DRUM LEVEL CONTROL The drum level control strategy described hereinafter is a feedforward plus feedback cascade control

system and it is a basic three element system utilizing the superheated steam flow (pressure and temperature compensated) as a basic demand for feedwater flow (temperature compensated). This demand is trimmed by the drum level (pressure compensated) error to compensate for inaccuracies caused by measurements, leaks, or blowdown. The feedwater demand is compared to measured feedwater flow to set the position demand for the drum level control valve. Low load / main control valves The drum level control system is equipped with three control valves (one low load and two main control valves). The operator, through a selector implemented in thermal cycle feedwater control logic, chooses one main control valve; the other one is forced to manual and closed. During start-up phase, the main control valves shall be in manual and remain closed. When superheated steam flow increases up to 20% of BMCR load, an automatic sequence, implemented in thermal cycle feedwater control logic , will transfer the feedwater flow control from low load valve to the selected main control valve, via the following steps: 1. opening the M.O.V.s upstream and downstream the selected main control valve; 2. forcing to automatic mode the A/M station of the selected main control valve; 3. increasing the drum level error of the controller of the main control valves and decreasing the drum level error of the controller of the low load control valve (so the former will gradually open and the latter close); 4. forcing to manual mode the A/M station of the low load control valve; 5. eliminating drum level error shift issued at step 3; 6. closing the M.O.V.s upstream and downstream the low load control valve. During load reduction, as soon as the superheated steam flow drops below 15% of BMCR load for more than 60 seconds, the opposite automatic sequence will start, in order to transfer the feedwater flow control from the selected main control valve to the low load control valve. One element control / three elements control At low loads the feedwater flow measurement becomes inaccurate due to the very low differential pressure created and then the system is transferred to single element; in this condition the control loop is transferred to operate only on the drum level error (one element control); this is shown to be on automatic switch-over (based on boiler load, i.e. superheated steam flow, increasing more than 30% switch to 3 elements, decreasing less than 25% switch to 1 element) but it could be done manually by the operator if preferred.

The feedwater control logic is foreseen with two separated control loops acting respectively on main control valves and low load control valve, the last one is operated only on one element control. Actuators switching When 3 elements control is selected, facility is also provided to switch drum level control acting on feedwater pumps hydraulic coupling; in this case feedwater modulating valves will control the pressure drop across themselves. Integral action locking As regards the integral action on the drum level control at 3 elements, acting on main control valves, during load changes transient shrink and swell occurs which causes the integral to operate when it should not, therefore during load changes the integral action is blocked. Derivative action When 3 elements control is selected, derivative action is provided. It is based on drum pressure (with a dead band), because transient shrink and swell are due to steam flashing / condensing caused by pressure drop / rising, as a consequence of sudden load increasing / decreasing.

FEEDWATER PUMPS SPEED CONTROL The feedwater pumps speed control strategy is a feedforward and feedback control system and it is designed to maintain the differential pressure across the feedwater control valves so that the feedwater has sufficient pressure to be injected into the boiler circuit as well as through desuperheaters into the superheated steam pipes. Master controller The feedwater differential pressure measured signal is compared to the set point, based on characterized superheated steam flow, to develop the feedwater differential pressure error, so in this way the pumps can respond to load changes at the same time that the feedwater control valves do. The differential pressure error through the controller generates the feedwater pumps speed demand signal. The parameters (P, I, D) of the controller are scheduled according to the number of feedwater pumps in service and in auto mode. The function (plus derivative) of the operating feedwater control valve position acts as feedforward signal on the above control loop. Actuators switching When 3 elements control is selected, facility is also provided to switch differential pressure control across the feedwater control valves acting on feedwater control valves themselves; in this case pump hydraulic coupling will control drum level. Slave controllers Each feedwater pump speed control loop is equipped with: bias facility and A/M control station to allow the related feedwater pump to be operated in unbalanced condition or in manual control; the bias is neglected in case the related pump is not in service; scoop position forcing to minimum (0%). This forcement is active if the A/M station is in auto mode. It will be rate limited in case the related pump is in service (e.g. during pump shut-down sequence), otherwise it will be sudden (e.g. during start-up sequence, before motor starting); control output tracking when the A/M station is in manual, with rate limited release to master loop output at automatic switching; protective action in the event that the feedwater pump is operating at a point approaching the protection curve, which is stored as a function of the pump delivery pressure. In this case, the feedwater control valve opening is limited by the flow deviation of the pump and the operator is informed via the pump runout alarm; minimum flow control valve that automatically opens and modulates whenever the related feedwater pump flow drops below 25% The feedwater pump speed demand (i.e. output signal of A/M control station, downstream the rate limiter) is sent to hydraulic coupling of the related feedwater pump.