On the Modification of Spray Line in Pressure Reducing and

Desuperheating Station at Thermal Power Stations

Dr S Shanmugam, Fellow
S Sakthivel, Member

In thermal power stations, the temperature at pressure reducing and desuperheating station (PRDS) header is sometimes
unable to contain within a specific limit. This causes instability in PRDS that leads to unsatisfactory performance of the
auxiliary systems, resulting in shut down. The cause of the problem is identified, analysed and remedial measures are
suggested that spray water for desuperheating the main steam supplied to PRDS can be tapped from the condensate
extraction pump discharge line instead of from the boiler feed pump discharge line being practiced. Analyses show that
a sum of Rs 20 744 can be saved per day in addition to a substantial saving in the layout cost.

Keywords: PRDS; Condensate extraction pump; Boiler feed pump

INTRODUCTION
In thermal power stations, the requisite operating parameters
of PRDS is obtained by desuperheating the steam, which is
tapped from main steam line. The water from boiler feed
pump is utilised for desuperheating after reducing its pressure
in an appropriate pressure control valve. The desuperheated
steam is then distributed to different parts of the auxiliary
steam consumption headers, such as, fuel atomising station,
soot blowers steam consumption point, starting and main
steam ejector lines. It is essential that there should not be any
disturbances in the parameters, especially in temperature, in
PRDS for efficient operation of thermal power stations. But
many a time it has been experienced that there is instability in
the values of parameters of steam in PRDS units, resulting in
failure to achieve the performance of the power station. The
problem of instability can be overcome by tapping spray water
from the part where the pressure and temperature are
conducive to the efficient operation of power stations. This
paper presents a useful suggestion to avoid the aforesaid
problem by analysing the important parameters of PRDS in
210 MW power stations in India. The same can be extended to
higher capacity power stations too.
EXISTING SYSTEM
A line diagram of the existing system of PRDS in 210 MW
power stations is given in Figure 1. The superheated steam is
tapped from both the main lines that carry steam to the
turbine. The pressure and temperature in each line are 135.1 bar
and 540 ° C , respectively (Stage I). The velocity of the steam is
given by the expression1,
& = ρAv
m (1)
& is mass flow rate of fluid, m/s; ρ , the density, kg/m3;
where m
Dr S Shanmugam is with the Department of Mechanical Engineering,
National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli 620 015;
while S Sakthivel is with Inspectorate of Boilers, PWD Compound,
Kumarasamy Patty, Salem 636 007.
This paper was received on April 22, 2004. Written discussion on the paper will
be entertained until December 31, 2005.
A, inside area of the pipe through which the fluid flows; and v,
the velocity, m/s. The steam has the velocity of 41.44 m/s
flowing at a rate of 350 t/h. The steam is tapped usually by
providing a T arrangement2. The entire arrangement of the
existing system is divided into five stages as it is seen in the
Figure 1. The steam coming out of the pressure control valve is
at a temperature of 480° C with a pressure of 17 bar. The
reduction in pressure from 135.1 bar (Stage I) to 17 bar (Stage III)
is obtained on the assumption that the 100% line is in service.
It is noted that there is only about 11% reduction in
temperature of steam. The high temperature steam is then
admitted to the cooler where it is supposed to be
desuperheated to a little less than or equal to 200° C . The
required quantity of water for desuperheating is tapped from
the boiler feed pump discharge line. In 210 MW power
stations, the spray water is supplied at a rate of 1.4 kg/s. The
desired temperature limits are normally between 180° C and
200° C but the maximum limit should not be greater than
200 ° C 3 . The pressure control valve (PCV-2) closes
automatically if the temperature exceeds 200° C , causing no
supply of steam to the PRDS system.
The temperature at the PRDS header is not maintained within
the desired limits and at times it goes up a few degrees Celsius
beyond 200 ° C . The temperature could not be brought down
to a desired value even if the quantity of spray water supply
from the boiler feed pump discharge line is increased to
maximum possible. The reason could be due to mixing of
spray water at 167° C with steam at 480° C . Greater the supply
of this water, less likely will it reduce the temperature. There
is thus an increase in the temperature at steam consumption
headers, such as, soot blowers, oil heating station, fuel oil
atomising station, main and starting ejectors lines, which
reduces the unit load. This has sometimes compelled entire
power generation to be stopped. With great difficulty, the
temperature can be controlled manually too but it usually
takes much time. Besides, in the existing system there must be

