to rotate
the unit at a preset low speed. If the unit is shut down for major maintenance, then
the barring gear must be kept in service until the temperatures of the casings and
bearings are sufficiently low.

Condenser

The surface condenser is a shell and tube heat exchanger in which cooling water is
circulated through the tubes. The exhaust steam from the low pressure turbine
enters the shell where it is cooled and converted to condensate (water) by flowing
over the tubes as shown in the adjacent diagram. Such condensers use steam
ejectors or rotary motor-driven exhausters for continuous removal of air and gases
from the steam side to maintain vacuum. A Typical Water Cooled Condenser
For best efficiency, the temperature in the condenser must be kept as low as
practical in order to achieve the lowest possible pressure in the condensing steam.
Since the condenser temperature can almost always be kept significantly below
100 C where the vapour pressure of water is much less than atmospheric pressure,
the condenser generally works under vacuum. Thus leaks of noncondensible air
into the closed loop must be prevented. Plants operating in hot climates may have
to reduce output if their source of condenser cooling water becomes warmer;
unfortunately this usually coincides with periods of high electrical demand for air
conditioning. The condenser generally uses either circulating cooling water from a
cooling tower to reject waste heat to the atmosphere, or once-through water from a
river, lake or ocean.
 A typical water cooled condensor

Feedwater Heater
A Rankine cycle with a two-stage steam turbine and a single feedwater heater. In
the case of a conventional steam-electric power plant utilizing a drum boiler, the
surface condenser removes the latent heat of vaporization from the steam as it
changes states from vapour to liquid. The heat content (btu) in the steam is referred
to as Enthalpy. The condensate pump then pumps the condensate water through a
feedwater heater. The feedwater heating equipment then raises the temperature of
the water by utilizing extraction steam from various stages of the turbine.
Preheating the feedwater reduces the irreversibility’s involved in steam generation
and therefore improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the system.[9] This reduces
plant operating costs and also helps to avoid thermal shock to the boiler metal
when the feedwater is introduced back into the steam cycle.
 A Rankine cycle with a 2-stage steam turbine and a single feedwater
heater
Superheater
As the steam is conditioned by the drying equipment inside the drum, it is piped
from the upper drum area into an elaborate set up of tubing in different areas of the
boiler. The areas known as superheater and reheater. The steam vapour picks up
energy and its temperature is now superheated above the saturation temperature.
The superheated steam is then piped through the main steam lines to the valves of
the high pressure turbine.

Deaerator

A steam generating boiler requires that the boiler feed water should be devoid of
air and other dissolved gases, particularly corrosive ones, in order to avoid
corrosion of the metal. Generally, power stations use a deaerator to provide for the
removal of air and other dissolved gases from the boiler feedwater. A deaerator
typically includes a vertical, domed deaeration section mounted on top of a
horizontal cylindrical vessel which serves as the deaerated boiler feedwater storage
tank.

Boiler Feed Water Deaerator

There are many different designs for a deaerator and the designs will vary from
one manufacturer to another. The adjacent diagram depicts a typical conventional
trayed deaerator. If operated properly, most deaerator manufacturers will guarantee
that oxygen in the deaerated water will not exceed 7 ppb by weight (0.005 cm3/L).
 Auxiliary Systems

Oil System

An auxiliary oil system pump is used to supply oil at the start-up of the steam
turbine generator. It supplies the hydraulic oil system required for steam turbine's
main inlet steam stop valve, the governing control valves, the bearing and seal oil
systems, the relevant hydraulic relays and other mechanisms. At a preset speed of
the turbine during start-ups, a pump driven by the turbine main shaft takes over the
functions of the auxiliary system.

Generator Heat Dissipation

The electricity generator requires cooling to dissipate the heat that it generates.
While small units may be cooled by air drawn through filters at the inlet, larger
units generally require special cooling arrangements. Hydrogen gas cooling, in an
oil-sealed casing, is used because it has the highest known heat transfer coefficient
of any gas and for its low viscosity which reduces windage losses. This system
requires special handling during start-up, with air in the chamber first displaced by
carbon dioxide before filling with hydrogen. This ensures that the highly
flammable hydrogen does not mix with oxygen in the air. The hydrogen pressure
inside the casing is maintained slightly higher than atmospheric pressure to avoid
outside air ingress. The hydrogen must be sealed against outward leakage where
the shaft emerges from the casing. Mechanical seals around the shaft are installed
with a very small annular gap to avoid rubbing between the shaft and the seals.
Seal oil is used to prevent the hydrogen gas leakage to atmosphere. The generator
also uses water cooling. Since the generator coils are at a potential of about
15.75kV and water is conductive, an insulating barrier such as Teflon is used to
interconnect the water line and the generator high voltage windings. Demineralised
water of low conductivity is used.

Generator High Voltage System

The generator voltage ranges from 10.5 kV in smaller units to 15.75 kV in larger
units. The generator high voltage leads are normally large aluminum channels
because of their high current as compared to the cables used in smaller machines.
They are enclosed in well-grounded aluminum bus ducts and are supported on
suitable insulators. The generator high voltage channels are connected to step-up
transformers for connecting to a high voltage electrical substation (of the order of
220 kV) for further transmission by the local power grid. The necessary protection
and metering devices are included for the high voltage leads. Thus, the steam
turbine generator and the transformer form one unit. In smaller units, generating at
10.5kV, a breaker is provided to connect it to a common 10.5 kV bus system.

Other Systems
Monitoring and Alarm system

Most of the power plant’s operational controls are automatic. However, at times,
manual intervention may be required. Thus, the plant is provided with monitors
and alarm systems that alert the plant operators when certain operating parameters
are seriously deviating from their normal range.

Battery Supplied Emergency Lighting & Communication

A central battery system consisting of lead acid cell units is provided to supply
emergency electric power, when needed, to essential items such as the power
plant's control systems, communication systems, turbine lube oil pumps, and
emergency lighting. This is essential for safe, damage-free shutdown of the units in
an emergency situation.
 ELECTRICITY GENERATION PROCESS
(A BASIC OVERVIEW)

HOW ELECTRICITY IS GENERATED?

Thermal power station burns fuel and uses the resultant heat to raise steam which
drives the TURBO GENERATOR. The fuel may be ‘fossil’(coal,oil,natural gas) or
it may be fissionable, whichever fuel is used, the objective is same to convert the
mechanical energy into electricity by rotating a magnet inside a set of winding.

COAL TO STAEM

Its other raw materials are air and water. The coal brought to the station by trains
or by other means, travels handling plant by conveyer belts, travels from
pulverizing mills, which grind it as fine as the face powder of size upto 20 microns.
The finely produced coal mixed with preheated air is then blown into the boiler by
a fan called primary air fan where it burns more like a gas than as a solid, in the
conventional domestic or industrial grate, with additional amount of air, called
secondary air supply, by forced draft fan.

As coal is ground so finally the resultant ash is also a fine powder. Some of it binds
together to form pumps, which falls into ash pits at the bottom of the furnace. The
water-quenched ash from the bottom is conveyed to pits for subsequent disposal or
sale. Most of ash, still in fine partical form is carried out of boilers to the
precipitator as dust, where electrodes charged with high voltage electricity trap it.
The dust is then conveyed to water to disposal area or to bunker for sale while the
clean flue gases are passed on through IP fans to be discharged through chimneys.

The heat released from the coal has been absorbed by the many kilometers tubing
which line the boiler walls. Inside the tubes the boiler feed water, which is
transformed by heat into staemat high temperature and pressure.. The steam
superheated in further tubes (superheaters) passes to turbine where it is discharged
through the nozzle on the turbine blades. Just as the energy of wind turns the sail of
the windmill, the energy of steam striking the blade makes the turbine rotate.
Coupled to the end of the turbine is the rotor of the generator. The rotor is housed
inside the stator having heavy coils of the bars in which electricity is produced
through the movement of magnetic field created by the rotor. Electricity passes
from stator windings to step-up transformer which increases its voltage so that it
can be transmited efficiently over lines of grid.

The staem which has given up its heat energy is cahnged back into water in a
condenser so that it is ready for re-use. The condenser contains many kilometers of
tubing through which cold water is constantly pumped. The staem passing around
the tubes looses heat.Thus it is rapidly changed back into water.

But, the two lots of water, that is, the boiler feed and cooling water must never
mix. Cooling water is drawn from river- bed, but the boiler feed water must be
absolutely pure, far purer than the water we drink (de-mineralized water),
otherwise it may damage the boiler tubes.
My summer training of 4 weeks (31st May – 25th June) has been
scheduled as follows:

 EMD-I (Electrical Maintenance Department-I)--- 1 week

 EMD-II (Electrical Maintenance Department-II)--- 1 week

 C & I(Control & Instrumentation)--- 2 weeks

 EMD – I

In EMD-I we have to go through following 5 sectors:

• Coal Handling Plant

• Motors

• Switchgear

• High Tension Switchgear

• Direct On Line Starter

Coal Handling Plant
Coal is delivered by highway truck, rail, barge or collier ship. Some plants are even
built near coal mines and coal is delivered by conveyors. A large coal train called a
"unit train" may be a kilometres (over a mile) long, containing 60 cars with 100
tons of coal in each one, for a total load of 6,000 tons. A large plant under full load
requires at least one coal delivery this size every day. Plants may get as many as
three to five trains a day, especially in "peak season", during the summer months
when power consumption is high. A large thermal power plant such as the
Badarpur Thermal Power Station, New Delhi stores several million tons of coal for
use when there is no wagon supply.
 Coal Handling Plant Layout
Modern unloaders use rotary dump devices, which eliminate problems with coal
freezing in bottom dump cars. The unloader includes a train positioner arm that
pulls the entire train to position each car over a coal hopper. The dumper clamps an
individual car against a platform that swivels the car upside down to dump the
coal. Swivelling couplers enable the entire operation to occur while the cars are
still coupled together. Unloading a unit train takes about three hours.
Shorter trains may use railcars with an "air-dump", which relies on air pressure
from the engine plus a "hot shoe" on each car. This "hot shoe" when it comes into
contact with a "hot rail" at the unloading trestle, shoots an electric charge through
the air dump apparatus and causes the doors on the bottom of the car to open,
dumping the coal through the opening in the trestle. Unloading one of these trains
takes anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. Older unloaders may still use
manually operated bottom-dump rail cars and a "shaker" attached to dump the coal.
Generating stations adjacent to a mine may receive coal by conveyor belt or
massive diesel electric-drive trucks.

Coal is prepared for use by crushing the rough coal to pieces less than 2 inches (50
mm) in size. The coal is then transported from the storage yard to in-plant storage
silos by rubberized conveyor belts at rates up to 4,000 tons/hour. In plants that
burn pulverized coal, silos feed coal pulverisers (coal mill) that take the larger 2
inch pieces grind them into the consistency of face powder, classify them, and
mixes them with primary combustion air which transports the coal to the furnace
and preheats the coal to drive off excess moisture content. In plants that do not
burn pulverized coal, the larger 2 inch pieces may be directly fed into the silos
which then feed the cyclone burners, a specific kind of combust or that can
efficiently burn larger pieces of fuel.

Run-Of-Mine (ROM) Coal

The coal delivered from the mine that reports to the Coal Handling Plant is called
Run-of-mine, or ROM, coal. This is the raw material for the CHP, and consists of
coal, rocks, middling’s, minerals and contamination. Contamination is usually
introduced by the mining process and may include machine parts, used
consumables and parts of ground engaging tools. ROM coal can have a large
variability of moisture and maximum particle size.

