PROBLEM PROJECT

:WATER INGRESS INTO THE GAS SYSTEM :KOVIL KALAPPAL COMBINED CYCLE POWER PROJECT

PROBLEM: TNEB customer from Kovilkalappal Combined Cycle project reported that on 27/09/03 after two hours of starting of the Gas Booster Compressor No.1, when GT load was about 30 MW, a loud noise was heard from the Gas Booster Compressor (GBC) and motor current was hunting between 90 and 290 amp (normal full load current is 253 amps). The compressor was stopped immediately. On checking the system, water stagnation was found in the gas side of gas cooler, which was drained, indicating possible leakage of cooling water into the gas system. Hydraulic test of the cooler was carried out to locate the leaks. The test revealed no leaks except sweating around few tubes expanded area, at a pressure of 45 kgs/cm2 (design pressure is 33 kg/cm2). M/s. TNEB could not identify the cause and hence requested BHELs assistance.

OBSERVATION: BHEL Commissioning Engineer was deputed and inspected the system. There was not much of condensate or water when the drains of gas line, scrubber and gas conditioning skid were opened. However, lot of condensate was seen in the cyclone separator space of scrubber as shown in the drawing. But there was no water from the drain point provided. Suspected to be due to chocking of the drain line from the cyclone chamber to the bottom of the scrubber. An atmospheric drain with valve was provided from the hand hole plate and a valve was introduced in the place of dummy as shown to drain condensate from the separator space. Although the system was checked from the low point drains, on casual examination, the drain line of gas inlet header which is at 4 mtr. elevation was opened and lot of water came out from the header. The header is almost in the level of scrubber outlet flange and the water collected has probably remaining there, since the inlet line to compressor line was tapped off on the top of the header as shown in the figure. From the discussions with TNEB officials, it is understood that GBC No.2 cooler had experienced leakage problem and arrangements are being made for rectification. With the above observation, it is suspected that the water leakage from GBC-2 has gradually caused water ingress into the gas system of GBC-1, during planned shut down and caused disturbance while restarting. Probably the gas system of GBC-2 was not completely isolated.

CONCLUSION: The cooling water quality in Kovilkalappal deteriorated over a period of time and frequent cooler chocking was experienced. It is understood that these coolers were cleaned with acid two months back for the problem of chocking. The above operation might have caused leakage problem. Customer engineers were educated to prevent such abnormality and advised to attend to cooler leakage at the earliest.