Report on Oil Ingress Problem in Generator at Unit-3 2X660

MW NTPC Mouda Project

Jitendra Kumar
Sr Engineer/TSX
Introduction:
BHEL PSWR first super-critical turbo generator set first rolling was done on 25/03/2016 to
achieve synchronization milestone. However turbine got tripped on separator level
protection during electrical testing and oil ingress was observed in generator during
coasting down period of turbine. Oil ingress in generator was so quickly that within time
period of 5-10 minute the MOT level goes down by more than 100 mm. Therefore, it was
decided to release the H2 gas from Generator immediately to safeguard the set and finding
root cause of oil ingress in generator.

Observations and findings:

Following observations and findings were noted during and after the oil ingress problem:

1. Signal of Liquid in generator at TE First appeared in DCS by liquid level detector

switch mounted in liquid level detector rack (LLDR) and then after TE pre chamber
oil level high alarm triggered in DCS.
2. After few minutes same has appeared for EE also in same manner.
3. Seal oil DP at both TE and EE was found normal i.e.1.3 bar with one SOP in operation
till the problem occurred. However during coasting down of turbine after its
tripping, DC SOP was found running with AC SOP.
4. DC SOP got auto start during coasting down of turbine due to malfunctioning of VOT
level low switch and same was found in trends/SOE.
5. Seal oil DP at both TE and EE were found 2.9 and 3.1 respectively during the period
of oil ingress. When DC SOP made off, seal oil DP of TE and EE came down to its
normal value.
6. Vacuum oil tank (VOT) level found full with oil which was maintaining earlier 150
mm before the oil ingress to Generator. When tried to maintain the VOT level
manually by evacuating oil from VOT by slightly opening dump valve of SOP’s
discharge line but attempts goes in vain as same could not possible. Therefore it is
being suspected that make up float valve of VOT malfunctioned at that moment.
7. Intermediate oil tank (IOT) level was found maintained 250 mm till the H2 pressure
reaches below 1.4 bar and afterwards level found full.
8. 04 nos. metal type flow meters installed in seal oil skid for measuring air side and
ring relief seal oil flow in TE and EE was found stuck up, therefore not reflecting the
 actual seal oil flow in the lines. However physically seal oil flow was experienced in
each lines of TE and EE.
9. H2 drain line U-loop height and DPRV impulse line was found as per drawing.
10. Bearing Chamber vapor exhaust system checked and same found ok.
11. VOT top cover opened for inspection for make-up float valve assembly and its valve
sheet.
12. During inspection of VOT make up float valve it was observed that valve is not
getting closed completely and heavy passing of oil was observed even when float
valve was in closed condition due to float valve stuck up at top position of guide
sleeve during its travel to upper position (fig01).

Fig-01
13. Slope of H2 side oil drain line from generator TE and EE pre chamber to IOT was found
more than sufficient. As per drawing it should be 40 mm per meter.
14. The line size of H2 side oil drain line from pre chamber to U-loop was found NB 50
which is as per drawing no. 0-150-00-01648 (sheet1/5) and also as per BOM (TGE-3256,
Rev 02 dtd 04.05.2015) the material supplied is of size NB 50 and after U-loop to IOT the
line size was found NB 80.

On enquiry for the line size of H2 drain line from Generator pre chamber to U-loop
with same rating set like Lalitpur and Bara, it was found that their having H2 drain
line size NB 80 and our H2 side drain line size NB50,which was found different.
Therefore it was concluded that due to H2 side drain line size NB 50 oil got ingress
in Generator as DC SOP also got picked up due to malfunction of VOT level switch
and due to running of both AC & DC SOP seal oil flow got high as seal oil DP
 maintained high which could not be accommodated in H2 side drain line size NB 50
causing oil ingress in generator.

As Generator TE H2 side drain line length up to U-loop was much more than that of
EE as compared therefore LLDR first alarm triggered in TE during oil ingress and
then EE.

Action taken:
1. Problem reported to the Hardwar unit for their concurrence for modification of TE
and EE H2 side drain lines up to U-loop. Unit has given concurrence for the same.
After obtaining concurrence from Unit both TE and EE H2 side drain line size from
generator pre chamber to U-loop has been modified from NB 50 to NB 80.
2. Both generator TE and EE H2 side modified drain lines from pre chamber to U-loop,
cleaning was done by air blowing/blasting method as flushing was not possible.
3. VOT make up float valve stuck problem was attended by increasing the length of
guide sleeve by 30 mm (Fig02). Make up float valve re-assembled after its siting
surface proper cleaning/servicing and kerosene test. After re-assembly of float valve
checked for its operation by charging oil to VOT. Afterwards no oil passing was
observed in VOT through float valve and also oil level in VOT gets maintained at 160
mm.

Fig02
4. All the 04 nos. metal type flow-meters installed in seal oil skid rack for measuring
seal oil flow to Generator in TE and EE lines were serviced and calibrated.
5. A temporary mesh put in H2 side drain to IOT inlet line near IOT, to arrest any
foreign particles during initial operation of seal oil system and to be remove before
system put in regular operation.

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