Coal Handling

Coal needs to be stored at various stages of the preparation process, and conveyed
around the CHP facilities. Coal handling is part of the larger field of bulk material
handling, and is a complex and vital part of the CHP.

Stockpiles

Stockpiles provide surge capacity to various parts of the CHP. ROM coal is
delivered with large variations in production rate of tonnes per hour (tph). A ROM
stockpile is used to allow the wash plant to be fed coal at lower, constant rate.
 Coal Handling Division of BTPS, New Delhi

A simple stockpile is formed by machinery dumping coal into a pile, either from
dump trucks, pushed into heaps with bulldozers or from conveyor booms. More
controlled stockpiles are formed using stackers to form piles along the length of a
conveyor, and reclaimers to retrieve the coal when required for product loading,
etc. Taller and wider stockpiles reduce the land area required to store a set tonnage
of coal. Larger coal stockpiles have a reduced rate of heat lost, leading to a higher
risk of spontaneous combustion.

Stacking

Travelling, lugging boom stackers that straddle a feed conveyor are commonly
used to create coal stockpiles. Stackers are nominally rated in tph (tonnes per hour)
for capacity and normally travel on a rail between stockpiles in the stockyard. A
stacker can usually move in at least two directions typically: horizontally along the
rail and vertically by luffing its boom. Luffing of the boom minimises dust by
reducing the height that the coal needs to fall to the top of the stockpile. The boom
is luffed upwards as the stockpile height grows.

Wagon Tripler at Badarpur Thermal Power Station, New Delhi

Some stackers are able to rotate by slewing the boom. This allows a single stacker
to form two stockpiles, one on either side of the conveyor. Stackers are used to
stack into different patterns, such as cone stacking and chevron stacking. Stacking
in a single cone tends to cause size segregation, with coarser material moving out
towards the base. Raw cone ply stacking is when additional cones are added next
to the first cone. Chevron stacking is when the stacker travels along the length of
the stockpile adding layer upon layer of material. Stackers and Reclaimers were
originally manually controlled manned machines with no remote control. Modern
machines are typically semi-automatic or fully automated, with parameters
remotely set.
 Reclaiming

Tunnel conveyors can be fed by a continuous slot hopper or bunker beneath the
stockpile to reclaim material. Front-end loaders and bulldozers can be used to push
the coal into feeders. Sometimes front-end loaders are the only means of
reclaiming coal from the stockpile. This has a low up-front capital cost, but much
higher operating costs, measured in dollars per tonne handled.

Coal Storage Area of the Badarpur Thermal Power Station, New Delhi

High-capacity stockpiles are commonly reclaimed using bucket-wheel reclaimers.

These can achieve very high rates.
 Coal Sampling

Sampling of coal is an important part of the process control in the CHP. A grab
sample is a one off sample of the coal at a point in the process stream, and tends
not to be very representative. A routine sample is taken at a set frequency, either
over a period of time or per shipment.

Screening

Screens are used to group process particles into ranges by size. These size ranges
are also called grades. Dewatering screens are used to remove water from the
product. Screens can be static, or mechanically vibrated. Screen decks can be made
from different materials such as high tensile steel, stainless steel, or polyethylene.

Screening and Separation Unit of Coal Handling Division

 Magnetic Separation

Magnetic separators shall be used in coal conveying systems to separate tramp iron
(including steel) from the coal. Basically, two types are available. One type
incorporates permanent or electromagnets into the head pulley of a belt conveyor.
The tramp iron clings to the belt as it goes around the pulley drum and falls off into
a collection hopper or trough after the point at which coal is charged from the belt.
The other type consists of permanent or electromagnets incorporated into a belt
conveyor that is suspended above a belt conveyor carrying coal. The tramp iron is
pulled from the moving coal to the face of the separating conveyor, which in turn
holds and carries the tramp iron to a collection hopper or trough. Magnetic
separators shall be used just ahead of the coal crusher, if any, and/or just prior to
coal discharge to the in-plant bunker or silo fill system.

Coal Crusher

Before the coal is sent to the plant it has to be ensured that the coal is of uniform
size, and so it is passed through coal crushers. Also power plants using pulverized
coal specify a maximum coal size that can be fed into the pulverizer and so the
coal has to be crushed to the specified size using the coal crusher. Rotary crushers
are very commonly used for this purpose as they can provide a continuous flow of
coal to the pulverizer.

Pulverizer
Most commonly used pulverizer is the Boul Mill. The arrangement consists of 2
stationary rollers and a power driven boul in which pulverization takes place as the
coal passes through the sides of the rollers and the boul. A primary air induced
draught fan draws a stream of heated air through the mill carrying the pulverized
coal into a stationary classifier at the top of the pulverizer. The classifier separates
the pulverized coal from the unpulverized coal.
 An external view of a Coal Pulverizer

Advantages of Pulverized Coal

• Pulverized coal is used for large capacity plants.
• It is easier to adapt to fluctuating load as there are no limitations on the
combustion capacity.
• Coal with higher ash percentage cannot be used without pulverizing because of
the problem of large amount ash deposition after combustion.
• Increased thermal efficiency is obtained through pulverization.
• 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.
• Greater surface area of coal per unit mass of coal allows faster combustion as
more coal is exposed to heat and combustion.
• The combustion process is almost free from clinker and slag formation.
• The boiler can be easily started from cold condition in case of emergency.
• Practically no ash handling problem.
• The furnace volume required is less as the turbulence caused aids in complete
combustion of the coal with minimum travel of the particles.
The pulverized coal is passed from the pulverizer to the boiler by means of the
primary air that is used not only to dry the coal but also to heat is as it goes into the
boiler. The secondary air is used to provide the necessary air required for complete
combustion. The primary air may vary anywhere from 10% to the entire air
depending on the design of the boiler. The coal is sent into the boiler through
burners. A very important and widely used type of burner arrangement is the
Tangential Firing arrangement.

Tangential Burners

The tangential burners are arranged such that they discharge the fuel air mixture
tangentially to an imaginary circle in the center of the furnace. The swirling action
produces sufficient turbulence in the furnace to complete the combustion in a short
period of time and avoid the necessity of producing high turbulence at the burner
itself. High heat release rates are possible with this method of firing. The burners
are placed at the four corners of the furnace. At the Badarpur Thermal Power
Station five sets of such burners are placed one above the other to form six firing
zones. These burners are constructed with tips that can be angled through a small
vertical arc. By adjusting the angle of the burners the position of the fire ball can
be adjusted so as to raise or lower the position of the turbulent combustion region.
When the burners are tilted downward the furnace gets filled completely with the
flame and the furnace exit gas temperature gets reduced. When the burners are
tiled upward the furnace exit gas temperature increases. A difference of
100 degrees can be achieved by tilting the burners.

Ash Handling

The ever increasing capacities of boiler units together with their ability to use low
grade high ash content coal have been responsible for the development of modern
day ash handling systems. The widely used ash handling systems are
1. Mechanical Handling System
2. Hydraulic System
3. Pneumatic System
4. Steam Jet System
The Hydraulic Ash handling system is used at the Badarpur Thermal Power
Station.
 Ash Handling System of a Thermal Power Plant

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.
 ELECTRIC MOTORS
An electric motor uses electrical energy to produce mechanical energy. The reverse
process that of using mechanical energy to produce electrical energy is
accomplished by a generator or dynamo. Traction motors used on locomotives and
some electric and hybrid automobiles often performs both tasks if the vehicle is
equipped with dynamic brakes.

A High Power Electric Motor

Categorization of Electric Motors

The classic division of electric motors has been that of Direct Current (DC) type vs
Alternating Current (AC) types. The ongoing trend toward electronic control
further muddles the distinction, as modern drivers have moved the commutator out
of the motor shell. For this new breed of motor, driver circuits are relied upon to
generate sinusoidal AC drive currents, or some approximation of. The two best
examples are: the brushless DC motor and the stepping motor, both being
polyphase AC motors requiring external electronic control. There is a clearer
distinction between a synchronous motor and asynchronous types. In the
synchronous types, the rotor rotates in synchrony with the oscillating field or
current (eg. permanent magnet motors). In contrast, an asynchronous motor is
designed to slip; the most ubiquitous example being the common AC induction
motor which must slip in order to generate torque.

Comparison of Motor Types

At Badarpur Thermal Power Station, New Delhi, mostly AC motors are employed
for various purposes. We had to study the two types of AC Motors viz.
Synchronous Motors and Induction Motor. The motors have been explained
further.
 AC Motor

Internal View of AC Motors

An AC motor is an electric motor that is driven by an alternating current. It

consists of two basic parts, an outside stationary stator having coils supplied with
AC current to produce a rotating magnetic field, and an inside rotor attached to the
output shaft that is given a torque by the rotating field.
There are two types of AC motors, depending on the type of rotor used. The first is
the synchronous motor, which rotates exactly at the supply frequency or a sub
multiple of the supply frequency. The magnetic field on the rotor is either
generated by current delivered through slip rings or a by a permanent magnet.
The second type is the induction motor, which turns slightly slower than the supply
frequency. The magnetic field on the rotor of this motor is created by an induced
current.
 Synchronous Motor

A synchronous electric motor is an AC motor distinguished by a rotor spinning

with coils passing magnets at the same rate as the alternating current and resulting
magnetic field which drives it. Another way of saying this is that it has zero slip
under usual operating conditions. Contrast this with an induction motor, which
must slip in order to produce torque.
Sometimes a synchronous motor is used, not to drive a load, but to improve the
power factor on the local grid it's connected to. It does this by providing reactive
power to or consuming reactive power from the grid. In this case the synchronous
motor is called a Synchronous condenser. Electrical power plants almost always
use synchronous generators because it's very important to keep the frequency
constant at which the generator is connected.

Advantages

Synchronous motors have the following advantages over non-synchronous motors:

• Speed is independent of the load, provided an adequate field current is applied.

• Accurate control in speed and position using open loop controls, eg. Stepper
motors.
• They will hold their position when a DC current is applied to both the stator and
the rotor windings.
• Their power factor can be adjusted to unity by using a proper field current
relative to the load. Also, a "capacitive" power factor, (current phase leads voltage
phase), can be obtained by increasing this current slightly, which can help achieve
a better power factor correction for the whole installation.
• Their construction allows for increased electrical efficiency when a low speed is
required (as in ball mills and similar apparatus).

Examples:

• Brushless permanent magnet DC motor.

• Stepper motor.
• Slow speed AC synchronous motor.
• Switched reluctance motor.

Induction Motor
An induction motor (IM) is a type of asynchronous AC motor where power is
supplied to the rotating device by means of electromagnetic induction.

Three Phase Induction Motors

An electric motor converts electrical power to mechanical power in its rotor
(rotating part). There are several ways to supply power to the rotor. In a DC motor
this power is supplied to the armature directly from a DC source, while in an AC
motor this power is induced in the rotating device. An induction motor is
sometimes called a rotating transformer because the stator
(stationary part) is essentially the primary side of the transformer and the rotor
(rotating part) is the secondary side. Induction motors are widely used, especially
polyphase induction motors, which are frequently used in industrial drives.
Induction motors are now the preferred choice for industrial motors due to their
rugged construction, lack of brushes (which are needed in most DC Motors) and —
thanks to modern power electronics — the ability to control the speed of the motor.

