Farakka

Indian Power Stations 2011

13 – 15 February , New Delhi

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT
BY AUTOMATIC OPERATION OF STAGE-1
MILL REJECT SYSTEM AT
NTPC, FARAKKA

Snehasis Bhattacharyya ,
Sr. Supdt. (C&I) , NTPC Ltd, Farakka

Arendra Kumar Arya,

Sr.Engineer (C&I) , NTPC Ltd, Farakka
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PRESENTATION ROADMAP

•INTRODUCTION
•DESCRIPTION OF MILL REJECT SYSTEM
•NATURE OF PROBLEM
•INNOVATIVE APPROACH
•IMPROVEMENT ACHIEVED
•CONCLUSION
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Introduction

• NTPC,Farakka has 3X200MW units

and 2 X 500 MW units

• Each 200 MW unit consists of:-

I. 6 no. Bowl Mill
II. Model XRP-803
III. Capacity 45.8 Ton/hr
IV. Speed – 53 rpm
V. Crushed coal at inlet – 25 mm
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Introduction

• The source of coal used at Farakka is

coming from 23 different open cast
mines

• In pulverized coal the coal is ground

so that about 70 % will pass through
200 mesh ( 0.075 mm) and 99 % will
pass through 50 mesh (0.300 mm)
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Introduction

The coal supply carries a certain

percentage of over burden of stone
pieces get leached and come directly
into the mills through the bunker
though manual stone picking system
deployed at coal handling plant
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Introduction

• When these come under the roller, the

roller lifts up allowing these to pass under.

• Then scrapped by scrapper through tramp

iron spout to pyrite hopper

• Removed periodically. Any material having

a bulk density 1.2 tonnes/m3 should be
rejected (for coal it is 0.8 tonnes/m3).
However sometimes the material to be
ground is also rejected
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Introduction

• Each mill has one Inlet & one Outlet Reject

Gate

• Periodic operation & proper functioning of

reject gates is very much essential.
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INLET REJECT GATE

I/L Power
Cylinder
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OUTLET REJECT GATE

Reject
Chamber POWER
Cylinder

O/L GATE
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Nature of Problem

• In stage-1 ,each gate is opened/closed by

the pneumatically operated power cylinder

• Accumulation Cycle : Inlet gate is opened &

outlet gate is closed for some time.

• Rejection Cycle : Inlet gate is closed &

outlet gate is opened for some time.
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SCHEME FOR MANUAL OPERATION

IA AIR SUPPLY
Inlet
power
cylinder

Manual Switch

Outlet
power
cylinder

Manual Switch
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Nature of Problem

• In stage-1, Inlet and Outlet gates were

operated with the help of a manual switch

• Operation by experience & communication

from control room.

• Continuous deputation of operator

• Frequent operation of reject gates required

during high rejection
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Nature of Problem
This results:-

• Hot air containing coal dust coming out of

the rejection chamber

• Increase the chance of failure of control

instruments and has potential to catch fire
in control cable.

• Transportation of rejects from the mill

become troublesome & unsafe for the
operation personnel
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Innovative Approach

• Operation from newly installed DDCMIS

was felt

• Remote as well as automatic operation of

reject gates can be done efficiently from
Unit Control Room

• Continuous deputation of operator not

required in the mill area
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FACE PLATE FOR MILL REJECT GATE OPERATION
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LOGIC DETAILS
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Modified Scheme

AUX RELAY - 1
INLET GATE CMD
24 V
FROM LOGIC DO
24 V RELAY
CARD
CH - 1 O/P

Ph Inlet
N power
AIR SUPPLY
cylinder
SOLENOID VALVE

AUX RELAY - 2

OUTLET GATE
24 V
CMD FROM LOGIC DO
RELAY
24 V
CARD
CH - 1 O/P

Outlet
power
Ph

N
cylinder
AIR SUPPLY

SOLENOID VALVE
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Innovative Approach

• In Manual mode both gates can be opened

independently

• Auto mode is having priority

• In Auto mode Inlet gate will remain open for

T1 time and outlet gate will remain close.
After T1 time is elapsed inlet gate will close
and outlet gate will open for T2 time .
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Improvement

• Operational Flexibility

• Deputation of Manpower for local operation

is nil.

• Opening & Closing time (T1 & T2) of Inlet &

Outlet gate can be tuned based on
requirement

• Avoidance of Mill operation in “Blasting”

mode
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GAIN
TANGIBLE GAIN :-

I) ENERGY LOSS CALCULATION: -

When mills are operating with open pyrite gate condition allowing bleeding of hot
primary air through pyrite system.

ASSUMPTIONS:

A) Quantity of hot primary air, bleeding through pyrite box at a pressure of about
700 mmwc (Mair) 10 T/hr

B) Average bleed air temperature at full load (T1) = 2800c = 553 K

C) Average ambient temperature (T2) = 300c = 303 K

D) Specific heat of hot air at constant pressure (Sair) = 1.006 KJ/Kg/K

E) Average calorific value of coal = 3200 KCal/Kg

F) Cost of coal = Rs. 4.0/kg

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GAIN

TANGIBLE GAIN (contd..)

CALCULATION:

q Energy Loss Per Mill (QLOSS) = MAIR x SAIR x (T1 – T2)

q QLOSS = 10 x 1000 x 1.006 x (553-303) KJ/HR

q QLOSS = 2515000 KJ/HR = 600697 KCAL/HR

q QLOSS = 600697/3200 = 188 KG/HR Of Coal Equivalent

q QLOSS = Rs. 752/- PER HR

q Annual QLOSS = 752 X 365 = Rs. 2,74,480/- Per One

Blasting Hour/Mill/Day

At Farakka , normally 5 mills are in service.

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GAIN
TANGIBLE GAIN (contd..)

II) COST SAVING ON ACCOUNT OF MANPOWER

ASSUMPTIONS:

A) At least 4 nos. of skilled manpower required for round the clock reject
gate operation

B) Cost of 1 skilled manpower = Rs. 325.00

CALCULATION:

Annual Manpower cost = Rs. 325 X 4 X 365= Rs. 4,74,500.00

Total Annual Saving (I +II) = Rs. 7,48,980.00

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CONCLUSIONS

• Continual process.

• Intangible Gains :

Employee satisfaction,
Better plant personnel safety,
Reduction in frequency of mill chocking
Minimizing chance of dust ingress in UCR
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Sri P Tiwari, AGM (O&M) ,

Sri A K Mukherjee , AGM (Maintenance) ,

Sri A Ghosh, AGM (C&I) ,

Sri C K Sarkar , DGM(C&I)

EEMG & Operation Department.

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THANK YOU
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