WORKS HOP ON CRITICAL PIPING &

AS S OCIATED S YS TEMS
(7–8 TH AUGUS T’ 2002, AT TS -HQ, KRIBHCO BHAWAN, NOIDA)

PRES ENTATION
ON

CRITICAL PIPING DRAINAGE

S YS TEM
BY
VIPIN GUPTA, DGM, PEM
1
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
ANY PIPE CONNECTION TO THE TURBINE IS A
POTENTIAL SOURCE OF WATER EITHER BY INDUCTION
FROM EXTERNAL EQUIPMENT OR BY ACCUMULATION
OF CONDENSED STEAM

2
 DESIGN BASIS

• ASME TDP – 1

• RECORD NOTES OF DISCUSSION HELD AT TS-HQ,

N.DELHI ON 12.09.91 REGARDING DRAINS SYSTEM

• SPECIFIC CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS

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 DESIGN CRITERIA

• DETECTION OF THE PRESENCE OF WATER

• ISOLATION OF THE WATER BY MANUAL OR

PREFERABLY AUTOMATIC MEANS
 
• DISPOSAL OF THE WATER BY MANUAL OR
PREFERABLY AUTOMATIC MEANS
 
• NO SINGLE FAILURE OF EQUIPMENT SHOULD RESULT
IN WATER ENTERING THE TURBINE

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MAIN STEAM PIPING

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 MAIN STEAM PIPING

• MS PIPING DRAINS UPTO TURBINE VALVES ARE LED TO

ATMOSPHERE

• DRAINS DOWNSTREAM OF TURBINE STOP VALVES ARE LED TO

CONDENSER
 
• START-UP DRAIN IS PROVIDED AT THE UPSTREAM OF BOILER
STOP VALVE
 
• MS STRAINER IS THE LOWEST POINT AND FORMS THE DRAIN
POINT
 
• BEFORE SEAT DRAIN IS CASCADED BACK TO THE MAIN STEAM
LINE
 
• DURING START-UP MS STRAINER / LINE DRAINS ARE OPEN TO
ATMOSPHERE
  CONTD.
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 MAIN STEAM PIPING

 
• AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OF MS STRAINER & LINE DRAINS
 
• SEPARATE ATMOSPHERIC FLASH TANK (UFT) IS PROVIDED IN TG
AREA TO RECEIVE MS DRAINS / HP BYPASS DRAINS TO MINIMIZE
ROUTING PROBLEM
 
• DRAINAGE SYSTEM AS DESCRIBED HAS BEEN ADOPTED IN
VARIOUS 210 MW / 250 MW / 500 MW PROJECTS LIKE DADRI,
UNCHAHAR, BAKRESWAR, DAHANU, SURATGARH, KOTHAGUDEM,
SIMHADRI ETC.

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START-UP DRAIN UPSTREAM OF
BOILER STOP VALVE

8
 MAIN STEAM LINE DRAINS
(TYPICAL FOR ONE LEG)

HPT

(BEFORE
SEAT
DRAIN)
TO TURBINE
FLASH BOX
(MAL SYSTEM)
(AFTER SEAT DRAIN)
MAIN STEAM

TO UNIT FLASH TANK

(L.O.)
(MS STRAINER DRAIN)

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MAIN STEAM STRAINER DRAIN

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HOT REHEAT PIPING

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 HOT REHEAT PIPING

• DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF MAIN

STEAM EXCEPT THAT PRIOR TO STARTING THE
TURBINE THE HOT REHEAT PIPING WILL BE AT
CONDENSER PRESSURE, HENCE HOT REHEAT PIPING
DRAINS ARE TO BE LED TO CONDENSER

• HRH DRAIN VALVES ARE OPEN BEFORE START OF

VACUUM PULLING

• AUTOMATIC CLOSURE OF HRH STRAINER & LINE

DRAINS

• ADDITIONALLY MANUAL DRAIN IS PROVIDED AT THE

UPSTREAM OF RH ISOLATING DEVICE TO FACILITATE
DRAINING OF PIPING AFTER HYDRO TEST OF RH
SECTIONS
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HRH RH ISOLATING DEVICE

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 HRH LINE DRAINS
(TYPICAL FOR ONE LEG )

IPT

(BEFORE
SEAT TO TURBINE
DRAIN) FLASH BOX
(MAL SYSTEM)

(AFTER SEAT DRAIN)

HOT REHEAT

TO CONDENSER
FLASH TANK
(L.O.)
(HRH STRAINER DRAIN)

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HRH DRAIN BETWEEN IPT & VALVE