Construction

The stator consists of wound 'poles' that carry the supply current that induces a
magnetic field in the conductor. The number of 'poles' can vary between motor
types but the poles are always in pairs (i.e. 2, 4, 6 etc). There are two types of
rotor:
1. Squirrel-cage rotor
2. Slip ring rotor
The most common rotor is a squirrel-cage rotor. It is made up of bars of either
solid copper (most common) or aluminum that span the length of the rotor, and are
connected through a ring at each end. The rotor bars in squirrel-cage induction
motors are not straight, but have some skew to reduce noise and harmonics.
The motor's phase type is one of two types:
1. Single-phase induction motor
2. 3-phase induction motor

Principle of Operation

The basic difference between an induction motor and a synchronous AC motor is

that in the latter a current is supplied onto the rotor. This then creates a magnetic
field which, through magnetic interaction, links to the rotating magnetic field in the
stator which in turn causes the rotor to turn. It is called synchronous because at
steady state the speed of the rotor is the same as the speed of the rotating magnetic
field in the stator. By way of contrast, the induction motor does not have any direct
supply onto the rotor; instead, a secondary current is induced in the rotor. To
achieve this, stator windings are arranged around the rotor so that when energised
with a polyphase supply they create a rotating magnetic field pattern which sweeps
past the rotor. This changing magnetic field pattern can induce currents in the rotor
conductors. These currents interact with the rotating magnetic field created by the
stator and the rotor will turn. However, for these currents to be induced, the speed
of the physical rotor and the speed of the rotating magnetic field in the stator must
be different, or else the magnetic field will not be moving relative to the rotor
conductors and no currents will be induced. If by some chance this happens, the
rotor typically slows slightly until a current is re-induced and then the rotor
continues as before. This difference between the speed of the rotor and speed of the
rotating magnetic field in the stator is called slip. It has no unit and the ratio
between the relative speeds of the magnetic field as seen by the rotor to the speed
of the rotating field. Due to this an induction motor is sometimes referred to as an
asynchronous machine.

Types:

• Based on type of phase supply

1. Three phase induction motor (self starting in nature)
2. Single phase induction motor (not self starting)

• Other
1. Squirrel cage induction motor
2. Slip ring induction motor
 SWITCHGEAR

The term switchgear, used in association with the electric power system, or grid,
refers to the combination of electrical disconnects, fuses and/or circuit breakers
used to isolate electrical equipment. Switchgear is used both to de-energize
equipment to allow work to be done and to clear faults downstream.
The very earliest central power stations used simple open knife switches, mounted
on insulating panels of marble or asbestos. Power levels and voltages rapidly
escalated, making open manually-operated switches too dangerous to use for
anything other than isolation of a deenergized circuit. Oil-filled equipment allowed
arc energy to be contained and safely controlled. By the early 20th century, a
switchgear line-up would be a metal-enclosed structure with electrically-operated
switching elements, using oil circuit breakers. Today, oil-filled equipment has
largely been replaced by air-blast, vacuum, or SF6 equipment, allowing large
currents and power levels to be safely controlled by automatic equipment
incorporating digital controls, protection, metering and communications.

A View of Switchgear at a Power Plant

Types
A piece of switchgear may be a simple open air isolator switch or it may be
insulated by some other substance. An effective although more costly form of
switchgear is "gas insulated switchgear" (GIS), where the conductors and contacts
are insulated by pressurized (SF6) sulphur hexafluoride gas. Other common types
are oil [or vacuum] insulated switchgear. Circuit breakers are a special type of
switchgear that are able to interrupt fault currents. Their construction allows them
to interrupt fault currents of many hundreds or thousands of amps. The quenching
of the arc when the contacts open requires careful design, and falls into four types:

Oil circuit breakers rely upon vaporization of some of the oil to blast a jet of oil
through the arc.

Gas (SF6) circuit breakers sometimes stretch the arc using a magnetic field, and
then rely upon the dielectric strength of the SF6 to quench the stretched arc.

Vacuum circuit breakers have minimal arcing (as there is nothing to ionize other
than the contact material), so the arc quenches when it is stretched a very small
amount (<2-3 mm). Vacuum circuit breakers are frequently used in modern
medium-voltage switchgear to 35,000 volts.

Air circuit breakers may use compressed air to blow out the arc, or alternatively,
the contacts are rapidly swung into a small sealed chamber, the escaping of the
displaced air thus blowing out the arc.

Circuit breakers are usually able to terminate all current flow very quickly:
typically between 30 ms and 150 ms depending upon the age and construction of
the device.
 Classification
Several different classifications of switchgear can be made:

By the current rating:

 By interrupting rating (maximum short circuit current that the device can
safely interrupt)
 Circuit breakers can open and close on fault currents
 Load-break/Load-make switches can switch normal system load currents
 Isolators may only be operated while the circuit is dead, or the load current
is very small.
By voltage class:
 Low Tension (less than 440 volts AC)
 High Tension (more than 6.6 kV AC)

By insulating medium:

 Air
 Gas (SF6 or mixtures)
 Oil
 Vacuum

By construction type:
 Indoor
 Outdoor
 Industrial
 Utility
 Marine
 Draw-out elements (removable without many tools)
 Fixed elements (bolted fasteners)
 Live-front
 Dead-front
 Metal-enclosed
 Metal-clad
 Metal enclose & Metal clad
 Arc-resistant
 High Tension Switchgear at Thermal Power Plant

By IEC degree of internal separation:

 No Separation
 Bus bars separated from functional units
 Terminals for external conductors separated from bus bars
 Terminals for external conductors separated from functional units but not
from each other
 Functional units separated from each other
  Terminals for external conductors separated from each other
 Terminals for external conductors separate from their associated functional
unit

By interrupting device:

 Fuses
 Air Blast Circuit Breaker
 Minimum Oil Circuit Breaker
 Oil Circuit Breaker
 Vacuum Circuit Breaker
 Gas (SF6) Circuit breaker

By operating method:

 Manually-operated
 Motor-operated
 Solenoid/stored energy operated

By type of current:

 Alternating current
 Direct current

By application:

 Distribution.
 Transmission system

A single line-up may incorporate several different types of devices, for example,
air-insulated bus, vacuum circuit breakers, and manually-operated switches may all
exist in the same row of cubicles.
Ratings, design, specifications and details of switchgear are set by a multitude of
standards. In North America mostly IEEE and ANSI standards are used, much of
the rest of the world uses IEC standards, sometimes with local national derivatives
or variations.
Functions

One of the basic functions of switchgear is protection, which is interruption of

short-circuit and overload fault currents while maintaining service to unaffected
circuits. Switchgear also provides isolation of circuits from power supplies.
Switchgear also is used to enhance system availability by allowing more than one
source to feed a load.

Safety

To help ensure safe operation sequences of switchgear, trapped key interlocking

provides predefined scenarios of operation. James Harry Castell invented this
technique in 1922. For example, if only one of two sources of supply is permitted
to be connected at a given time, the interlock scheme may require that the first
switch must be opened to release a key that will allow closing the second switch.
Complex schemes are possible.
 HIGH TENSION SWITCHGEAR

High voltage switchgear is any switchgear and switchgear assembly of rated

voltage higher than 1000 volts. High voltage switchgear is any switchgear used to
connect or to disconnect a part of a high voltage power system.
These switchgears are essential elements for the protection and for a safety
operating mode without interruption of a high voltage power system. This type of
equipment is really important because it is directly linked to the quality of the
electricity supply. The high voltage is a voltage above 1000 V for alternating
current and above 1500 V for direct current.

High Tension Switchgear of a Thermal Power Plant

The high voltage switchgear was invented at the end of the 19th century for
operating the motors and others electric machines. It has been improved and it can
be used in the whole range of high voltage until 1100 kV.
 Functional Classification

Disconnectors and Earthing Switches

They are above all safety devices used to open or to close a circuit when there is no
current through them. They are used to isolate a part of a circuit, a machine, a part
of an overhead-line or an underground line for the operating staff to access it
without any danger. The opening of the line isolator or busbar section isolator is
necessary for the safety but it is not enough. Grounding must be done at the
upstream sector and the downstream sector on the device which they want to
intervene thanks to the earthing switches. In principle, disconnecting switches do
not have to interrupt currents, but some of them can interrupt currents (up to 1600
A under 10 to 300V) and some earthing switches must interrupt induced currents
which are generated in a non-current-carrying line by inductive and capacitive
coupling with nearby lines (up to 160 A under 20 kV).

A Vacuum Circuit Breaker (High Tension Switchgear)

High-Current Switching Mechanism

They can open or close a circuit in normal load. Some of them can be used as a
disconnecting switch. But if they can create a short-circuit current, they can not
interrupt it.

Contactor

Their functions are similar to the high-current switching mechanism, but they can
be used at higher rates. They have a high electrical endurance and a high
mechanical endurance. Contactors are used to frequently operate device like
electric furnaces, high voltage motors. They cannot be used as a disconnecting
switch. They are used only in the band 30 kV to 100 kV.

Fuses

The fuses can interrupt automatically a circuit with an over current flowing in it for
a fixed time. The current interrupting is got by the fusion of an electrical conductor
which is graded. They are mainly used to protect against the short-circuits. They
limit the peak value of the fault current. In three-phase electric power, they only
eliminate the phases where the fault current is flowing, which is a risk for the
devices and the people. Against this trouble, the fuses can be associated with high-
current switches or contactors.
They are used only in the band 30 kV to 100 kV.

Circuit Breaker

A high voltage circuit breaker is capable of making, carrying and breaking currents
under the rated voltage (the maximal voltage of the power system which it is
protecting): Under normal circuit conditions, for example to connect or disconnect
a line in a power system; Underspecified abnormal circuit conditions especially to
eliminate a short circuit. From its characteristics, a circuit breaker is the protection
device essential for a high voltage power system, because it is the only one able to
interrupt a short circuit current and so to avoid the others devices to be damaged by
this short circuit. The international standard IEC 62271-100 defines the demands
linked to the characteristics of a high voltage circuit breaker. The circuit breaker
can be equipped with electronic devices in order to know at any moment their
states (wear, gaz pressure…) and possibly to detect faults from characteristics
derivatives and it can permit to plan maintenance operations and to avoid failures.
To operate on long lines, the circuit breakers are equipped with a closing resistor to
limit the overvoltage.
They can be equipped with devices to synchronize the closing and/or the opening
to limit the overvoltage and the inrush currents from the lines, the unloaded
transformers, the shunt reactance and the capacitor banks.
Some devices are designed to have the characteristics of the circuit breaker and the
disconnector, but their use is limited.
 DIRECT ON LINE STARTER
A direct on line starter, often abbreviated DOL starter, is a widely-used starting
method of electric motors. The term is used in electrical engineering and associated
with electric motors. There are many types of motor starters, the simplest of which
is the DOL starter. A motor starter is an electrical/electronic circuit composed of
electro-mechanical and electronic devices which are employed to start and stop an
electric motor. Regardless of the motor type (AC or DC), the types of starters
differ depending on the method of starting the motor. A DOL starter connects the
motor terminals directly to the power supply. Hence, the motor is subjected to the
full voltage of the power supply. Consequently, high starting current flows through
the motor. This type of starting is suitable for small motors below 5 hp (3.75 kW).
Reduced-voltage starters are employed with motors above 5 hp. Although DOL
motor starters are available for motors less than 150 kW on 400 V and for motors
less than 1 MW on 6.6 kV. Supply reliability and reserve power generation dictates
the use of reduced voltage or not.

Internal View of a Direct On Line Starter

Major Components
There are four major components of a Direct On Line Starter. They are given as
follows:
1. Switch
2. Fuse
3. Conductor (Electromagnetic)
4. Thermal Overload Relay (Heat & Temperature)
 Auxiliary Components

According to our desire and use of work, we use auxiliary components in a DOL
Starter. There are basically two types of Auxiliary Components given as follows:
1. Auxiliary Conductor
2. Timer (Range – 0.5s to 60s)

DOL Reversing Starter

Most motors are reversible or, in other words, they can be run clockwise and anti-
clockwise. A reversing starter is an electrical or electronic circuit that reverses the
direction of a motor automatically. Logically, the circuit is composed of two DOL
circuits; one for clockwise operation and the other for anti-clockwise operation.

