MOST LIKELY EMERGENCIES IN OPEATION OF

TURBINE

By: A.K.KHAN,
AGM(TURBINE)

TURBINE SUPERVISORY INSTRUMENTS

SPEED & LOAD

BEARING & SHAFT VIBRATION
ECCENTRICITY
DIFFERENTIAL EXPANSION
CASING/ROTOR EXPANSION
TURBINE STOP V/V & GOV V/V POSITION
INDICATOR
METAL TEMPARATURE OF HP/IP TURBINE
CASING, HP/IP SHAFT, V/Vs CHEST.
HPT EXHAUST TEMPERATURE
AXIAL SHIFT
LUBE OIL PRESSURE/TEMPERATURE
BEARING BABBIT METAL TEMP./DRAIN OIL TEMP
VACUUM
MOT LEVEL
LPT EXHAUST HOOD TEMP.

MOST LIKELY EMERGENCIES IN TURBINE

OPERATION

HIGH DIFFERENTIAL EXPANSION (+IVE SIDE)

AXIAL SHIFT HIGH

MOP DISCHARGE PRESSURE LOW

LUB OIL PRESSURE LOW

BEARING METAL TEMPERATURE HIGH

CONDENSER VACUUM LOW

LP TURBINE EXHAUST HOOD TEMPERATURE MORE

BEARING / SHAFT VIBRATION HIGH

TURBINE OVERSPEED

FIRST STAGE PRESSURE HIGH.

HPT EXHAUST TEMP HIGH

B/G JAMMING PROBLEM

AC POWER FAILURE

1. HIGH DIFFERENTIAL EXPANSION (+IVE SIDE)

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

Too high steam temperature for rolling.

Too fast rolling or too fast pick up of load.

Overall expansion is less due to inadequate soaking during
rolling and during turbine loading.

Flange heating is not in service or not effective during cold
start.

Restriction in expansion of turbine casing.

Poor lubrication of sliding surface.

Prolonged no load operation increases LPT D.E

Improper Turbine casing insulation

1. HIGH DIFFERENTIAL EXPANSION (+IVE SIDE)

IMMEDIATE ACTION:

Control steam temperature.

Check HP flange metal temperature. If metal temperature is
not increasing ensure the opening of flange heating valve by
checking the valve physically.

Soak the turbine at soaking speed sufficiently as per O&M
manual instruction.

Check for any restriction in turbine casing due to fouling with
temporary supports / pipes.

If LPT D.E. increases try to increase load

2. HIGH DIFFERENTIAL EXPANSION (-VE SIDE)

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

-VE

DIFFERENTIAL

EXPANSION

OCCURS

ONLY

UNDER EXTREME UNFAVOURABLE CONDITION AS

BELOW:

SEVERE RESTRICTION

IN TURBINE EXPANSION

DURING COOLING DOWN OF TURBINE.



STEAM TEMPERATURE TOO LOW DURING HOT

START UP

3. AXIAL SHIFT HIGH

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Salt deposit on turbine blades.

Interceptor Valve / IP governor valve not full open.

Oil flow to thrust bearing less.

Thrust pad damaged.

Overloading of turbine

Abrupt change in load/vacuum

Improper assembly of thrust bearing.

Restriction in steam flow of Turbine due to malfunctioning of
NRVs at HPT exhaust.

High bearing / Shaft vibration of combined journal cum thrust
bearing.

3. AXIAL SHIFT HIGH

IMMEDIATE ACTION

Check nozzle/first stage pressure pressure if more restrict
load.

Check relay oil pressure and correct it(applicable for old 120
mw only).

Ensure IV & IP governor valve full open.

Check Lub. Oil pressure to thrust bearing

Check lub oil filter which is in service after change over for any
babbit material.

If problem still persists trip the turbine

4. MOP DISCHARGE PRESSURE LOW

POSSIBLE CAUSES

MOP suction i.e. booster pump discharge pressure low or oil
injector performance is not satisfactory.

AOP discharge NRV is passing.

Oil consumption is more due to leakage in oil system (lub oil /
seal oil / relay), disturbance in setting of throttles in lub oil system

Passing of NRV of AC flushing/emergency oil pump.

Disturbance in adjustment of oil injectors throttles

MOT level is very low.

Air content of oil too high

MOP faulty

4. MOP DISCHARGE PRESSURE LOW

IMMEDIATE ACTION

Check booster pump discharge pressure gauge provided near
MOT and MOP suction pressure at front pedestal. If not O.K.
check that isolating valve of booster turbine is full open.

