Why vacuum may be lost or not maintained in steam turbine system?

 Greatest trouble in running steam turbines is loss of vacuum caused by air leaking into surface condenser through joints or
packing glands.
 Another trouble spot is cooling water leaking into the steam space through the ends of the tubes or through tiny holes in
the tubes.
 Tubes may also become plugged with mud, shells, debris, slime or algae, thus cutting down on the cooling water supply.
 Corrosion may be uniform, or it may occur in small holes or pits.

Excessive air leakage into the vacuum system

 Sealing steam is not adequate to glands of turbine and stop valves.
 Air leaks from other lines connected to vacuum condenser.
 Leaking exhaust bellow at condenser inlet.
 Air leaking into system reduces the condenser efficiency.

Improper functioning of the air removal equipment

 dirty nozzle in ejector unit.

Date :- 02/04/2019 Shift :- B

TG synchronized with grid at 9:07pm while turbine thrust bearing change work completed at 6:00pm.
3 times tried making vacuum in ejector but everytime failing and exhaust hood temperature rises to 150°C. So hogger nozzle was
opened at 8:00pm and checked.

 Condenser cooling is not adequate.

 Condenser is leaking.
 Dirty circulating water- corrosive, corroded tank and piping system.
 The suction line from condenser obstructed.

Improper drainage of condensate from condenser

 The condensate temperature may be too hot.

MCW Pump values increased from 75% to 80%.

 The valves to and from hot well are throttled.

 Condenser level controller is erratic.
 Air leaking from the Nonrunning unit mountings.
 Condensate pump re-circulating controller erratic.

Insufficient flow of circulating water

 Dirty condenser.
 Division plate leaks.

HP/LP dump controllers to be operating correctly and no leaks of valves ensured.

When vacuum lost suddenly from running condenser, shut down immediately. The condenser cannot stand the steam
pressure, the condenser tubes may leak from excessive temperature. Excessive pressure will also damage the shell, the exhaust
and the low-pressure parts of the turbine.

Date :- 09/04/2019 Shift :- A

TBO at 12:01pm to 12:17pm
On grid fail, As MP control valve is Bypass, so 3rd extraction steam starts decreasing from 5.01kg/cm2 . This causes ejector
vacuum decrease from - .956 kg/cm2 because adequate steam is not supplying to main ejector nozzles . And this cause exhaust
hood temperature rise .
Actions to be taken in such conditions – (1) open Hogger line fast and shut off main ejector until all parameters get normal on
vacuum drop.
(2) keep 3 to 8 line charge always.

(3) Provide a control valve(in Auto mode) in place of isolation valve in 3 to 8 line near
ejector which can open and provide steam of 5 kg/cm2 to ejector at the time when grid fail and 3 rd extraction starts decreasing .

(4) Provide a separate line for ejector from CSDH header.

The importance of the vacuum being maintained in the steam condenser:

  By maintaining a vacuum in the steam condenser, the efficiency of the steam-power plant can be increased as greater the
vacuum in the system, greater will be the enthalpy drop of steam. Therefore, more work will be available per kg of steam
condensing.

 The non-condensate (air) can be removed from the condensate-steam circuit by pulling and maintaining a vacuum in the
steam side. Therefore, the condensate can be used as boiler feed.
 The heat transfer surface in contact with cooling water must be free from any deposit as scaling reduces the efficiency of
heat exchangers.

Important precautions:

 High-pressure steam in contact with sub cooled condensate is an unstable and potentially explosive mixture.

Date :- 02/04/2019 Shift :- B

TG synchronized with grid at 9:07pm while turbine thrust bearing change work completed at 6:00pm.
3 times tried making vacuum in ejector but everytime failing and exhaust hood temperature rises to 150°C. So hogger nozzle was
opened at 8:00pm and checked.
It was a minute fault which causes much time wastage in charging ejector.
As High pressure high temperature drains before QCNRV which are going in the Flash tank( Low pressure ) opposite condenser
were opened condition. So that High temperature condensate when mixing with low temperature condensate in flash tank produces
huge amount of steam which was an explosive mixture and this rises the temperature of exhaust hood to 150°C.
So all high temperature drains going inside flash tank should be closed while charging main ejector.

 Don't admit steam into a line filled with sub cooled condensate if you cannot be absolutely certain that the line's been
completely drained.
 Allowing sub cooled condensate to flow into a stream filled line is more dangerous than admitting steam into a line with
sub cooled condensate.
 If you suspect a pressurized steam line is filled with sub cooled condensate, don't attempt to drain the condensate. Shut
the steam off first, then drain the condensate. If you do open a drain, and the line hammers, close it and get the steam off.
The line may continue to hammer until you get the steam off.