External View of a Direct On Line Starter

Example of Motor Starters:

A very well-known motor starter is the DOL Starter of a 3-Phase Squirrel-Cage

Motor. This starter is sometimes used to start water pumps, compressors, fans and
conveyor belts. With a 400V, 50 Hz, 3-phase supply, the power circuit connects
the motor to 400V. Consequently, the starting current may reach 3-8 times the
normal current. The control circuit is typically run at 24V with the aid of a
400V/24V transformer.

Motor Direction Reversal

Changing the direction of a 3-Phase Squirrel-Cage Motor requires swapping any

two phases. This could be achieved by a contactor KM1 swapping phase L2 and
L3 between the supply and the motor.
 EMD – II
In EMD-II we have to go through following 3 sectors:

• Generator

• Protection

• Transformer
 GENERATORS
The basic function of the generator is to convert mechanical power, delivered from
the shaft of the turbine, into electrical power. Therefore a generator is actually a
rotating mechanical energy converter. The mechanical energy from the turbine is
converted by means of a rotating magnetic field produced by direct current in the
copper winding of the rotor or field, which generates three-phase alternating
currents and voltages in the copper winding of the stator (armature). The stator
winding is connected to terminals, which are in turn connected to the power system
for delivery of the output power to the system.

A 210 MW Turbine Generator at BTPS, New Delhi

The class of generator under consideration is steam turbine-driven generators,

commonly called turbo generators. These machines are generally used in nuclear
and fossil fuelled power plants, co-generation plants, and combustion turbine units.
They range from relatively small machines of a few Megawatts (MW) to very
large generators with ratings up to 1900 MW. The generators particular to this
category are of the two- and four-pole design employing round-rotors, with
rotational operating speeds of 3600 and 1800 rpm in North America, parts of
Japan, and Asia (3000 and 1500 rpm in Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, and South
America). At Badarpur Thermal Power Station 3000 rpm, 50 Hz generators are
used of capacities 210 MW and 95 MW. As the system load demands more active
power from the generator, more steam (or fuel in a combustion turbine) needs to be
admitted to the turbine to increase power output. Hence more energy is transmitted
to the generator from the turbine, in the form of a torque. This torque is mechanical
in nature, but electromagnetically coupled to the power system through the
generator. The higher the power output, the higher the torque between turbine and
generator. The power output of the generator generally follows the load demand
from the system. Therefore the voltages and currents in the generator are
continually changing based on the load demand. The generator design must be able
to cope with large and fast load changes, which show up inside the machine as
changes in mechanical forces and temperatures. The design must therefore
incorporate electrical current-carrying materials (i.e., copper), magnetic flux-
carrying materials (i.e., highly permeable steels), insulating materials (i.e.,
organic), structural members (i.e., steel and organic), and cooling media (i.e., gases
and liquids), all working together under the operating conditions of a turbo
generator.

An open Electric Generator at Power Plant

Since the turbo generator is a synchronous machine, it operates at one very specific
speed to produce a constant system frequency of 50 Hz, depending on the
frequency of the grid to which it is connected. As a synchronous machine, a
turbine generator employs a steady magnetic flux passing radially across an air gap
that exists between the rotor and the stator. (The term “air gap” is commonly used
for air- and gas-cooled machines). For the machines in this discussion, this means a
magnetic flux distribution of two or four poles on the rotor. This flux pattern
rotates with the rotor, as it spins at its synchronous speed. The rotating magnetic
field moves past a three-phase symmetrically distributed winding installed in the
stator core, generating an alternating voltage in the stator winding. The voltage
waveform created in each of the three phases of the stator winding is very nearly
sinusoidal. The output of the stator winding is the three-phase power, delivered to
the power system at the voltage generated in the stator winding.
In addition to the normal flux distribution in the main body of the generator, there
are stray fluxes at the extreme ends of the generator that create fringing flux
patterns and induce stray losses in the generator. The stray fluxes must be
accounted for in the overall design. Generators are made up of two basic members,
the stator and the rotor, but the stator and rotor are each constructed from
numerous parts themselves. Rotors are the high-speed rotating member of the two,
and they undergo severe dynamic mechanical loading as well as the
electromagnetic and thermal loads. The most critical component in the generator is
the retaining rings, mounted on the rotor.
These components are very carefully designed for high-stress operation. The stator
is stationary, as the term suggests, but it also sees significant dynamic forces in
terms of vibration and torsional loads, as well as the electromagnetic, thermal, and
high-voltage loading. The most critical component of the stator is arguably the
stator winding because it is a very high cost item and it must be designed to handle
all of the harsh effects described above. Most stator problems occur with the
winding.

STATOR
The stator winding is made up of insulated copper conductor bars that are
distributed around the inside diameter of the stator core, commonly called the
stator bore, in equally spaced slots in the core to ensure symmetrical flux linkage
with the field produced by the rotor. Each slot contains two conductor bars, one on
top of the other. These are generally referred to as top and bottom bars. Top bars
are the ones nearest the slot opening (just under the wedge) and the bottom bars are
the ones at the slot bottom. The core area between slots is generally called a core
tooth.
 Stator of a Turbo Generator

The stator winding is then divided into three phases, which are almost always wye
connected. Wye connection is done to allow a neural grounding point and for relay
protection of the winding. The three phases are connected to create symmetry
between them in the 360 degree arc of the stator bore. The distribution of the
winding is done in such a way as to produce a 120
degree difference in voltage peaks from one phase to the other, hence the term
“three-phase voltage.” Each of the three phases may have one or more parallel
circuits within the phase. The parallels can be connected in series or parallel, or a
combination of both if it is a four-pole generator. This will be discussed in the next
section. The parallels in all of the phases are essentially equal on average, in their
performance in the machine. Therefore, they each “see” equal voltage and current,
magnitudes and phase angles, when averaged over one alternating cycle. The stator
bars in any particular phase group are arranged such that there are parallel paths,
which overlap between top and bottom bars. The overlap is staggered between top
and bottom bars. The top bars on one side of the stator bore are connected to the
bottom bars on the other side of the bore in one direction while the bottom bars are
connected in the other direction on the opposite side of the stator. This connection
with the bars on the other side of the stator creates a “reach” or “pitch” of a certain
number of slots. The pitch is therefore the number slots that the stator bars have to
reach in the stator bore arc, separating the two bars to be connected. This is always
less than 180 degrees. Once connected, the stator bars form a single coil or turn.
The total width of the overlapping parallels is called the “breadth.” The
combination of the pitch and breadth create a “winding or distribution factor.” The
distribution factor is used to minimize the harmonic content of the generated
voltage. In the case of a two parallel path winding, these may be connected in
series or parallel outside the stator bore, at the termination end of the generator.
The connection type will depend on a number of other design issues regarding
current-carrying ability of the copper in the winding. In a two-parallel path, three-
phase winding, alternating voltage is created by the action of the rotor field as it
moves past these windings. Since there is a plus and minus, or north and south, to
the rotating magnetic field, opposite polarity currents flow on each side of the
stator bore in the distributed winding. The currents normally flowing in large turbo
generators can be in the order of thousands of amperes. Due to the very high
currents, the conductor bars in a turbo generator have a large cross-sectional area.
In addition they are usually one single turn per bar, as opposed to motors or small
generators that have multiple turn bars or coils. These stator or conductor bars are
also very rigid and do not bend unless significant force is exerted on them.

ROTOR
The rotor winding is installed in the slots machined in the forging main body and is
distributed symmetrically around the rotor between the poles. The winding itself is
made up of many turns of copper to form the entire series connected winding. All
of the turns associated with a single slot are generally called a coil. The coils are
wound into the winding slots in the forging, concentrically in corresponding
positions on opposite sides of a pole. The series connection essentially creates a
single multi-turn coil overall, that develops the total ampere-turns of the rotor
(which is the total current flowing in the rotor winding times the total number of
turns). There are numerous copper-winding designs employed in generator rotors,
but all rotor windings function basically in the same way. They are configured
differently for different methods of heat removal during operation. In addition
almost all large turbo generators have directly cooled copper windings by air or
hydrogen cooling gas.
 Rotor of a Turbo Generator

Cooling passages are provided within the conductors themselves to eliminate the
temperature drop across the ground insulation and preserve the life of the
insulation material. In an “axially” cooled winding, the gas passes through axial
passages in the conductors, being fed from both ends, and exhausted to the air gap
at the axial center of the rotor. In other designs, “radial” passages in the stack of
conductors are fed from sub slots machined along the length of the rotor at the
bottom of each slot. In the “air gap pickup” method, the cooling gas is picked up
from the air gap, and cooling is accomplished over a relatively short length of the
rotor, and then discharged back to the air gap. The cooling of the end-regions of
the winding varies from design to design, as much as that of the slot section. In
smaller turbine generators the indirect cooling method is used (similar to indirectly
cooled stator windings), where the heat is removed by conduction through the
ground insulation to the rotor body. The winding is held in place in the slots by
wedges, in a similar manner as the stator windings. The difference is that the rotor
winding loading on the wedges is far greater due to centrifugal forces at speed. The
wedges therefore are subjected to a tremendous static load from these forces
and bending stresses because of the rotation effects. The wedges in the rotor are
not generally a tight fit in order to accommodate the axial thermal expansion of the
rotor winding during operation. There are also many available designs and
configurations for the end-winding construction and
ventilation methods. As in the rotor slots, the copper turns in the end-winding must
be isolated from one another so that they do not touch and create shorts between
turns. Therefore packing and blocking are used to keep the coils separated, and in
their relative position as the rotor winding expands from thermal effects during
operation. To restrain the end winding portion of the rotor winding during high-
speed operation, retaining-rings are employed to keep the copper coils in place.

BEARINGS
All turbo generators require bearings to rotate freely with minimal friction and
vibration. The main rotor body must be supported by a bearing at each end of the
generator for this purpose. In some cases where the rotor shaft is very long at the
excitation end of the machine to accommodate the slip/collector rings, a “steady”
bearing is installed outboard of the slipcollector rings. This ensures that the
excitation end of the rotor shaft does not create a wobble that transmits through the
shaft and stimulates excessive vibration in the overall generator rotor or the turbo
generator line. There are generally two common types of bearings employed in
large generators, journal” and “tilting pad” bearings. Journal bearings are the most
common. Both require lubricating and jacking oil systems, which will be discussed
later in the book, under auxiliary systems. When installing the bearings, they must
be aligned in terms of height and angle to ensure that the rotor “sits” in the bearing
correctly. Such things as shaft “catinery” must be considered and
“pre-loading” or “shimming” of the bearings to account for the difference when the
rotor is at standstill and at speed. Getting any of these things wrong in the
assembly can cause the rotor to vibrate excessively and damage either the rotor
shaft or the bearing itself. Generally, a “wipe” of the bearing running surface or
“babbitt” results.

AUXILIARY SYSTEMS
All large generators require auxiliary systems to handle such things as lubricating
oil for the rotor bearings, hydrogen cooling apparatus, hydrogen sealing oil, de-
mineralized water for stator winding cooling, and excitation systems for field-
current application. Not all generators require all these systems and the
requirement depends on the size and nature of the machine. For instance, air cooled
turbo generators do not require hydrogen for cooling and therefore no sealing oil as
well. On the other hand, large generators with high outputs, generally above 400
MVA, have water-cooled stator windings, hydrogen for cooling the stator core and
rotor, seal oil to contain the hydrogen cooling gas under high pressure, lubricating
oil for the bearings, and of course, an excitation system for field current. There are
five major auxiliary systems that may be used in a generator. They are given as
follows:

1. Lubricating Oil System

2. Hydrogen Cooling System
3. Seal Oil System
4. Stator Cooling Water System
5. Excitation System

Each system has numerous variations to accommodate the hundreds of different

generator configurations that may be found in operation. But regardless of the
generator design and which variation of a system is in use, they all individually
have the same basic function as described before.

