DRUM LEVEL CONTROL

Drum level control is achieved

by operation of control valve, input to
control valve being water flow from
Feed Pump and is controlled through
scoop operation.
 Drum level control is achieved by
different types for various load
conditions.
1) Valve is on 1Element i.e. Level, and
Scoop is on DP.
2) When valve is on three element (i.e.
Signal from Drum level, and difference
between Steam flow and Feed flow),
and DP across valve is controlled by
scoop
3) When Control valve is in on Pump
control it opens fully and there is no
restriction of flow due to valve, DP across
valve is zero. Level, along with signal
from Steam flow – Feed flow is controlled
by scoop
 In initial process when load is less i.e.
steam flow is less than 30%, a signal from
Drum Level transmitter which is density
compensated is compared with Desired Drum
level signal and error signal is given to
controller. Final signal from controller is given
to control valve (Low load line valve) to
maintain drum level.
 As the valve position changes DP across
valve is changed. DP signal from DP
transmitter is compared with desired DP
and error signal is fed to controller. Final
signal from this controller is given to scoop
of pump which changes speed of the pump.
 When load increases and steam
flow is sufficient i.e. above 30%, Full
load line is taken in service.
 Drum level is prone to frequent and large
deviation from set value. In such a
condition anticipatory action is to be
introduced. Change in drum level occurs
when there is a load change, i.e. change in
steam flow which is to be compensated by
feed flow.
 It is therefore required to always maintain
feed flow equal to steam flow. Hence in
addition to Drum level, a signal of steam
flow – feed flow is given to controller. With
change in steam flow even before drum level
gets affected feed flow is adjusted to keep
steam flow – feed flow and thus disturbance
in drum level is prevented.
 A signal from Drum level transmitter and
Difference between steam flow – feed flow
is compared with desired drum level signal
and error is fed to controller. Controller
signal finally operates control valve. DP
change across valve caused by operation of
valve is taken care of by scoop controller.
 When boiler load is grater than 60 % Control
valve is put on pump control when valve opens fully
and there is no restriction in feed flow due to control
valve throttling. Scoop is put on 3Element. In this
case, a signal from Drum level transmitter and
difference between steam flow – feed flow is
compared with desired drum level signal and error
is fed to controller. Controller signal finally
operates scoop of BFP. As such level is controlled
by scoop and energy loss due to throttling of valve
is eliminated.
 Drum level is prone to fast changes
When there is a sudden load change which
gets stabilized after some time this is called
swelling and shrinking of level. This is
avoided by incorporating
anti swell anti shrinking circuit.
 Pump protection circuit: - There has to
be certain relation between pump discharge
pressure and flow as per characteristic of
pump. This care is taken by circuit. When
flow is grater as per characteristic lower
command to scoop is blocked and control
valve operates on minimum signal among 3
element error and error between desired
pressure (as per characteristic) and actual
pressure. Similarly when pressure is more
as per characteristic raise command to
scoop is blocked.
Adaptive control: for a specific load when
one pump is in service, required position
of scoop will be higher than when two
pumps are in service. This is achieved by
introducing a contact of one pump
operation and multiplying the signal value
by suitable constant.
THANK YOU