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HRH STRAINER DRAIN

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COLD REHEAT PIPING

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 COLD REHEAT PIPING

• THE POTENTIAL SOURCE OF WATER INGRESS INTO CRH PIPE

ARE:
 REHEATER SPRAY
 HP BYPASS SPRAY
 TOP HEATER EXTRACTION PIPING FROM HP EXHAUST

• DESIGN OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE

WATER THAT CAN ENTER INTO CRH LINE IS IMPRACTICAL

• SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SIGNAL TO ENABLE

OPERATOR TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT
WATER INFLOW

• CRH PIPING DRAINS ARE LED TO CONDENSER AS IT COMES

UNDER VACUUM DURING START-UP

CONTD.
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 COLD REHEAT PIPING

• PIPING DOWNSTREAM OF CRH NRV FORMS LOWEST POINT IN

THE CRH LINE

• ADDITIONALLY DRAIN IS PROVIDED BETWEEN HP TURBINE

EXHAUST & CRH NRV

• A MANUAL DRAIN IS ALSO PROVIDED AT THE DOWNSTREAM

OF RH ISOLATING DEVICE TO FACILITATE DRAINING OF PIPING
AFTER HYDRO TEST OF RH SECTIONS

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CRH RH ISOLATING DEVICE

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 COLD REHEAT LINE DRAINS

HPT

HH
A
DRAIN POT TO TURBINE
H A FLASH BOX
LS (L.O.) (MAL SYSTEM)
LS

(L.O.)

TO CONDENSER
FLASH TANK

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CRH PIPING DRAIN BETWEEN HPT
EXHAUST & NRV

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CRH PIPING DRAINS

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 CRH PIPING DRAIN POT

• DRAIN POT OF 6 INCH DIA IS PROVIDED IN 210 MW / 250 MW &

12 INCH DIA IN 500 MW AT THE EACH LOW POINT

• TWO LEVEL SWITCHES ARE INSTALLED ON THE DRAIN POT

FOR SENSING OF PRESENCE OF CONDENSATE IN THE DRAIN
POT AND EFFICIENT EVACUATION OF THE SAME

• LEVEL SWITCH AT HIGH LEVEL SHALL INITIATE FULL OPENING

OF THE DRAIN VALVE AS WELL AS PROVIDE AN ALARM IN
CONTROL ROOM

• LEVEL SWITCH AT HIGH HIGH LEVEL SHALL INITIATE AN

ALARM AND REPEAT COMMAND FOR OPENING DRAIN VALVE

CONTD.
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 CRH PIPING DRAIN POT

• HIGH HIGH LEVEL IS A WARNING TO THE OPERATOR TO

INVESTIGATE & ISOLATE THE SOURCE OF WATER INGRESS

• BEFORE START OF VACUUM PULLING CRH DRAINS ARE OPEN

TO CONDENSER AND OPERATOR TO ENSURE NO ALARM
CONDITION ( CW PUMP & CEP ARE RUNNING)

• SPRAY IS ENVISAGED IN FLASH TANK TO COOL DRAINS

• CLOSING OF CRH DRAIN VALVE IS REMOTE MANUAL

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CRH DRAIN POT ARRANGEMENT

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HP BYPASS PIPING

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 HP BYPASS PIPING

• HP BYPASS WARM-UP & DRAIN ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN

ADOPTED IN LINE WITH DELIBERATIONS DTD. 20-21ST FEB. ‘
1998 AT TRICHY

• HP BYPASS PIPING LAYOUT IS SUCH THAT ENTIRE PIPING IS

SELF DRAINABLE TOWARDS MAIN STEAM / COLD REHEAT
PIPING

• WARM-UP TAPPING IS PROVIDED CLOSE TO THE BYPASS

VALVE FROM BOTTOM OF THE PIPING

• WARMING-UP LINE IS CONNECTED TO CRH LINE MINIMUM 5M

AWAY FROM TEMPERATURE TAPPING POINTS

• START-UP DRAIN IS PROVIDED ON THE WARM-UP LINE AND IS

LED TO ATMOSPHERE CONTD.
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 HP BYPASS PIPING

• START-UP DRAIN OPENS PRIOR TO STARTING THE UNIT AND

CLOSES WHEN HP BYPASS VALVE IS TAKEN INTO SERVICE

• TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT SHALL BE PROVIDED AT HP

BYPASS VALVE INLET

• HP BYPASS VALVE TO BE LOCATED ABOVE THE MAIN STEAM

& CRH PIPING

• WARMING-UP LINE TO DOWNSTREAM OF MS STRAINER IS NOT

PREFERRED AT IT WOULD LEAD TO UNSTRAINED STEAM TO
TURBINE

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 HP BYPASS WARMING-UP SCHEME

HP BYPASS
VALVE
TE

TE TE

250 mm 5 M (min)

WARM-UP LINE
(LO)