PROTECTION
The protection system of any modern electric power grid is the most crucial
function in the system. Protection is a system because it comprises discrete devices
(relays, communication means, etc.) and an algorithm that establishes a
coordinated method of operation among the protective devices. This is termed
coordination. Thus, for a protective system to operate correctly, both the settings of
the individual relays and the coordination among them must be right. Wrong
settings might result in no protection to the protected equipment and systems, and
improper coordination might result in unwarranted loss of production. The key
function of any protective system is to minimize the possibility of physical damage
to equipment due to a fault anywhere in the system or from abnormal operation of
the equipment (over speed, under voltage, etc.). However, the most critical
function of any protective scheme is to safeguard those persons who operate the
equipment that produces, transmits, and utilizes electricity. Protective systems are
inherently different from other systems in a power plant (or for that matter any
other place where electric power is present). They are called to operate seldom, and
when they are, it is crucial they do so flawlessly. One problem that arises from
protective systems being activated not often is that they are sometimes overlooked.
This is a recipe for disaster. The most common reason for catastrophic failure of
equipment in power systems is failure to operate or miss-operation of protective
systems. Purchasing, installing, setting/coordinating, and properly maintaining
protective systems are not an insignificant expense. Therefore the extent any
device or electric circuit is protected depends on the potential cost of not doing so
adequately. Electric power generators are most often the most critical electrical
apparatus in any power plant. In fact, given the electrical proximity between the
generator and the main step-up transformer (SUT), those two most important
apparatuses share some of the protective functions. Given the prohibited cost of
replacing any of these two, in particular, the generator, significant expense goes in
providing the most comprehensive protection coverage. Protection is considered by
many an art as much as a science. Although the basic protective components are
well known, and the commonly used settings for those devices are spelled out in a
number of standards and other widely available literature, the particular
combination of protective relays, settings, and coordination schemes are particular
to every site. Therefore it is impossible to describe or prescribe a single protective
system for generators. The description we attempt here is on the most commonly
encountered protection arrangements and functions. Protection systems can be
divided into systems monitoring current, voltage (at the machine’s main terminals
and excitation system), windings, and/or cooling media temperature and pressure,
and systems monitoring internal activity, such as partial discharge, decomposition
of organic insulation materials, water content, hydrogen impurities, and flux
probes. Protective functions acting on the current, voltage, temperature, and
pressure parameters are commonly referred to as primary protection. The others
are referred to as secondary protection or monitoring devices. Secondary functions
tend to be monitored real time, or on demand. For instance, hydrogen purity is
monitored on-line real time, while water content (for water leaks) is not.
Temperature detectors (RTDs or thermocouples) on bearings (and sometimes in on
windings) may be monitored on-line real time, or they may not. Furthermore these
functions may more often than not result in an alarm, rather than directly trip the
unit (e.g., core monitors). The discussion of where and when to use these
monitoring devices and how to set them is provided in. To the primary protective
functions monitoring currents, voltages, temperatures and pressures, there can be
added the mechanical protective function of vibration. Typically it will alarm, but
it can also be set to trip the unit. Protections function can also be divided into
shortcircuit protection functions. The short-circuit protection comprises
impedance, distance, and current differential protection.
 GENERATOR PROTECTIVE FUNCTION
Protection devices are designed to monitor certain conditions, and subsequently, to
alarm or trip if a specified condition is detected. The condition is represented by a
function or protective function code. Thus there is a relay for every protective
function. If a relay only monitors and thus protects against a single set of
conditions, it is said that the relay is a “single-function device”. In the past most
relays were single-function devices. With the advent of solid-state electronics,
manufacturers have combined several functions in one unit or device. These
“multi-function” relays or protective devices offer specific protective functions
designed for certain types of apparatus. Some multi-function relays are dedicated
to transformers, others to motors, and others to generators. Advances in solid-state
electronics have led to less costly devices. Today a multi-function solid-state
device with, for instance, five protective functions, is less expensive than five
separate relays for five protective functions. The number of functions covered by
different relays and the number of multifunction devices are decided, among other
things, by the expected losses of all the protective functions covered by the multi-
functional relay, if that particular device becomes faulty. A multi-functional relay
containing all the protective functions required for the protection of a generator can
be combined with a few discrete relays providing backup protection for critical
functions. Alternatively, two or more multi-functional relays can be applied,
providing partial or comprehensive redundancy. There are many combinations of
these discrete and multi-functional relays that can be adopted, depending on when
the power plant was build, the size of the units, system conditions, the idiosyncrasy
of the designer, and many other factors.
Relays or protection devices are divided into two categories according to how they
process data. The first category is that of analog relays; the second is that of
numerical (also called digital) relays. Bear in mind that a relay can be electronic
but still process the data in an analog manner. The advantages of numerical
processing are various. Accuracy is enhanced. So is flexibility in use. For instance,
a numerical relay offers user-shaped protection widows such that the user can
change the shape of the operation/non-operation areas for a specific function of the
relay. Furthermore the shape of the region of operation may change according to
system conditions (adaptive function). Finally, there is rather a new—still evolving
—approach (from the early 1990s) for protecting large generating units by the so-
called expert protection systems. The idea is to protect the unit based not only on
the basic protective functions (given below), but also as a combination of
protective and monitoring data and built-in expertise in the form of diagnostic
prescriptions. Invariably, building the expertise base of these systems consists in
expressing probable causes for a particular combination of symptoms, expressed as
a probabilistic tree. A number, according to a worldwide-accepted nomenclature,
identifies protective functions. The functions shown in table are typical of
generation protection. A number of the functions included in table are so important
that they will always find their way into the protection scheme of any generator
(e.g., 25, 59, and 87). Others may be omitted in some applications (e.g., 49). The
larger and more expensive the generator and the more critical the application, the
more intense is the protection applied to protect it from abnormal operating
conditions or faults. As explained before, for most large machines, some of the
applied protective functions are covered by more than one relay or protective
device.

Table: Generator Protection Device Function Numbers

 It is beyond the scope and purpose of this report to go into a detailed description
of each protective function and the various schemes that incorporate them into a
generator’s protection package. Instead, a basic description of the protective
functions and their application will follow. For the same reason no specific values
are recommended for setting protective relays. These values oftentimes depend in
the particular machine and system to which it is connected. There are numerous
sources for information on the setting of protective relays. The vendors’ manuals
are one good place to start. Various methods of Generator Protection are explained
further.
 Synchronizer and Sync-Check Relays (Functions 15 and 25)

The combination of function (15) with function (25) provides the means by which
the unit can be brought up to speed automatically and synchronized to the system.
Before doing so, the amplitude of the voltages of the system and generator terminal
must be within a narrow margin so that the breaker can be closed. So must be the
angle of the terminal and system voltages. The slip, which is the frequency
difference between the machine and the system, must be lower than a given value.
Almost always two relays are provided: the synchronizer and the sync-check. This
division of labour is based on the need to avoiding the destructive results of
synchronizing a unit out of step due to the failure of a single protective device.
In older installations, mainly with steam-driven units, it is customary to start and
bring the unit up to speed under manual control. Closing the breaker is done
manually while the sync-check relay monitors all voltages, vector angles, and
frequencies, making sure they are within their prescribed values. Although seldom
encountered, some operators close the breaker by keeping the “close” button
depressed when the unit is brought to the right speed and voltages, letting the angle
be taken care by the sync-check relay. This practice has resulted in more than one
unit synchronizing out of step due to a failure of the relay (function 25). The
failure can be catastrophic. Thus it is imperative that during manual operation the
actual breaker-closing signal be sent when the conditions for synchronization are
met; leaving the sync-check system as a backup device, as it is supposed to be.

Short-Circuit Protection (Functions 21, 50, 51, 51V, and 87)

These functions are designed to protect the unit against short-circuits in or outside
the windings of the alternator. Outside faults can be in the system close to the
station’s busses, on the main unit transformer or auxiliary transformer(s), on the
cable, segregated busses, or insulated phase busses (IPB), between the alternator
and the transformers, or on the alternator’s windings. In large units the IPB is
designed to reduce any short-circuit between the generator and main and auxiliary
transformers to a single phase-to-ground fault. This is possible because of the high
impedance grounding of the machine, and the fact that all transformers connected
to the generator are connected delta on the generator’s side, which results in
ground faults of very low currents. However, a “benign” single-ground fault inside
the generator can develop into a highly destructive phase-to-phase short-circuit,
and this is the main reason why ground faults inside the generator ought to trip to
unit promptly.
 Short Circuit and Volts/Hertz Protection Device

The (51V) is a voltage-controlled over current relay, where the voltage control is
provided to differentiate between a low-current fault and a normal or abnormally
high load condition. To some extent most of these functions back each other up.
Thus occasionally some are omitted. Additionally current-based relays are backed
in the detection of short-circuit events by some voltage-based relays. A typical case
is on the ground-fault detection scheme of the generator with high-impedance
grounding via a transformer. The differential protection function (87) is the most
critical as it provides protection against the very serious phase-to-phase short
circuits. Normally there are at least three protected areas, each one covered by its
own 87 relay. One is the generator itself. The other covers the auxiliary
transformer, and the third covers the main transformer, generator, and low-voltage
side of the auxiliary transformer. Each 87 scheme utilizes a dedicated set of current
transformers. The ground protection schemes in use today often incorporate a
third-harmonic function. This addition to the standard overvoltage and/or over
current relays is based on the fact that during normal operation of the generator a
given amount of third-harmonic voltages are present, and during a ground fault
these third harmonic voltages are highly reduced. This fact is used for protection of
the third of the generator’s winding close to the neutral, where ground-faults tend
to generate very small neutral currents (and hence may not be detected by the
neutral overvoltage or over current protection). Third-harmonic protective devices
must be tested periodically, the same as any other protective functions. In some
instances, no overload protection is provided, other than alarming and expected
operator intervention. In others, function (51) relays are provided that will alarm,
and then trip the unit under overload conditions. The overload can be extremely
onerous if allowed to continue beyond the withstand capabilities of the windings.

Volts/Hertz Protection (Function 24)

Core damage due to over excitation is a rare event. However, when a severe over
excitation occurs, the most probable result is partial or complete destruction of the
core’s insulation, with the consequential need to replace it. Therefore it is critical
that V/Hz protection be applied and properly set. Almost invariably, the cases of
severe over excitation occur during run-up, prior to synchronization. One vital
component in all V/Hz schemes for any turbo generator is double feed from two
independent potential transformers (PTs). Otherwise, loss of a single PT
connection may give the excitation system wrong information about the terminal
voltage, forcing the field current (and terminal voltage) beyond the V/Hz capability
of the machine.

Over and Under Voltage Protection (Functions 59 and 27)

Some voltage relays are used for short-circuit protection (on the neutral of the
generator 59GN). Overvoltage relays are also used as backup to the (24) (over
excitation) during normal operation of the machine. During start-up, the (59) will
not provide backup to the (24), because a V/Hz condition can readily develop
during run-up, even while the terminal voltage is below its rated value. The under
voltage relays are mainly installed for the purpose of identifying loss of PT
voltage, or to identify dead-bus condition for certain alignments.

