PROJECT : RAICHUR TPS (210 MW) UNIT-7 PROBLEM : LP BYPASS CONTROL VALVE 1/LPBP GOVERNING SYSTEM.

While doing governing checks in Raichur Unit-7, number of operational problems were encountered in the above system. The

following table lists three instances of failure of the hydraulic valve position control mechanism, each independently causing the same

kind of failure i.e. erratic, unpredictable valve response.

S.No. Problem 1. During calibration checks, LP Bypass Control Valves were not opening correctly. The valves went to full open at 5.0 ksc signal oil pressure (SOP) and full close at 4.5 ksc. The adjustments provided had no effect. Solution Orifice of feedback oil line to each of the LPBP control valves was reduced to F 2.5 mm from originally designed F 5 mm size. The use of 5 mm orifices was giving overpressure and suppressing the control valve pilots. Adjustments were not effective till smaller orifices were used.

2.

While setting the control valve characteristics, LPBP CV 1 was going to full open at 2.5 ksc. SOP. No adjustments were possible. The feedback linkage mechanism was inspected. It was seen that :

(1) The locking screw under the The locking screw was screwed in feedback follow piston (see and correct positioning of the

Fig.1) had come out of its sleeve was ensured. threaded hole and was blocking the movement of sleeve in the follow piston assembly. This resulted in two problems: (a)The cam follower was making no contact with the valve cam.. (b) The feedback oil pressure was never built up because the sleeve was always out of position and draining the feedback oil. Neither regulation nor feedback was taking place. The pin 22 was removed, polished to reduce its diameter, 2) Pin 22 (see Fig.1) in the feed and refitted. Care was taken to back link assembly was having ensure freeness of the links, high friction and preventing the cam without introducing play. follower from resting on the cam. For this reason also the sleeve was The valve adjustments were now not regulating as required and OK. feedback oil was being drained. The net result was same as in (1) above. LPBP CV 1 did not open at all during The CV1 signal oil pipe was cut steam dumping. (Earlier it was OK.) just before the isolation valve. Signal oil to CV1 pilot was Inside, at the valve, bits of completely cut off. No oil flowed newspaper, debris and a nut had from the opened flange even when choked the passage. The valve SOP was raised to 5 ksc. was welded back after cleaning the pipe. LPBP CV1 & CV2 are now working problem free and LP Bypass is commissioned on auto.

3.

CONCLUSIONS: The solutions listed in table above were found one after another, but while the trial efforts were underway, it was indeed puzzling to find that correcting one defect did not solve the problem. When all were corrected, then only the valve behaviour was satisfactory.