MAIN STEAM LINE COLD REHEAT LINE

START-UP DRAIN

TO UFT

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HP BYPASS WARM-UP PIPING

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LP BYPASS PIPING

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LP BYPASS WARM-UP PIPING

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LP BYPASS WARM UP PIPING

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 LP BYPASS PIPING

• IN EARLIER 210MW SETS AN ISOLATING VALVE WAS

ENVISAGED IN LP BYPASS WARM-UP SCHEME

• THE PURPOSE OF ISOLATING VALVE IS TO ISOLATE WARM-UP

LINE DURING INITIAL COLD START-UP

• THIS VALVE HAS TO BE KEPT OPEN IN ALL OTHER MODES OF

OPERATION

• BASED ON THE SITE FEEDBACK AN ANALYSIS WAS DONE & IT

WAS OBSERVED THAT OPERATION OF ISOLATING VALVE WAS
NOT PROPER AND WAS USUALLY LEFT CLOSED WHICH LEAD
TO PROBLEMS WITH LP BYPASS SYSTEM

• FROM DADRI 210MW TPS ONWARDS THIS ISOLATING VALVE

HAS BEEN DISPENSED WITH CONTD.
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 LP BYPASS PIPING

• IN 500MW PROJECTS ALSO THERE IS NO ISOLATING VALVE IN

THE WARM-UP LINE

• THIS HAS ENHANCED THE SYSTEM RELIABILITY AND EASE IN

OPERATION

• LP BYPASS LOOP PIPING DRAINS CAN BE CASCADED BACK

TO HRH PIPING (BETWEEN TURBINE & STRAINER) AT AN
LOWER ELEVATION OTHERWISE DRAIN CAN BE LED TO
CONDENSER

• DRAIN ON WARMUP LINE IS PROVIDED CLOSE TO VALVE TO

ENSURE WARMING UP

CONTD.
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 LP BYPASS PIPING

• BEFORE PULLING VACUUM IN THE CONDENSER OPEN ABOVE

DRAINS TO CONDENSER

• ONCE LP BYPASS VALVE IS TAKEN INTO OPERATION THESE

DRAIN VALVES CAN BE CLOSED

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 LP BYPASS WARMING UP SCHEME
FOR 210 MW UNITS

HRH LINE
HRH
STRAINER
CONTROL VALVE

TO CONDENSER

Nb 450
STOP VALVE
LP BYPASS
MAIN LINE

TO TURBINE
TO CONDENSER
VIA FLASH TANK
Nb 50 LP BYPASS
WARM-UP LINE

WARM-UP STEAM FLOW IN COLD CONDITION

WARM-UP STEAM FLOW DURING NORMAL RUNNING OF TURBINE

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 LP BYPASS WARMING UP SCHEME
FOR 500 MW UNITS

HRH LINE
HRH
STRAINER

Nb 650
STOP VALVE
LP BYPASS
MAIN LINE

TO CONDENSER
TO TURBINE TO VIA FLASH TANK
CONDENSER
CONTROL VALVE

Nb 50 LP BYPASS
WARM-UP LINE

WARM-UP STEAM FLOW IN COLD CONDITION

WARM-UP STEAM FLOW DURING NORMAL RUNNING OF TURBINE

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 OPERATING MODES

• COLD START-UP

DRAINS SHALL BE OPERATED AS DESCRIBED EARLIER

• HOT START-UP

DURING TURBINE TRIPPED / BOILER TRIPPED CONDITION,

OPEN AND CLOSE DRAINS AS IN COLD START-UP. MS
STRAINER DRAINS ARE TO BE CLOSED AS SOON AS 50°COF
SUPERHEAT IS ACHIEVED AND BYPASS IS ESTABLISHED.

DURING TURBINE TRIPPED / BOILER IN SERVICE WITH

HP/LP BYPASS CONDITION NO DRAINS TO BE OPENED

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 NTPC SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

FOLLOWING ARE ADDITIONAL FEATURES PROVIDED IN NTPC

PROJECTS AS PER THE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENT:

• ANGLE VALVES INSTEAD OF GLOBE VALVES IN DRAIN LINES

• NTPC SPECN. CALLS FOR TWO DRAINS FOR EACH DRAIN

POINT I.E. ONE AS NORMAL DRAIN TO DRAIN FLASH TANK AND
THE OTHER AS ALTERNATE DRAIN TO ATMOSPHERIC FLASH
TANK. AFTER DELIBERATIONS ALTERNATE PATH ARE
PROVIDED FOR MAIN STEAM DRAINS & HOT REHEAT DRAINS
ONLY

• CLEAN OUT VALVES FOR DRIP POTS

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ANGLE VALVE DRAIN ARRANGEMENT