Reverse Power Protection (Function 32)

This protective function trips the unit when power flows from the system to the
generator. In this situation, depending on the generator’s field condition, the
alternator is driven as a synchronous or induction motor. If it is driven as an
induction motor, negative-sequence currents will be established in the rotor,
potentially damaging damper windings, wedges, retaining-rings, and forging. This
phenomenon is discussed elsewhere in this book. However, in either case, reverse
power condition may adversely affect the integrity of the prime mover. Of all the
prime movers, steam turbines are the most sensitive to motoring. They also happen
to operate on less power input (only a few percent of rated load, compared to
combustion turbines requiring up to 50% of rated power). For these reasons steam-
driven generators require sensitive settings for the reverse power relays (32), plus
some additional protection that may be indicated.

Loss-of-Field Protection (Function 40)

There are a number of events that may result in an accidental removal of the source
of excitation to the generator. This can happen for both brushless and externally
excited units. For instance, a unplanned opening of the field breaker, a failure of
the exciter, a flashover in the brush-rigging, a failure of the automatic voltage
regulator (AVR), and a short-circuit in the field winding, can all result in a loss-of-
excitation condition. When a generator loses its excitation during normal
operation, its speed increases by some amount of up to 3 to 5% of normal. The
amount of speed increase depends on the generator’s load prior to losing its
excitation. A lightly loaded unit will experience a much smaller increase in speed
than one fully loaded. Additionally the stator current will normally increase
because the generator without its field will operate as an induction machine,
receiving its excitation VARs from the network. Accordingly the stator current
may increase by up to 100% of its nominal value. The increase in line current will
be aggravated by the overheating of rotor components, by the currents induced in
the forging and damping winding if present, and by the overheating of the stator
core-end regions. A fully loaded unit that loses its field may experience serious
damage very quickly under these conditions. Therefore the protection against loss-
of-field occurrences is set to alarm and trip the unit relatively quickly. The most
widely utilized method of protecting against loss-of-field conditions is that relying
on impedance elements. They are based on the fact that the impedance seen from
the terminals of the machine follows a distinctive pattern when the field is lost.
Sometimes two relays are used, each looking at the impedance within a different
region of operation, so that a loss-of-field condition is captured regardless of the
level of pre-fault loading. Sensing the field current directly or sensing the VAR
power flowing into the generator is sometimes used for alarm and trip, but mainly
for alarm and rarely as primary protection.
 Stator Unbalanced Current Protection (Function 46)

There are a number of incidents that may result in unbalanced three-phase currents
at the terminals of an alternator: for instance, unbalance loads, single-pole opening
of a breaker, asymmetrical transmission systems (without or with insufficient
transposition) and open circuits. Unbalanced currents will result in negative-
sequence current components flowing on the rotor forging surfaces, retaining-
rings, rotor wedges, and to some extent in the field windings, in particular, the
amortisseur. These rotor negative-sequence currents have the potential of
generating high temperatures within seconds, with severe detrimental effects to
specific areas of the forging and other rotor components. However, rotors with
spindle-mounted retaining-rings are also susceptible to damage by negative-
sequence currents. Generators must meet minimal requirements for sustaining
unbalance currents without damage. The protection against unbalanced currents is
implemented by using over current relays that measure negative-sequence
components. Electromechanical relays provide basic protection against most
negative-sequence current conditions. However, digital relays allow setting the
protected region of operation in such a way that closely matches the withstand
capability of the protected generator. This allows a more sensitive and
discriminatory approach.

Stator and Rotor Thermal Protection (Function 49)

There are a number of conditions that may result in elevated temperature inside the
generator. Presently available techniques allow directly monitoring temperatures of
the stator winding, core, and cooling media. Rotor winding temperature, when
monitored, is done by measuring field voltage and current, then calculating the
rotor-field resistance, and comparing the obtained resistance with a known value of
ohms at a known temperature. Conditions that may result in higher than normal
temperatures are overload, core hot spots, bent laminations swelling into vent-
ducts, winding failures, and cooling failure (clogged filters in air-cooled machines,
lack of hydrogen pressure in hydrogen-cooled generators or failure of the hydrogen
cooling system, and water blockage or other failure of the water cooling system in
water-cooled units). There are other conditions that may result in higher
temperatures such as unbalanced currents; however, these are detected and
protected by other protective functions, so they are discussed elsewhere. In
addition to the design limits of each machine (based on such things as temperature
rise class and class of insulation), there are ANSI guidelines regarding minimum
withstand capability requirements under overload conditions. For instance, at
130% overload, the machine should be able to operate without damage for a
minimum of 60 seconds. These numbers show that once in an overload condition,
the time available to remove the dangerous situation gets very short very fast.
Typically generators have a number of RTDs (resistance temperature detectors)
embedded in their stator windings, with a minimum of two per phase. In some
designs these RTDs are wired to the control room via SCADA or DCS. In manned
stations (all large turbo generators fall under this category, with exception of some
“peaking” units), the winding RTDs are used for alarming (over current protection
is used for high and sudden overload conditions). In unattended stations (mainly
smaller machines) the output from the RTDs may be used to remotely alarm and to
control and/or trip the unit. In the United States the standard RTD has a resistance
of 25 ohms at 25◦C. When the RTDs are installed during original manufacture, the
OEM will place the proper RTD. However, if for any reasons RTDs are installed
by the operator (e.g., during a partial rewind or any other overhaul), the RTDs
must match the operating temperature of the winding. This temperature will most
likely be related to the temperature class of the unit and the insulation class. Some
vendors of directly cooled stators-by-hydrogen generators omit the embedded
RTDs.
 TRANSFORMER
A transformer is a static device consisting of a winding, or two or more coupled
windings, with or without a magnetic core, for inducing mutual coupling between
circuits. When an alternating current flows in a conductor, a magnetic field exists
around the conductor. If another conductor is placed in the field created by the first
conductor such that the flux lines link the second conductor, then a voltage is
induced into the second conductor. The use of a magnetic field from one coil to
induce a voltage into a second coil is the principle on which transformer theory and
application is based.

A 220 kV Transformer at Power Plant

ANSI/IEEE defines a transformer as a static electrical device, involving no

continuously moving parts, used in electric power systems to transfer power
between circuits through the use of electromagnetic induction. The transformer is
one of the most reliable pieces of electrical distribution equipment. It has no
moving parts, requires minimal maintenance, and is capable of withstanding
overloads, surges, faults, and physical abuse that may damage or destroy other
items in the circuit. Often, the electrical event that burns up a motor, opens a
circuit breaker, or blows a fuse has a subtle effect on the transformer. Although the
transformer may continue to operate as before, repeat occurrences of such
damaging electrical events, or lack of even minimal maintenance can greatly
accelerate the eventual failure of the transformer. The fact that a transformer
continues to operate satisfactorily in spite of neglect and abuse is a testament to its
durability. However, this durability is no excuse for not providing the proper care.
Most of the effects of aging, faults, or abuse can be detected and corrected by a
comprehensive maintenance, inspection, and testing program. Transformers are
exclusively used in electric power systems to transfer power by electromagnetic
induction between circuits at the same frequency, usually with changed values
of voltage and current. There are numerous types of transformers used in various
applications including audio, radio, instrument, and power. In Badarpur Thermal
Power Station, we deal exclusively with power transformer applications involving
the transmission and distribution of electrical power. Power transformers are used
extensively by traditional electric utility companies, power plants, and industrial
plants. The term power transformer is used to refer to those transformers used
between the generator and the distribution circuits, and these are usually rated at
220 kVA and above. Power systems typically consist of a large number of
generation locations, distribution points, and interconnections within the system or
with nearby systems, such as a neighbouring utility. The complexity of the system
leads to a variety of transmission and distribution voltages. Power transformers
must be used at each of these points where there is a transition between voltage
levels. Power transformers are selected based on the application, with the emphasis
toward custom design being more apparent the larger the unit. Power transformers
are available for step-up operation, primarily used at the generator and referred to
as generator step-up (GSU) transformers, and for step-down operation, mainly
used to feed distribution circuits. Power transformers are available as single-phase
or three-phase apparatus.

A Power Transformer at a Thermal Power Plant

 CONSTRUCTION
A power transformer is a device that changes (transforms) an alternating voltage
and current from one level to another. Power transformers are used to “step up”
(transform) the voltages that are produced at generation to levels that are suitable
for transmission (higher voltage, lower current). Conversely, a transformer is used
to “step down” (transform) the higher transmission voltages to levels that are
suitable for use at various facilities (lower voltage, higher current). Electric power
can undergo numerous transformations between the source and the final end use
point.

• Voltages must be stepped-up for transmission. Every conductor, no matter how

large, will lose an appreciable amount of power (watts) to its resistance (R) when a
current (T) passes through it. This loss is expressed as a function of the applied
current (P=I2R). Because this loss is dependent on the current, and since the power
to be transmitted is a function of the applied volts (E) times the amps (P=IE),
significant savings can be obtained by stepping the voltage up to a higher voltage
level, with the corresponding reduction of the current value. Whether 100 amps is
to be transmitted at 100 volts (P=IE, 100 amps X 100 volts = 10,000 watts) or 10
amps is to be transmitted at 1,000 volts (P=IE, 10 amps X 1,000 volts = 10,000
watts) the same 10,000 watts will be applied to the beginning of the transmission
line.

• If the transmission distance is long enough to produce 0.1 ohm of resistance

across the transmission cable, P=I2R, (100 amp)2 X 0.1 ohm = 1,000 watts will be
lost across the transmission line at the 100 volt transmission level. The 1000 volts
transmission level will create a loss of P=I2R, (10 amp)2 X 0.1 ohm = 10 watts.
This is where transformers play an important role.

• Although power can be transmitted more efficiently at higher voltage levels,

sometimes as high as 500 or 750 thousand volts (kV), the devices and networks at
the point of utilization are rarely capable of handling voltages above 32,000 volts.
Voltage must be “stepped down” to be utilized by the various devices available. By
adjusting the voltages to the levels necessary for the various end use and
distribution levels, electric power can be used both efficiently and safely.

• All power transformers have three basic parts, a primary winding, secondary
winding, and a core. Even though little more than an air space is necessary to
insulate an “ideal” transformer, when higher voltages and larger amounts of power
are involved, the insulating material becomes an integral part of the transformer’s
operation. Because of this, the insulation system is often considered the fourth
basic part of the transformer. It is important to note that, although the windings and
core deteriorate very little with age, the insulation can be subjected to severe
stresses and chemical deterioration. The insulation deteriorates at a relatively rapid
rate, and its condition ultimately determines the service life of the transformer.