Vol 86, October 2005 145

 ine

16 o g/s kg
Dimensions in mm
mL

T - 1.4 k 3 kJ/ r
m 686. .4 ba
80

50
Not to Scale

133
tea

73 ×

h - 180
lve
in S

7C
EL

5
P : Pressure

T - 5 7.2 kg /kg
m -9 447 k ar

4.5
Va

P-
f2

.4 b
Ma

40 o /s
00

J
h : Enthalpy

5
ray

4.5
260

&

.4
m : Mass Flow Rate

Sp
3

×
1
I

f3
EL

T : Temperature

EL 24500
h-3

5.4
P-
EL : Elevation
20

f2
×

PCV : Pressure Control Valve

08
30

SV : Safety Valve
f1
×
59

V
f1

5000
EL 2

EL 2 Flow
2250 Nozz P - 19.62 bar
0 le h - 232 kJ/kg
EL 2 PRD

r
m -1.01 kg/s

ole
2300 P-1 S He
35 ader
h - 3 .1 bar

Co
T - 55oC
409 k
&
m-4 J/
.2 kg kg
T - /s

0
530 o IV
6.4

50
f 15 II C

24
9×
×

30
73

EL
PCV-2
f2

f 32 P-1
3.9 4
× 37 SV-1
SV-2 h - 2 .17 bar Existing
7
m& - 97 kJ/k
5 g Proposed
f 60 × 11

f 273
× 6.4 T - 2 .56 kg/
00 oC s

f 15
9× P - 17 bar III
EL 30 f 27
3×6
22 PCV-1 h - 3427 kJ/kg .4
15
0 m - 4.17 kg/s
EL 2
f 15 T - 480oC 2280
9×
30

Figure 1 Different stages at PRDS with proposed system

an exclusive pressure reducing station as the water pressure is same time, the temperature is also less (55 ° C ), which has the
to be reduced from 180.4 bar to about 20 bar4. The problem advantage of consuming less quantity of water. The enthalpy
can be avoided by introducing a little change in the spray of water is 231.9 kJ/kg and the heat content of the water in the
water tapping as explained here. proposed system is 454 kJ/kg less than that of the existing
system. The temperature at the PRDS header is always kept
PROPOSED SYSTEM
below 200° C because the water at 55 ° C is sprayed to the
Careful studies of the layout of the piping and the parameters steam at 480 ° C . The supply of spray water also is not
of different lines have indicated that there is only one disturbed even when the plant is being shut down as the
possibility of tapping spray water at a very low pressure and running of the CEP is continuous and this facilitates efficient
temperature in the power station. It is the condensate operation of the auxiliary units.
extraction pump (CEP) discharge line in which the pressure
In the proposed system, there is no change in the first four
and temperature of the water are 19.62 bar and 55 ° C , stages of the existing system (Figure 1). In the fifth stage the
respectively5. The proposed system is denoted as dotted line in spray water is admitted to the cooler, taken from the CEP
the Figure 1 and this line is directly taken from the condensate discharge line. The diameter of the pipes is calculated using the
extraction pump (CEP) discharge line. Figure 2 depicts the equation (1). The values of diameter and properties6 are
proposed system. presented in Table 1. The diameter of the spray water line in
the fifth stage in the proposed system is about 42.2% less than
The spray water line in the existing system is modified with
that of the existing system, as the values of the parameters of
tapping from the CEP discharge line. By providing a suitable
the spray water admitted to the cooler are very much less. The
arrangement in the CEP discharge line the water is taken to spray water velocity before the cooler is 2.02 m/s which is
the cooler and sprayed for desuperheating the steam. The 17.4% greater than the velocity of water from boiler feed
water has a low pressure (19.62 bar) and therefore there is no pump discharge line. This will obviously facilitate the process
need for having a separate pressure reducing station. At the of mixing in the cooler.

146 IE (I) Journal—MC

Table 1 Comparison of spray water properties in existing and proposed &sh
m
stages in PRDS cos t c = cc (2)
Cv
Parameter Unit Stage V
Existing Scheme Proposed cos t w = 24 m& w c w (3)
Before After system
entering leaving
where cost refers to total cost; h, specific enthalpy of steam;
Pressure, P bar 180.40000 20.000000 19.620000 Cv , the calorific value of coal generally used in power stations;
suffixes c, w and s refer to coal water and steam, respectively
Temperature, T °C 167.00000 140.000000 55.000000
and c refers to respective cost. The calorific value of coal is
Mass flow rate, m kg/s 1.40000 1.400000 1.010000
assumed as 12560 kJ/kg and the cost of coal is Rs 2.50/kg and
Enthalpy, h kJ/kg 685.90000 590.200000 231.900000 the cost of demineralised water is Rs 0.30/kg. Using equations (2)
Diameter, D mm 33.40000 33.400000 25.400000 and (3), respective components are calculated and are
Density, r kg/m3 917.40000 926.780000 986.190000 presented in Table 2. There is a saving of over 71% in layout
Velocity, V m/s 1.74000 1.720000 2.020000 cost owing to the elimination of an exclusive pressure
Specific volume, v m3/kg 0.00109 0.001079 0.001014
reducing station in the existing system. As the water is
admitted to the cooler at much reduced temperature ( 55 ° C ),
the proposed system certainly consumes 72.14% of water,
Economic Analysis
resulting in an additional saving of 27.86% in water cost.
As the modified system eliminates the requirement of a
Besides, there is a substantial saving in coal consumption too.
separate pressure reducing station, it needs one isolation valve
It is possible to save 4.254 t of coal daily by merely following
at the tapping end and one regulation valve at the water-
spraying end. It means less cost of equipment and easier the proposed system.
maintenance.