Ensure that NRV of AOP / ACFOP is not passing by closing
isolating valve one by one.

Check safety valves.

Check MOT level by dipstick locally and compare with MOT
level indicator to ensure actual level

Oil properties need checking for air content

5. LUB OIL PRESSURE LOW

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Lub oil filter chocked.

Oil pump pressure low

Setting of lub oil pressure relief valve disturbed.

Bearings oil flow more.

Lub oil cooler oil side inlet and outlet valve not open full/mal
functioning of lub oil cooler control valve or oil cooler chocked
on oil side.
IMMEDIATE ACTION

Change over filter.

Check oil pump pressure as in Sl.No.5 & 6.

Check oil flow in sight glass of bearings..

Ensure cooler oil side inlet/outlet valve full open . If valves are
full open change over oil cooler.

6. BEARING METAL TEMPERATURE MORE

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Lub oil temperature after oil cooler more.

Oil flow to bearing less.

Lub. Oil pressure low.

Excessive vibration of bearing.

Lub oil cooler bypass relief valve passing or lub oil control
valve malfunctioning

Steam leakage from turbine gland more.

Contaminated lub.oil

Maloperation during change over of lub oil filter/cooler

6. BEARING METAL TEMPERATURE MORE

IMMEDIATE ACTION

Change over ACW strainer if chocked.

If steam leakage from gland is more, reduce load and maintain
HRH temperature at 490o C.

Check oil flow and lub. Oil press at each bearing.

Ask chemist to analyze lub oil for moisture, dirt etc.

Maintain sealing steam pressure and HRH temperature.

Check passing of cooler bypass relief valve.

Lub oil cooler/filter to be changed over after ensuring proper
venting/filling

7. CONDENSER VACUUM LOW

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Hogging ejector /main ejector is not working due to abnormal
steam parameter, abnormal condensate level, passing of
standby ejector NRV etc

Performance of vacuum pump is not satisfactory due
malfunctioning of its valve, high seal water temp, separator
tank level abnormal, passing of standby pump etc

Cooling water to condenser is less

Sealing steam pressure is low.

Drain valves of vacuum system like LP heaters shell/gauge
glass etc. are passing / open.

Sealing water-isolating valve for vacuum system valve is
closed.

Condenser hot well level high.

Condenser CW flows is less.

Air ingress into vacuum system is high

Passing of steam drain valves/LP bypass valve

7. CONDENSER VACUUM LOW

IMMEDIATE ACTION

Maintain normal PRDS parameter , sealing steam pressure
,seal water temp of vacuum pump, condensate level of ejector,
water level of separator tank of vacuum pump.

Check for passing of all atmospheric drain valve of vacuum
system.

Check valves sealing water pressure.

Check CW header pressure ,cw temp rise/cw diff. pressure of
condenser if more reduce load and clean condenser one by
one

Ensure all steam line drain valves and LP bypass v/v are
closed

For checking air ingress point, fill the water in vacuum system
up to level as per OEM instruction after cooling down the
turbine.

8. LP TURBINE EXHAUST HOOD TEMP HIGH

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Low vacuum.

Prolonged idle running of turbine at no/low load

LPT exhaust hood spray valve is not operating on interlock.

Passing of high pressure drain/lp bypass valve to condenser

High steam parameter during cold start up

Operation of turbine at higher load without HP heaters I/S
IMMEDIATE ACTION

Check as in Sl.No.12.

Try to load the machine.

Ensure exhaust hood spray valve open on interlock.

Control steam parameter

Take hp heaters I/S

9. VIBRATION MORE
POSSIBLE CAUSES

Abnormal fluctuation in steam parameter

Sudden drop in sealing steam temp

HP sealing steam cooling water spray system is passing.

Lub. Oil temperature and lub. Oil pressure too high or too low
destroying oil film under bearing.

Differential expansion and axial shift more or machine is not
expanding.

Water induction into turbine

Turbine rotor at critical speed

Malfunctioning of HP/LP bypass valve causing abnormal increase in
hot reheat / CRH pressure.

Low vacuum / high exhaust hood temperature.

Rotor eccentricity high due to bow in rotor.

Shaft vibration high due to unbalance ,mis alignment,high run out at
journal, blade failure etc

9. VIBRATION MORE
IMMEDIATE ACTION

Check maintain steam/casing metal/pipe metal temp, sealing
steam and lub oil temperature, lub. oil pressure and vacuum.

Trip the turbine if hot reheat pressure is increasing due to
malfunctioning of HP/LP bypass valves.

Open HP flange heating valve if differential expansion is more.