Core
The core, which provides the magnetic path to channel the flux, consists of thin
strips of high grade steel, called laminations, which are electrically separated by a
thin coating of insulating material. The strips can be stacked or wound, with the
windings either built integrally around the core or built separately and assembled
around the core sections. Core steel can be hot- or cold rolled, grain-oriented or
non grain oriented, and even laser-scribed for additional performance. Thickness
ranges from 0.23 mm to upwards of 0.36 mm. The core cross section can be
circular or rectangular, with circular cores commonly referred to as cruciform
construction. Rectangular cores are used for smaller ratings and as auxiliary
transformers used within a power transformer. Rectangular cores use a single
width of strip steel, while circular cores use a combination of different strip widths
to approximate a circular cross-section. The type of steel and arrangement depends
on the transformer rating as related to cost factors such as labour and performance.
Just like other components in the transformer, the heat generated by the core must
be adequately dissipated. While the steel and coating may be capable of
withstanding higher temperatures, it will come in contact with insulating materials
with limited temperature capabilities. In larger units, cooling ducts are used inside
the core for additional convective surface area, and sections of laminations may be
split to reduce localized losses. The core is held together by, but insulated from,
mechanical structures and is grounded to a single point in order to dissipate
electrostatic buildup. The core ground location is usually some readily accessible
point inside the tank, but it can also be brought through a bushing on the tank
wall or top for external access. This grounding point should be removable for
testing purposes, such as checking for unintentional core grounds. Multiple core
grounds, such as a case whereby the core is inadvertently making contact with
otherwise grounded internal metallic mechanical structures, can provide a path for
circulating currents induced by the main flux as well as a leakage flux, thus
creating concentrations of losses that can result in localized heating. The maximum
flux density of the core steel is normally designed as close to the knee of the
saturation curve as practical, accounting for required over excitations and
tolerances that exist due to materials and manufacturing processes. For power
transformers the flux density is typically between 1.3 T and 1.8 T, with the
saturation point for magnetic steel being around 2.03 T to 2.05 T.
There are two basic types of core construction used in power transformers: core
form and shell form.

• In core-form construction, there is a single path for the magnetic circuit. For
single-phase applications, the windings are typically divided on both core legs as
shown. In three-phase applications, the windings of a particular phase are typically
on the same core leg. Windings are constructed separate of the core and placed on
their respective core legs during core assembly.

Schematic Diagram of Shell-form Construction

• In shell-form construction, the core provides multiple paths for the magnetic
circuit. The core is typically stacked directly around the windings, which are
usually “pancake”-type windings, although some applications are such that the
core and windings are assembled similar to core form. Due to advantages in short-
circuit and transient-voltage performance, shell forms tend to be used more
frequently in the largest transformers, where conditions can be more severe.
Variations of three-phase shell-form construction include five and sevenlegged
cores, depending on size and application.
 Schematic Diagram of Shell-form Construction

Windings

The windings consist of the current-carrying conductors wound around the sections
of the core, and these must be properly insulated, supported, and cooled to
withstand operational and test conditions. Copper and aluminum are the primary
materials used as conductors in power-transformer windings. While aluminum is
lighter and generally less expensive than copper, a larger cross section of Al
conductor must be used to carry a current with similar performance as copper.
Copper has higher mechanical strength and is used almost exclusively in all but the
smaller size ranges, where aluminum conductors may be perfectly acceptable. In
cases where extreme forces are encountered, materials such as silver-bearing
copper can be used for even greater strength. The conductors used in power
transformers are typically stranded with a rectangular cross section, although some
transformers at the lowest ratings may use sheet or foil conductors. Multiple
strands can be wound in parallel and joined together at the ends of the winding, in
which case it is necessary to transpose the strands at various points throughout the
winding to prevent circulating currents around the loop(s) created by joining the
strands at the ends. Individual strands may be subjected to differences in the flux
field due to their respective positions within the winding, which create differences
in voltages between the strands and drive circulating currents through the
conductor loops. Proper transposition of the strands cancels out these voltage
differences and eliminates or greatly reduces the circulating currents. A variation
of this technique, involving many rectangular conductor strands combined into a
cable, is called continuously transposed cable (CTC).
A view of Pancake Winding In core-form transformers, the windings are usually
arranged concentrically around the core leg, which shows a winding being lowered
over another winding already on the core leg of a three phase transformer. Shell-
form transformers use a similar concentric arrangement or an interleaved
arrangement. With an interleaved arrangement, individual coils are stacked,
separated by insulating barriers and cooling ducts. The coils are typically
connected with the inside of one coil connected to the inside of an adjacent coil
and, similarly, the outside of one coil connected to the outside of an adjacent coil.
Sets of coils are assembled into groups, which then form the primary or secondary
winding. When considering concentric windings, it is generally understood that
circular windings have inherently higher mechanical strength than rectangular
windings, whereas rectangular coils can have lower associated material and labour
costs. Rectangular windings permit a more efficient use of space, but their use is
limited to small power transformers and the lower range of medium power
transformers, where the internal forces are not extremely high. As the rating
increases, the forces significantly increase, and there is need for added strength in
the windings, so circular coils, or shell-form construction, is used. In some special
cases, elliptically shaped windings are used. Concentric coils are typically wound
over cylinders with spacers attached so as to form a duct between the conductors
and the cylinder. As previously mentioned, the flow of liquid through the windings
can be based solely on natural convection, or the flow can be somewhat controlled
through the use of strategically placed barriers within the winding. This concept is
sometimes referred to as guided liquid flow. A variety of different types of
windings have been used in power transformers through the years. Coils can be
wound in an upright, vertical orientation, as is necessary with larger, heavier coils;
or they can be wound horizontally and placed upright upon completion. As
mentioned previously, the type of winding depends on the transformer rating as
well as the core construction. Several of the more common winding types are
discussed further.
 Taps-Turns Ratio Adjustment

The ability to adjust the turn’s ratio of a transformer is often desirable to

compensate for variations in voltage that occur due to the regulation of the
transformer and loading cycles. This task can be accomplished by several means.
There is a significant difference between a transformer that is capable of changing
the ratio while the unit is on-line (a load tap changing [LTC] transformer) and one
that must be taken off-line, or de-energized, to perform a tap change. Most
transformers are provided with a means of changing the number of turns in the
high voltage circuit, whereby a part of the winding is tapped out of the circuit. In
many transformers, this is done using one of the main windings and tapping out a
section or sections. With larger units, a dedicated tap winding may be necessary to
avoid the ampere-turn voids that occur along the length of the winding. Use and
placement of tap windings vary with the application and among manufacturers. A
manually operated switching mechanism, a DETC (deenergized tap changer), is
normally provided for convenient access external to the transformer to change the
tap position. When LTC capabilities are desired, additional windings and
equipment are required, which significantly increase the size and cost of the
transformer. This option is specified on about 60% of new medium and large
power transformers. It should be recognized that there would be slight differences
in this schematic based on the specific LTC being used. It is also possible for a
transformer to have dual voltage ratings, as is popular in spare and mobile
transformers. While there is no physical limit to the ratio between the dual ratings,
even ratios (for example 24.94 X 12.47 kV or 138 X 69 kV) are easier for
manufacturers to accommodate.

MAINTENANCE AINTENANCE AND TESTING

Heat and contamination are the two greatest enemies to the transformer’s
operation. Heat will break down the solid insulation and accelerate the chemical
reactions that take place when the oil is contaminated. All transformers require a
cooling method and it is important to ensure that the transformer has proper
cooling. Proper cooling usually involves cleaning the cooling surfaces, maximizing
ventilation, and monitoring loads to ensure the transformer is not producing excess
heat.
• Contamination is detrimental to the transformer, both inside and out. The
importance of basic cleanliness and general housekeeping becomes evident when
long term service life is considered. Dirt builds up and grease deposits severely
limit the cooling abilities of radiators and tank surfaces. Terminal and insulation
surfaces are especially susceptible to dirt and grease build up. Such buildup will
usually affect test results. The transformer’s general condition should be noted
during any activity, and every effort should be made to maintain its integrity
during all operations.

• The oil in the transformer should be kept as pure as possible. Dirt and moisture
will start chemical reactions in the oil that lower both its electrical strength and its
cooling capability. Contamination should be the primary concern any time the
transformer must be opened. Most transformer oil is contaminated to some degree
before it leaves the refinery. It is important to determine how contaminated the oil
is and how fast it is degenerating. Determining the degree of contamination is
accomplished by sampling and analyzing the oil on a regular basis.

• Although maintenance and work practices are designed to extend the

transformer’s life, it is inevitable that the transformer will eventually deteriorate to
the point that it fails or must be replaced. Transformer testing allows this aging
process to be quantified and tracked, to help predict replacement intervals and
avoid failures. Historical test data is valuable for determining damage to the
transformer after a fault or failure has occurred elsewhere in the circuit. By
comparing test data taken after the fault to previous test data, damage to the
transformer can be determined.

SAFETY
Safety is of primary concern when working around a transformer. The substation
transformer is usually the highest voltage item in a facility’s electrical distribution
system. The higher voltages found at the transformer deserve the respect and
complete attention of anyone working in the area. A 6.6 kV system will arc to
ground over 1.5 to 2.5 in. However, to extinguish that same arc will require a
separation of 15 in. Therefore, working around energized conductors is not
recommended for anyone but the qualified professional. The best way to ensure
safety when working around high voltage apparatus is to make absolutely certain
that it is de-energized.

• Although inspections and sampling can usually be performed while the

transformer is in service, all other service and testing functions will require that the
transformer is deenergized and locked out. This means that a thorough
understanding of the transformer’s circuit and the disconnecting methods should be
reviewed before any work is performed.
• A properly installed transformer will usually have a means for disconnecting both
the primary and the secondary sides; ensure that they are opened before any work
is performed. Both disconnects should be opened because it is possible for
generator or induced power to back feed into the secondary and step up into the
primary. After verifying that the circuit is de-energized at the source, the area
where the work is to be performed should be checked for voltage with a “hot stick”
or some other voltage indicating device.

• It is also important to ensure that the circuit stays de-energized until the work is
completed. This is especially important when the work area is not in plain view of
the disconnect. Red or orange lock-out tags should be applied to all breakers and
disconnects that will be opened for a service procedure. The tags should be highly
visible, and as many people as possible should be made aware of their presence
before the work begins.

• Some switches are equipped with physical locking devices (a hasp or latch). This
is the best method for locking out a switch. The person performing the work should
keep the key at all times, and tags should still be applied in case other keys exist.

• After verifying that all circuits are de-energized, grounds should be connected
between all items that could have a different potential. This means that all
conductors, hoses, ladders and other equipment should be grounded to the tank,
and that the tank’s connection to ground should be verified before beginning any
work on the transformer. Static charges can be created by many maintenance
activities, including cleaning and filtering. The transformer’s inherent ability to
step up voltages and currents can create lethal quantities of electricity.

• The inductive capabilities of the transformer should also be considered when

working on a de-energized unit that is close to other conductors or devices that are
energized. A deenergized transformer can be affected by these energized items,
and dangerous currents or voltages can be induced in the adjacent windings.

• Most electrical measurements require the application of a potential, and these

potentials can be stored, multiplied, and discharged at the wrong time if the proper
precautions are not taken. Care should be taken during the tests to ensure that no
one comes in contact with the transformer while it is being tested. Set up safety
barriers, or appoint safety personnel to secure remote test areas. After a test is
completed, grounds should be left on the tested item for twice the duration of the
test, preferably longer.
 CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION

This division basically calibrates various instruments and takes care of any faults
occur in any of the auxiliaries in the plant.

This department is the brain of the plant because from the relays to transmitters
followed by the electronic computation chipsets and recorders and lastly the
controlling circuitry, all fall under this.

Instrumentation can be well defined as a technology of using instruments to

measure and control the physical and chhemical properties of a material.
Control and instrumentation has following labs:
1. Manometry lab
2. Protection and interlocks lab
3. Automation lab
4. Electronics lab
5. Water treatment plant
6. Furnaces Safety Supervisory System Lab
 Manometry lab
 Transmitters- Transmitter is used for pressure measurements of gases and
liquids, its working principle is that the input pressure is converted into
electrostatic capacitance and from there it is conditioned and amplified. It
gives an output of 4-20 ma DC. It can be mounted on a pipe or a wall. For
liquid or steam measurement transmitters is mounted below main process
piping and for gas measurement transmitter is placed above pipe.

 Manometer- It’s a tube which is bent, in U shape. It is filled with a liquid.

This device corresponds to a difference in pressure across the two limbs.