Main Steam Line

EN : Non-return Valve
CEP : Condensate Extraction Pump

P - 180.4 bar
h - 686 kJ/kg Condenser Condenser
& - 1.4 kg/s
m Main Steam Line
T - 167oC

20 m
Cooler

m& - 5.56 kg/s

P - 1962 bar
T - 200oC h - 207 kJ/kg
m& - 1.01 kg/s E 1 2 E 2 E 3
1 3
T - 55oC
CEP1 CEP2 CEP3

Condensate
Flow
PRDS
Header '0' m

EN1 EN2 EN3

EN4 EN5 EN6
From Boiler Feed Pump

Figure 2 Schematic layout of the proposed system

Vol 86, October 2005 147

Table 2 Computation of different cost components l easy erection of spray water pipe lines and their
maintenance; and
Description Existing Proposed Savings,
system system % l continuous availability of the system.
Energy CONCLUSIONS
Enthalpy of steam, kJ/h 3069360.0 843188.4 72.53
Introducing the proposed system, thermal power stations of
Coal consumption, kg/day 5865.0 1611.0 72.53
210 MW capacities can be efficiently operated with full load
Cost of coal consumed/day, Rs 14662.5 4027.5 72.53
and without any disturbances in the auxiliary steam supply
Water consumption systems.
Quantity, kg/h 5040.0 3636.0 27.86 (i) There is a saving of Rs 20 744/day and a reduction in
Daily consumption cost of layout cost of Rs 1 97 500 can be achieved.
demineralised water, Rs 36288.0 26179.0 27.86
(ii) Though the study has been done with reference to
Lay out cost, Rs 2 77 500.0 80 000.0 71.20 210 MW power stations, the suggestion can be
effectively implemented in other capacity power
Total savings, Rs stations as well, for the nature of the problem is
Savings per day, Rs 20 744.00 similar.
Layout cost, Rs 19 7 500.00
(iii) The low temperature in the spray water may cause
some cold cracks in the seat of the cooler valve and
Features cold water spraying in the opposite wall of the pipe
The salient features in brief on eliminating existing spray may also introduce cold cracks in future. The
water scheme and introducing proposed system in power formation of cold cracks can be slowed down by
plants are: slightly increasing the temperature of the spray water
stabilisation of PRDS header can be achieved; before it is admitted to the cooler. An increase in
l
temperature of about 8° C can be achieved by passing
l trouble free operation of the auxiliary steam the spray water pipe line through the flash tank in the
consumption systems is ensured; turbine region. The problem of the cracking in the
l frequent lifting of safety valves and their seat failure opposite wall can also be avoided by providing a high
can be avoided; alloy steel sleeve.
l frequent failure of the gaskets in between the joints of REFERENCES
flanges in non-return valves, branch valves etc can also 1. ‘Flow of Fluids through Valves, Fittings and Pipe.’ Crane Ltd, 11-12 Bouverie
be avoided; Street, London EC4Y 8AH, UK, 1979.
l reduction in the rate of erosion in the seat of the spray 2. ‘The Schematic Diagrams of 210 MW Power Station.’ Power Engineers
control valve can be achieved; Training Society, 1983
3. ‘Operation and Maintenance Manual for Control Valve.’ Mosaneilone Valve
l instability of pressure in pressure control station and
Ltd, 1988.
in spray water line is completely eliminated;
4. ‘Operation and Maintenance of Pressure Reducing Station.’ Combustion
l steady operation of power station; Engineers, UK, 1982.
5. ‘Construction and Operation of 210 MW Turbine.’ Combustion Engineers,
l reduced energy consumption;
UK, GF3 GEF3 3.4.
l reduction in the consumption of de-mineralised 6. C P Kothandaraman and S Subramanian. ‘Heat and Mass Transfer Data
water; Book.’ 4th Edition, New Age International Pvt Ltd, Chennai, 1997.

148 IE (I) Journal—MC