Control LPT exhaust temp/vacuum

Cross-checked the vibration reading by portable instrument.

Check bearing drains/lub oil filter for any damage indication

Do not roll turbine when eccentricity exceed 50 micron on
barring gear.

Trip the turbine if bearing/shaft vibration/eccentricity high

10. TURBINE OVERSPEED

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Sticking of stop valve and control valve or heavy passing in case of
turbine trip.

Malfunctioning of turbine control

In case of turbine trip, the non-return valves of extraction not closed,
resulting in steam admission through extraction line.

High grid frequency and malfunctioning of load shedding relay/ over
speed limiting gear during load throw off

Generally over speed by 7 to 9% is possible in the case of operation of
Class-A trip protection due to serious situation like electrical fault in rotor,
stator and other abnormal running conditions where the generator is
subjected to electrical and mechanical stresses

Emergency Governor failure at the time of over speed.

10. TURBINE OVERSPEED

IMMEDIATE ACTION

Periodically check over speed mechanism by oil injection at
least once in two months.

Routine checking of all control / stop valves for full closing
daily at lower load.

Check closing of non-return valves on extraction line every
month at lower load

Check the operation of load shedding relay Over speed load
limiting gear

11. HPT EXHAUST TEMP.HIGH

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Prolonged no load or low load operation

Obstruction in steam flow due to high down stream pressure of
HP bypass valve

CRH NRV not opening

Malfunctioning of Trimming Device

12. FIRST STAGE PRESSURE HIGH

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Salt Deposits on Turbine Blades.

Overloading

Operation with low Steam Parameter at High Load

Condenser Vacuum low at High Load
IMMEDIATE ACTION

Reduce the Load.

Maintain Steam Parameter as per Operation Instruction.

Monitor Axial Shift & Thrust Bearing Temp Constantly.

13. AC POWER FAILURE

POSSIBLE CAUSES

Grid disturbance due to fault in transmission line leading to
tripping of unit one by one including station transformer

13. AC POWER FAILURE

Total AC Power failure is very serious condition in a power
plant operation. In such condition, system is designed in
such a way that with the help of 220V DC power (Battery
Bank)/ DG Set power (Emergency Power), unit can be
shutdown safely.
OPERATOR ACTION:

Ensure DC lub oil /seal oil /Jacking Oil pump has taken
start on auto.

Ensure DG set started on auto & emergency power
restored.

Close MS valve / Gland Steam isolating v/v and open
vacuum breaker at 200 mm of Hg.

13. AC POWER FAILURE

OPERATOR ACTION:

Ensure Extraction Valves to LP/HP Heaters and Deareator.

Put the M/c on Barring Gear.

14. BARRING GEAR JAMMING

B/G IS PROVIDED IN ANY STEAM TURBINE FOR UNIFORM
COOLING AS WELL AS TO AVOID TEMPORARY SAG BY
SLOW ROTATION OF ROTOR SYSTEM.IN THE PAST
TURBINE ROTOR SYSTEM WAS ROTATED BY ELECTRIC
MOTOR

THROUGH

INTRODUCTION

OF

GEAR
KWU

SYSTEM.AFTER

TURBINE

HYDRAULLIC

TURNING GEAR WAS EMPLOYED.

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

LOW

JACKING

OIL

PRESSURE

DUE

TO

MALFUNCTIONING OF ITS CONTROL VALVE.

INSUFFIENT JOURNAL LIFT .

HIGH TOP/BOTTOM DIFFERANTIAL TEMP OF TURBINE.

14. BARRING GEAR JAMMING

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

SUDDEN

DROP/INCREASE

IN

SEAL

STEAM

TEMPERATURE.

LOW MOTIVE OIL PRESSURE.

IMPROPER DISTRIBUTION OF RADIAL CLEARANCES IN
TURBINE.

FAILURE OF JACKING OIL FLEXIBLE CONNECTION.

UNDUE PIPE FORCES.

EXTRA FRICTION AT SEALING STRIPS OF TURBINE
BLADES.

14. BARRING GEAR JAMMING

OPERATOR ACTION:

CHECK THE JACKING OIL HEADER PRESSURE AND JO
PRESSURE AT EACH BEARING.

CHECK THE MOTIVE OIL PRESSURE.

ENSURE SEAL STEAM TEMPERATURE IS WITH IN THE
LIMITS.

CHECK TURBINE TOP/BOTTOM DIFFERENTIAL TEMP.

ENSURE THE LIFT OF JOURNAL ON EACH BEARING IS
NORMAL.

CHECK THE LEAKAGE IN JACKING OIL LINES.

THANK YOU