 Bourden Pressure Gauge- It’s an oval section tube. Its one end is fixed. It is
provided with a pointer to indicate the pressure on a calibrated scale. It is of
two types : (a) Spiral type : for low pressure measurement and (b) Helical
type : for high pressure measurement

Protection and Interlock Lab

 Interlocking: It is basically interconnecting two or more equipments so that

if one equipments fails other one can perform the tasks. This type of
interdependence is also created so that equipments connected together are
started and shut down in the specific sequence to avoid damage. For
protection of equipments tripping are provided for all the equipments.
Tripping can be considered as the series of instructions connected through
OR GATE. When The main equipments of this lab are relay and circuit
breakers. Some of the instrument uses for protection are:
 RELAY: It is a protective device. It can detect wrong condition in electrical
circuits by constantly measuring the electrical quantities flowing under
normal and faulty conditions. Some of the electrical quantities are voltage,
current, phase angle and velocity.
 FUSES: It is a short piece of metal inserted in the circuit, which melts when
heavy current flows through it and thus breaks the circuit. Usually silver is
used as a fuse material because: a) The coefficient of expansion of silver is
very small. As a result no critical fatigue occurs and thus the continuous full
 capacity normal current ratings are assured for the long time. b) The
conductivity of the silver is unimpaired by the surges of the current that
produces temperatures just near the melting point. c) Silver fusible elements
can be raised from normal operating temperature to vaporization quicker
than any other material because of its comparatively low specific heat.
 Miniature Circuit Breaker: They are used with combination of the control
circuits to. a) Enable the staring of plant and distributors. b) Protect the
circuit in case of a fault. In consists of current carrying contacts, one
movable and other fixed. When a fault occurs the contacts separate and are
is stuck between them. There are three types of –
 MANUAL TRIP
 THERMAL TRIP
 SHORT CIRCUIT TRIP.

 Protection and Interlock System:

1. HIGH TENSION CONTROL CIRCUIT For high tension system the
control system are excited by separate D.C supply. For starting the circuit
conditions should be in series with the starting coil of the equipment to
energize it. Because if even a single condition is not true then system will
not start.
2. LOW TENSION CONTROL CIRCUIT For low tension system the
control circuits are directly excited from the 0.415 KV A.C supply. The
same circuit achieves both excitation and tripping. Hence the tripping coil is
provided for emergency tripping if the interconnection fails.

Automation Lab
This lab deals in automating the existing equipment and feeding routes. Earlier,
the old technology dealt with only (DAS) Data Acquisition System and came to be
known as primary systems. The modern technology or the secondary systems are
coupled with (MIS) Management Information System. But this lab universally
applies the pressure measuring instruments as the controlling force. However, the
relays are also provided but they are used only for protection and interlocks.
 Pyrometry Lab

 Liquid in glass thermometer - Mercury in the glass thermometer boils at 340

degree Celsius which limits the range of temperature that can be measured.
It is L shaped thermometer which is designed to reach all inaccessible
places.
 Ultra violet censor- This device is used in furnace and it measures the
intensity of ultra violet rays there and according to the wave generated
which directly indicates the temperature in the furnace.
 Thermocouples - This device is based on SEEBACK and PELTIER effect. It
comprises of two junctions at different temperature. Then the emf is induced
in the circuit due to the flow of electrons. This is an important part in the
plant.
 RTD(Resistance temperature detector) - It performs the function of
thermocouple basically but the difference is of a resistance. In this due to the
change in the resistance the temperature difference is measured. In this lab,
also the measuring devices can be calibrated in the oil bath or just boiling
water (for low range devices) and in small furnace (for high range devices).

Furnace Safety and Supervisory System Lab

This lab has the responsibility of starting fire in the furnace to enable the burning
of coal. For first stage coal burners are in the front and rear of the furnace and for
the second and third stage corner firing is employed. Unburnt coal is removed
using forced draft or induced draft fan. The temperature inside the boiler is 1100
degree Celsius and its height is 18 to 40 m. It is made up of mild steel. An ultra
violet sensor is employed in furnace to measure the intensity of ultra violet rays
inside the furnace and according to it a signal in the same order of same mV is
generated which directly indicates the temperature of the furnace. For firing the
furnace a 10 KV spark plug is operated for ten seconds over a spray of diesel fuel
and pre-heater air along each of the feeder-mills. The furnace has six feeder mills
each separated by warm air pipes fed from forced draft fans. In first stage indirect
firing is employed that is feeder mills are not fed directly from coal but are fed
from three feeders but are fed from pulverized coalbunkers. The furnace can
operate on the minimum feed from three feeders but under not circumstances
should any one be left out under operation, to prevent creation of pressure different
with in the furnace, which threatens to blast it.
 Electronics Lab

This lab undertakes the calibration and testing of various cards. It houses various
types of analytical instruments like oscilloscopes, integrated circuits, cards auto
analyzers etc.Various processes undertaken in this lab are: 1. Transmitter converts
mV to mA. 2. Auto analyzer purifies the sample before it is sent to electrodes. It
extracts the magnetic portion.

PRESSURE MONITORING
Pressure can be monitored by three types of basic mechanisms

 Switches
 Gauges
 Transmitter type

For gauges we use Bourden tubes : The Bourdon Tube is a non liquid pressure
measurement device. It is widely used in applications where inexpensive static
pressure measurements are needed.

A typical Bourdon tube contains a curved tube that is open to external pressure
input on one end and is coupled mechanically to an indicating needle on the other
end, as shown schematically below.
 Typical Bourdon Tube Pressure Gages

For Switches pressure swithes are used and they can be used for digital means of
monitoring as swith being ON is referred as high and being OFF is as low.
All the monitored data is converted to either Current or Voltage parameter.
The Plant standard for current and voltage are as under

 Voltage : 0 – 10 Volts range

 Current : 4 – 20 milliAmperes

We use 4mA as the lower value so as to check for disturbances and wire breaks.
Accuracy of such systems is very high .
ACCURACY : + - 0.1 %
The whole system used is SCADA based.
Programmable Logic Circuits ( PLCs) are used in the process as they are the heardt
of Instrumentation .

Pressure
HL switch Electricity
Start ANLevel
low Pressure in line LevelD High
LL switch

High level
pump Electricity
OR
Stop
Pressure
 Electricity

BASIC PRESSURE CONTROL MECHANISM

TEMPERATURE MONITORING

We can use Thernocouples or RTDs for temperature monitoring

Normally RTDs are used for low temperatures.

Thermocoupkle selection depends upon two factors:

 Temperature Range
 Accuracy Required

Normally used Thermocouple is K Type Thermocouple:

Chromel (Nickel-Chromium Alloy) / Alumel (Nickel-Aluminium Alloy)
This is the most commonly used general purpose thermocouple. It is inexpensive
and, owing to its popularity, available in a wide variety of probes. They are
available in the −200 °C to +1200 °C range. Sensitivity is approximately 41
µV/°C.

RTDs are also used but not in protection systems due to vibrational errors.

We pass a constant curre t through the RTD. So that if R changes then the Voltage
also changes RTDs used in Industries are Pt100 and Pt1000
Pt100 : 0 0C – 100 Ω ( 1 Ω = 2.5 0C )
Pt1000 : 0 0C - 1000Ω
Pt1000 is used for higher accuracy
The gauges used for Temperature measurements are mercury filled Temperature
gauges. For Analog medium thermocouples are used And for Digital medium
Switches are used which are basically mercury switches.

FLOW MEASUREMENT
Flow measurement does not signify much and is measured just for metering
purposes and for monitoring the processes

ROTAMETERS:
A Rotameter is a device that measures the flow rate of liquid or gas in a closed
tube. It is occasionally misspelled as 'rotometer'.

It belongs to a class of meters called variable area meters, which measure flow rate
by allowing the cross sectional area the fluid travels through to vary, causing some
measurable effect.
A rotameter consists of a tapered tube, typically made of glass, with a float inside
that is pushed up by flow and pulled down by gravity. At a higher flow rate more
area (between the float and the tube) is needed to accommodate the flow, so the
float rises. Floats are made in many different shapes, with spheres and spherical
ellipses being the most common. The float is shaped so that it rotates axially as the
fluid passes. This allows you to tell if the float is stuck since it will only rotate if it
is not.
For Digital measurements Flap system is used.
For Analog measurements we can use the following methods :

 Flowmeters
 Venurimeters / Orifice meters
 Turbines
 Massflow meters ( oil level )
 Ultrasonic Flow meters
 Magnetic Flowmeter ( water level )
Selection of flow meter depends upon the purpose , accuracy and liquid to be
measured so different types of meters used.
Turbine type are the simplest of all.
They work on the principle that on each rotation of the turbine a pulse is generated
and that pulse is counted to get the flow rate.

VENTURIMETERS :

Referring to the diagram, using Bernoulli's equation in the special case of

incompressible fluids (such as the approximation of a water jet), the theoretical
pressure drop at the constriction would be given by (ρ/2)(v22 - v12).

And we know that rate of flow is given by:

Flow = k √ (D.P)
Where DP is Differential Presure or the Pressure Drop.

CONTROL VALVES
A valve is a device that regulates the flow of substances (either gases, fluidized
solids, slurries, or liquids) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various
passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but usually are discussed
separately.
Valves are used in a variety of applications including industrial, military,
commercial, residential, transportation. Plumbing valves are the most obvious in
everyday life, but many more are used.

Some valves are driven by pressure only, they are mainly used for safety purposes
in steam engines and domestic heating or cooking appliances. Others are used in a
controlled way, like in Otto cycle engines driven by a camshaft, where they play a
major role in engine cycle control.

Many valves are controlled manually with a handle attached to the valve stem. If
the handle is turned a quarter of a full turn (90°) between operating positions, the
valve is called a quarter-turn valve. Butterfly valves, ball valves, and plug valves
are often quarter-turn valves. Valves can also be controlled by devices called
actuators attached to the stem. They can be electromechanical actuators such as an
electric motor or solenoid, pneumatic actuators which are controlled by air
pressure, or hydraulic actuators which are controlled by the pressure of a liquid
such as oil or water.

So there are basically three types of valves that are used in power industries
besides the handle valves. They are :
 Pneumatic Valves – they are air or gas controlled which is compressed
to turn or move them
 Hydraulic valves – they utilize oil in place of Air as oil has better
compression
 Motorised valves – these valves are controlled by electric motors

FURNACE SAFEGUARD SUPERVISORY SYSTEM

FSSS is also called as Burner Management System (BMS). It is a microprocessor
based programmable logic controller of proven design incorporating all protection
facilities required for such system. Main objective of FSSS is to ensure safety of
the boiler.

The 95 MW boilers are indirect type boilers. Fire takes place in front and in rear
side. That’s why it’s called front and rear type boiler. The 210 MW boilers are
direct type boilers (which mean that HSD is in direct contact with coal) firing takes
place from the corner. Thus it is also known as corner type boiler.

IGNITER SYSTEM

Igniter system is an automatic system, it takes the charge from 110kv and this
spark is brought in front of the oil guns, which spray aerated HSD on the coal for
coal combustion. There is a 5 minute delay cycle before igniting, this is to evacuate
or burn the HSD. This method is known as PURGING.

PRESSURE SWITCH

Pressure switches are the devices that make or break a circuit. When pressure is
applied, the switch under the switch gets pressed which is attached to a relay that
makes or break the circuit. Time delay can also be included in sensing the pressure
with the help of pressure valves.
1. Manual valves (tap)
2. Motorized valves (actuator) – works on motor action
3. Pneumatic valve (actuator) _ works due to pressure of compressed air
4. Hydraulic valve