Feedwater Heater Control System for Improved Rankine Cycle Power Plant Efficiency

Standards Certification

Don Labbe, Invensys Operations Management

Education & Training

Publishing Conferences & Exhibits

Presenter
Don Labbe is a Consulting Control Engineer for Invensys Operations Management. He received a bachelors degree in Nuclear Engineering from UMass Lowell and a Masters degree from MIT. Don is a registered professional engineer in the state of Massachusetts. Don has published 45+ papers and articles and has 4 patents and 2 patents pending. He is an ISA Fellow and is a recipient of the ISA E.G. Bailey Award and the ISA POWID Achievement Award. He currently serves as the ISA POWID Director.

Outline Rankine Cycle Review Boiler Energy Distribution High Pressure Feedwater Heater Control Conclusions

Basic Rankine Cycle (Wikipedia)

Basic Rankine Cycle T-S diagram (Wikipedia)

Regenerative Rankine Cycle with Reheat

Regenerative with Reheat Rankine Cycle T-S Diagram (Wikipedia)

Boiler Energy Distribution for Drum Type Power Plants

Prior to plant construction the cycle is analyzed combining information from the turbine, boiler and subsystems to design the boiler, turbine and configuration of feedwater heaters
The objective of the boiler is to heat the feedwater to generate the design superheated steam flow at the design pressure and temperature

Drum style steam power plants have fixed surface areas for each function of the steam process
economizer for water preheating evaporator for steam generation superheater for superheating steam and reheater for reheating steam

These surface areas are designed based on assumptions for fuel and feedwater temperature
The turbine extraction points determine the feedwater heater temperature

Modifications to a boiler section surface area or changes in fuel quality can result in an energy distribution imbalance and potentially an inability to attain design steam temperatures under all operating conditions

Steam Temperature Controls Boiler typically includes one or more steam temperature control systems, such as
Superheat and reheat sprays Gas path dampers Burner tilts Burners-in-service

Sometimes these are inadequate to attain design superheat steam temperatures due to
Fuel quality changes Boiler design changes Adverse consequence of temperature controls on emissions

High Pressure Feed Water Heater Control for Steam Temperature Control Boiler feedwater temperature impacts superheat steam temperature (Drum boilers)
Predicted 16F superheat increase per 10F cooler feedwater Predicted increase in reheat steam flow

Apply high pressure feed water heater control as part of a multivariable boiler control
Efficiency gains from higher steam temperatures and boiler efficiency more than offset efficiency loss from cooler feedwater temperature Increase load generation capability, both short term and long term Lower emissions

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Feedwater Heater Control Test 1: Effect on Superheat and Turbine Control

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Confirmation Test 1: Partial closure of the 1st point feedwater heater extraction isolation valves Forced ~ 50 psi drop across extraction valves of high pressure feedwater heater Confirmed the expected drop in feedwater outlet temperature Confirmed predicted increase in superheater steam temperature Confirmed increase in reheat steam flow Confirmed reduction in turbine throttle valve position for same load generation

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Test 2: HP Heaters In-service to Out-ofservice

HP Heaters in Service

HP Heaters Outof- Service

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Performance Comparison: HP Heaters Inservice to Out-of-service

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Test 2: Full isolation of the B side high pressure feedwater heaters Confirmed drop in economizer inlet temperature Lower burner tilts Lower NOx emissions Lower furnace exit gas temperatures Lower reheat spray flow Increase in reheat steam flow Reduced main steam flow and turbine throttle valve position Increased load generation margin
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Test Results
Control of 1st point heater extraction steam can be applied to
increase superheat steam temperature, lower burner tilts, lower furnace exit gas temperatures, lower NOx and compensate for the adverse impact of higher BTU coal, an overly clean furnace, and placing the lower coal mill in service

Tests confirmed that peak load generation capability can be significantly increased through the modulation of the extraction steam to the 1st point feedwater heater with little, if any, consequence on the unit heat rate

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Conclusions
By controlling the high pressure feedwater heater outlet temperature an additional element of control is provided to attain design steam temperatures. The potential improvement in cycle efficiency through achieving design steam temperatures and increasing boiler efficiency more than offsets the efficiency loss due to cooler feedwater Feedwater heater outlet temperature control can be a vital component of a multivariable boiler and steam temperature control system An additional benefit is increased MW generation and the potential for reduced NOx emissions.
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Feedwater Heater Control System for Improved Rankine Cycle Power Plant Efficiency
Standards Certification

Don Labbe, Invensys Operations Management

Education & Training

Publishing Conferences & Exhibits