GUIDELINES FOR HOUSE LOAD OPERATION 500MW SETS

I.

CONDITION FOR HOUSE LOAD OPERATION: -

Unit will come on House Load operation by disconnecting from the grid and
feeding power to its own auxiliaries when a unit is required to be isolated
from the grid due to some external fault, i.e. fault beyond the step-up
transformer, or it encounters such operating conditions when the grid
frequency drifts beyond acceptable operating limits. The signal for house
load will be communicated to various controls of the set. The unit shall
continue to operate under house load mode till such time it can be
resynchronized back to the grid when the external conditions permit.

II.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT OF VARIOUS EQUIPMENTS.

A.

TURBO GENERATOR PROTECTION

Review of TG tripping on any external fault beyond step up

transformer: Presently, for any external fault beyond step up
transformer, the step up transformer circuit breaker trips along with
tripping turbo generator unit through unit protection relay (86). The
trip circuit in generator protection panel therefore needs
modification such that external fault would cause tripping of step up
transformer breaker alone and not the turbine generator unit. For
this modification, the external fault signals i.e. back up over current
protection, bus bar differential protection and pole slippage
protection shall be wired separately to step up transformer circuit
breaker tripping circuit instead of the unit protection relay (86).

Review of generator over frequency / under frequency setting:

Another modification required is for under frequency and over
frequency tripping. The turbo generator unit trips through unit
protection relay when unit is operated beyond permissible operating
frequency limits. Presently, the frequency signal is taken from
generator PT. This protection is needed even during house load
protection. Therefore, it shall be retained as it is. However, for
isolating the unit during grid frequency variation beyond set limits, a
separate frequency signal from the bus bar PT is required to be
wired directly to step up transformer tripping circuit. The time
settings of the grid frequency tripping signals shall be set lower
than the existing under frequency and over frequency trip settings
for proper discrimination. It is also possible that the operator can
hand trip the step up transformer to isolate it from the main grid
when the grid frequency drifts beyond the acceptable limits. The

hand tripping of step up transformer will not cause operation of unit

protection relay (86).
Checking of the interlocks of 52GX contacts on house load.
Discussion to be held with electrical side expert as to what
should be in generator, bus, etc. to have smooth operation.

BOILER CONTROL

As far as boiler is concerned, the house load operation results in

sudden load throw off - say from 100% to HP by pass capacity
(60% BMCR). Even though boiler is designed for the house load
operation, the setting and control procedures are necessarily to be
established to achieve successful transfer. It is expected that upon
closing of turbine control valves and in spite of quick opening of HP
by pass valves, the boiler outlet pressure might increase suddenly
resulting in opening of emergency relief valve and spring loaded
safety valve at super heater outlet header. Drum safety valves are
not expected to blow. However, the drum level control on auto and
also in manual mode will become difficult while safety valves are
blowing. Therefore, proper experienced manual intervention may be
sometimes required during that time because safety valve popping
has to be prevented. Opening of LP by pass valves, simultaneously
with opening of HP by pass valve, will prevent the reheater
pressurization.

Opening of generators step up transformer circuit breaker will

result in the following feed forward signals to respective controllers.

BA) Quick opening command to HP bypass controls.

BB) Boiler run back command to coordinated master control.
BA)

HP BYPASS CONTROL: After quick opening of HP by pass control valves, the HP bypass
control is left in the normal pressure control mode of operation with
reduced pressure set point. That is during the pressure control
mode, after the quick opening command vanishes, the HP bypass set
pressure value may be set as below.
HP bypass pressure is derived from turbine set pressure in
coordinated master control and biased by a fixed valve above the
pressure set point for turbine. During house load operation this bias
could be removed so that HP Bypass can take faster action.
There are two possible modes of pressure setting of turbine, viz.
Sliding pressure mode and fixed pressure mode. The unit will
normally operate at constant pressure mode upto 80% of the load
(72% BMCR) and thereafter it will work on sliding pressure mode
upto 100% load. The change over from one mode to another is at
present done manually through push button provided in coordinator
Coordinated master control console. For unit load above 80% (72%
BMCR), the mode of control will could be sliding pressure. As per
the curves for the sliding pressure operation furnished by BHEL, at
80% load (72% BMCR) the pressure will be around 120 kg/cm2 at
turbine inlet (129 kg/cm2 at super heater outlet). Thereafter, from
80% load to 100% load the pressure will slide from 129 kg/cm 2 to

162 kg/cm2 at SH outlet. When the unit assumes sliding pressure

mode of operation, the fixed pressure set value will remain at 129
kg/cm2. During the changeover to house load operation when the
mode of pressure control is put on fixed pressure mode from sliding
pressure mode, the pressure set point therefore assumes original
fixed pressure value i.e. 129 kg/cm2. The only modification required
in the existing set up in Coordination Master Control is to provide a
binary signal for automatic changeover of pressure of pressure
control mode from sliding pressure to fixed pressure during
changeover to house load operation. The binary signal can be
derived from generator circuit breaker opening signal. However, in
case the unit was already running on fixed pressure mode when the
requirement for house load operation comes, then the operator has
to manually set the pressure to a reduced value. It may also be
required that the pressure biasing of HP bypass pressure set point
is not above turbine pressure set point normally at 5 8 kg/cm2 to
be set not more than 5 kg/cm2. The HP/LP bypass will come into
operation immediately on opening of step up transformer and
continue to be in service dumping about 60% of the steam flow to
condenser initially and thereafter to dump any excess steam when
boiler is stabilized at minimum technical loading. The present
interlock scheme at Chandrapur already has the facility to open HP
bypass valve on opening of step up transformer circuit breaker and
once the HP bypass valve is fully opened, the existing steam
pressure controller will takeover and modulate the HP bypass valve
to control the steam at fixed pressure.
The HP bypass spray temperature set point has to be suitably
decided based in site trails to prevent Reheater overheating. When
BP valves open fully due to fast opening, it is necessary to adjust
the feed forwards to the BPE so that these open at least 75% even
before there is any rise in temperature.