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 FLASH TANKS SPRAY SYSTEM

FOR COOLING OF INCOMING HOT DRAINS FOLLOWING SPRAYS

ARE ENVISAGED IN THE FLASH TANKS:

• CONDENSATE SPRAY FROM CEP DISCHARGE TO CONDENSER

FLASH TANK THROUGH TEMPERATURE REGULATED ON / OFF
TYPE CONTROL VALVE

• CONTINUOUS SPRAY THROUGH A MANUAL REGULATING

VALVE & RESTRICTION ORIFICE FROM SERVICE WATER
SYSTEM TO UNIT FLASH TANK

• CONTINUOUS SPRAY THROUGH A RESTRICTION ORIFICE

FROM CEP DISCHARGE VALVE GLAND SEALING HEADER TO HP
DRAIN FLASH TANK

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UNIT FLASH TANK ARRANGEMENT (TYP)

HPBP WARM-UP MS STRAINER

LINE DRAINS (TYP) DRAINS (TYP)

( LO ) ( LO )
SPRAY WATER
FROM SERVICE
WATER SYSTEM

UNIT
FLASH
TANK

3M

TO DRAIN
TRENCH

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 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• DESIGN , CONTROL AND OPERATION OF ALL SYSTEM THAT

HAVE A POTENTIAL FOR ALLOWING WATER TO THE TURBINE
SHALL PREVENT ANY UNUSUAL ACCUMULATION

• DRAINS SHALL BE INSTALLED AT EVERY LOW POINT WITH

ADEQUATE MEANS (MANUAL / AUTOMATIC) TO DISPOSE OFF
THE CONDENSATE COLLECTED

• DRAIN LINE SIZE SHALL BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT RISK OF

PLUGGING BY FOREIGN MATERIAL. NORMALLY DRAIN LINE SIZE
IS 2 INCH

• ALL DRAIN LINES SHALL PREFERABLY BE RUN INDIVIDUALLY

AND HAVE CONTINUOUS SLOPE TOWARDS THE DISPOSAL POINT

CONTD.
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 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• HIGH PRESSURE DRAINS SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH TWO

VALVES IN SERIES , UPSTREAM LOCKED OPEN VALVE &
DOWNSTREAM MOTORIZED VALVE. LOW PRESSURE DRAINS
SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH MOTORIZED VALVE

• ALL MOTORIZED DRAINS SHALL HAVE FACILITY TO OPERATE

FROM UNIT CONTROL ROOM WITH OPEN / CLOSE POSITION
INDICATION

• OPERATOR TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE MOTORISED DRAIN

VALVES SHALL BE CLOSED IMMEDIATELY ON ATTAINMENT OF
10% BLOCK LOAD ON TURBINE

• INSTALLATION LEVELS OF MS STRAINER. HRH STRAINER , CRH

NRV ETC SHALL BE SUCH THAT DRAIN CAN BE LED WITH
CONTINUOUS PROPER SLOPE TO THE TERMINAL POINT
CONTD.
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 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• ALTERNATE PATH SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS IT BECOMES

SOURCE OF AIR INGRESS. ALSO AT SOME SITES ITS MAL-
OPERATION RESULTED SUCKING OF WATER FROM
ATMOSPHERIC TANK INTO THE MAIN PIPING LEADING TO
SEVERE PROBLEMS

• DRAINS TO MANIFOLD SHALL BE GROUPED IN

APPROXIMATELY SAME PRESSURE RANGES OTHERWISE
DRAINS SHALL BE ARRANGED IN A DECREASING ORDER OF
THE PRESSURE

• DRAIN LINES TO THE MANIFOLD SHALL BE MOUNTED AT 450

TO THE MANIFOLD AXIAL CENTRE LINE WITH THE DRAIN LINE
DISCHARGE POINTING TOWARDS THE DISPOSAL POINT
CONTD.
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 GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• DRAIN SHALL BE PREFERABLY TAPPED THROUGH A DRIP POT

• LOOPS REQUIRED FOR FLEXIBILITY SHALL BE IN THE PLANE OF

THE SLOPE

• LOOP DRAINS CAN BE CASCADED BACK TO THE MAIN PIPING BY

GRAVITY AT A LOWER ELEVATION

• OPERATION OF DRAIN VALVE, PLUGGING OF DRAIN LINES AND

HEALTHINESS OF INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE PERIODICALLY
CHECKED

• LEVEL ACTUATED MECHANISM SHALL BE TESTED AT INTERVALS

TO ENSURE THEIR PROPER FUNCTIONING

• DRIP POTS, TRAPS & ORIFICES FOR ALL DRAIN LINES SHALL BE
REGULARLY CLEANED
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