When BP valves open fully due to fast opening, it is necessary to

adjust the feed forwards to the BPE so that these open at least
75% even before there is any rise in temperature.

BB) BOILER RUN BACK

The boiler run back command reduces the fuel flow to boiler upto
the minimum value allowed per elevation by reducing the PA flow
through mills and the feeders would then reduce the speed to
maintain the same DP in the mill. If the mill DP was not in auto but
the Mill PA flow was in auto then the operator must manually
reduce the feeder speeds to prevent mill choking when PA flows are
getting drastically reduced. If some mill is running without the PA
flows in auto then whenever the house load operation starts the
operator must be alert and reduce those PA flows manually and
quickly. The adjustments for boiler run back rate and runback
target are provided in the existing Coordinated Master Control,

which have to be set at site suitably. This itself may not be

sufficient to restrict the target load to 60% in case more than 4
mills are in operation. Therefore, all the top rows of mills in excess
of 4 may have to be tripped on initiation of house load operation.
Suitable modification in FSSS could be necessary. The decision can
be taken only after one live trial is done. There is logic available in
the FSSS for tripping excess of four mills when one PA fan or one FD
fan trips. This logic can be motivated for the requirement of house
load operation also. Based on the field trials, suitable automatic
selection logic for the mill to be tripped may be established.
C.

TURBINE CONTROL

On receiving GCB open signal, due to maximum selection of the

two, the speed controller assumes control of the turbine and brings
the turbine to the set reference speed. House load operation may
not be resorted to if the turbine is in the hydraulic governor control
mode.

As the control valve will attain the position corresponding to house load
condition, the HP first stage pressure will drop. This will cause the variable set
point in LP bypass controller to be reduced. Simultaneously, the reheater
pressure will tend to rise, LP bypass controller will act to open the LP bypass
valve in order to maintain reheater pressure to the reduced LPBP set point or
fixed LPBP set point pressure whichever is high. Spray water valves will open
to de-superheat the bypassed steam being dumped to condenser.

With the rise in the CRH pressure, HP exhaust temperature will rise
and the trimming device will operate to increase the flow through
HP turbine, which facilitates in restricting the rise in HP exhaust
temperature.
While reducing the boiler load, care shall be taken to ensure main
steam temperature not below 490C to avoid TSE margin reduction
to zero.
Following protections / interlocks and control should be reliable
and available for house load operation:

Turbine should be on Electro hydraulic governing.

Availability of turbine protections.
Functioning of load shedding relay.
Functioning of trimming device.
Availability of TSE.

At the time of conducting the trial following must be

monitored and put on fast mode trending in addition to normal
data acquisition of operating parameters.
-

HP exhausts temperature.
Generator voltage.

D.

Load (MW).
Speed.
Control valves positions.
Steam pressure before HPT.
Steam pressure after HPT.
IP exhaust pressure.
HP secondary oil pressure.
IP secondary oil pressure.
Control oil pressure.
Trip oil pressure.
Primary oil pressure.
Opening of CRH NRV.
Generation of sequence of events during the trial.

TURBINE FEED PUMP

As the availability of electrical feed pump is ruled out because of it being fed
from station transformer, the unit is to depend only upon the turbo feed
pumps. Since the turbine load is drastically reduced, control will switchover to
auxiliary control valve taking steam from cold reheat line being fed from HP
bypass and turbine.

E.

OIL HANDLING PLANT

Power supply to oil Handling Plant is at present derived from station board.
During house load operation, in all probability, there will not be any station
supply and therefore these pumps will not be available for oil support for the
boiler. Since the boiler load is expected around 60%, due to availability of HP
bypass, there is less possibility for flame failure. However, this risk factor is to
be noted for the house load operation. Because of very fast unloading of the
fuel, there is a possibility of Furnace pressure going low or even flame failure.
In Chandrapur the furnace pressure control is by VFD by which we will
probably able to take large changes in ID fan speed as required.

III

PRE-REQUISITES FOR HOUSE-LOAD OPERATION

1. CMC is to be in service-GCB open contact is required for run back.

Presently this is from master trip relay. Though the turbine will
come out of CMC mode, in the CMC station the Boiler Master must
be still in auto.
2. AVR should be on auto

3. Following auxiliaries should be available for their regular

operation:
i.
CW PUMPS
ii.
VACUUM PUMPS
iii.
CONTROL FLUID PUMPS
iv.
VAPOUR EXTRACTOR CF
v.
VAPOUR EXTRACTOR OIL
vi.
1 AOP
vii.
SEAL OIL PUMPS INCLUDING VACUUM PUMPS
viii.
PRIMARY WATER PUMPS
ix.
CONDENSATE PUMPS
x.
TD BFPs
xi.
ACW PUMPS
xii.
SERVICE AIR COMPRESSOR
xiii.
INSTRUMENT AIR COMPRESSOR
xiv.
ID FANS
xv.
FD FANS
xvi.
PA FANS
xvii.
MILLS
xviii.
SEAL AIR FANS
xix.
OTHER RUNNING AUXILIARIES OF BOILER

IV.Resynchronisation with the grid:

On attending the faults resulting into House load operation, set may be
synchronised to the grid in the normal way, manually.

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