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Home(http://www.powermag.com) / Coal(http://www.powermag.com/category/coal/) / EstablishingProperPressureDropforFeedwaterFlowControlValves

EstablishingProperPressureDropforFeedwaterFlowControlValves
02/01/2014|S.ZaheerAkhtar,PE
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SavetomyPOWER

Feedwater control valves play a critical role in boiler operation. One important parameter of their design is the pressure drop at the rated condition as well as off-design conditions.
However, conventional methods used for establishing control valve pressure drop cannot be used at face value without reviewing all plant operating scenarios.

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content/uploads/2014/02/PWR_020114_IC_FWCV_splash.jpg)

Inpowerplantswithdrum-typeboilersandconstant-speedmainboilerfeedpumps,thefeedwatercontrolvalve(alsoreferredtoasthedrumlevel
controlvalve)providesthemeansforcontrollingflowtotheboiler.Ontheotherhand,inpowerplantsequippedwithvariable-speedturbine-driven
mainboilerfeedpumps,thefeedwatercontrolvalvesareusuallyeliminatedfromthemaincircuitbutmaystillbeusedonthestartupcircuitwiththe
smallermotor-drivenstartupfeedpump.
Ineitherapplication,thefeedwatercontrolvalveisincriticalandsevereservice.Assuch,itmustbesizedanddesignedtoprovideadequatedrumlevelcontrolandcopewith
varyingdrumpressuresexpectedovertherangeofplantoperatingconditions.Inthisregard,oneoftheimportantparameterstobeevaluatedisthecontrolvalvepressure
dropattheratedcondition,aswellasduringoff-designconditions.
Thecontrolvalvepressuredropneedstobeestablishedcarefully,asitisaperformancedebitresultingfromincreaseinhorsepowerassociatedwiththepressureheadofthe
boilerfeedpump.Useofvariable-speeddrivesorturbinedrivesontheboilerfeedpumpcanavoidthisdebitbyeliminatingthecontrolvalvealtogether.Boilersdesignedfor
slidingpressureoperationgenerallyutilizevariable-speeddrivesorturbinedrivesnotonlytoeliminatethecontrolvalvepenaltybutalsototakeadvantageofminimized
performancedebitsatpartloadsduetolowerpumphead.Thepart-loadadvantageisnotavailablewithfixedpressureoperation,whereboilerpressureremainsconstantand
thepumppressureheadmustremainhigh,evenatpartloads.
Thisarticlehighlightsthevariousplantoperatingscenariosthatmustbeconsideredwhileevaluatingthecontrolvalvepressuredrop.Italsopointstothefactthatthe
conventionalmethodsusedinindustryforestablishingcontrolvalvepressuredropcannotbeusedinpowerplantswithoutreviewingallplantoperatingscenarios.

Notethatthedifferencebetweentheboilerfeedpumphead-flowcurveandthesystemresistancecurve(Figure1)providesthebasisforthepressuredropavailableforthe
drumlevelcontrolvalve.Duringstartupandlow-loadoperation,whendrumpressuresarelow,thevalvemayexperiencesevereserviceduetohighpressuredrop.These
conditionscouldleadtovalvecavitationandsubsequentdestructionofthevalvetrimalongwithpipehammer,whichcouldleadtopipingandpipingsupportdamage.Itis,
therefore,essentialthatthesizinganddesignofthedrumlevelcontrolvalvebesuchthattheseproblemsareavoided.Forthispurpose,theentirerangeofserviceconditions
shouldbeprovidedonthevalvedatasheet,asthiswillenablethevalvesuppliertomakethecorrectvalve/trimselection.

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1.Establishingdrumlevelcontrolvalvepressuredrop.Courtesy: Bechtel Power Corp.

ConventionalMethodsforEstablishingControlValvePressureDrop
Ingeneralindustrialapplications,controlvalvepressuredrophascommonlybeenestablishedbyoneofthethreemethodsdiscussedbelow.However,notethatthese
methodsmaynotbeadequateforfeedwatercontrolvalveapplications,whichrequireadditionalevaluationtakingintoconsiderationthehighstaticpressureheadinvolvedin
pumpingfeedwatertotheboiler.
TraditionalMethod.ThismethodtracesbacktotheISA Handbook of Control ValvesbyJ.W.Hutchison,whichprovidesguidanceforcontrolvalvesinapumpedcircuit.
Accordingtothismethod,thepressuredropshouldbe33%ofthedynamiclossinthesystematratedflow,or15psi,whicheverisgreater.Inthiscontext,thedynamiclossin
thesystemisexpectedtoincludethepressuredropofthe100%opencontrolvalve.Otherreferencesallowthecontrolvalvepressuredroptobe25%to50%ofthedynamic
lossinthesystem,exclusiveofthecontrolvalvepressuredrop.
ConnellMethod.Inthismethod,theminimumpressuredropassignedtothecontrolvalveisbasedonpumpdischargepressure,increasedfrictionalpressuredropdueto
maximumflowrate,andbasepressuredroptoaccountforthefactthateveninthewideopenpositionthecontrolvalvegeneratessomepressuredrop.TheConnell
correlationisexpressedintheequationbelow:

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where:
dPisdifferentialpressure,
Psisthepressureatthebeginningofthesystem(pumpdischarge),
Qdisthedesignflowrateintheline,
Qnisthenormalflowrateintheline,
eisthedifferentialpressure(dP)acrosstheprocessequipmentatnormalflow,
risthedPacrossonlythepipingandvalvesatnormalflow,and
BisthebasedPforthecontrolvalve.

MinimumControlValvePressureDropMethodforPumpedApplication.Inthismethod,attributedtoF.C.Yu,thecontrolvalveinapumpedapplicationisassigneda
minimumpressuredropatmaximumdesignflowrateandmaximum80%controlvalveopenposition(assumingcontrolvalveregulatingrangeis20%to80%valveopen
position).Thecontrolvalveopeningisthencheckedatnormalflowtomakesurethattheopeningisnotbelowtheminimum20%openlimit.Theminimumpressuredropis10
to15psigreaterthanthepressuredropatvalvefull-openconditions.

MethodApplicationExamples
Belowisthecomputationusedwhenapplyingthevariousmethodsfordeterminingtheassignedcontrolvalvepressuredropforthedrumlevelcontrolvalve.Notethatthe
valuesarenotexactlycomparativebecauseeachmethodusesparametersthatarenotcommontoallthreemethods.
Traditional Method:

Dynamiclosses=75psiatnormalflow
ControlvalvedP=33%ofdynamiclosses,includingcontrolvalvedP
Therefore,dP/(75+dP)=0.33,wheredP=38psi
Connell Method:

Pumpdischargepressure=3,000psi.
BasedPforcontrolvalve=11psi.
Dynamiclossesatdesignflow=1.2timesnormalflow.
ControlvalvedP=(0.05x3,000)+1.1x[(1.2)21]x75+11=197psi.
Minimum Control Valve Pressure Drop Method for Pumped Application:

Obtainvalvecharacteristiccurveshowingthecoefficientofflow(Cv)versus%valveopeningandcheckCvat80%open(forexample:Cv=150at
80%open).
Usingmaximumdesignflowrate(Q)of2,300gallonsperminute(gpm)andCvvalueat80%open,calculatethecontrolvalvedPasfollows:Control
valvedP=(Q/Cv)2xspecificgravity=(2,300/150)2x0.9=212psi.Ideally,thisisthepressuredifference,whichshouldbeavailablebetweenthe
pumpshead-flowcurveandthesystemresistancecurve(exclusiveofthecontrolvalvepressuredrop)atthemaximumdesignflowrateof2,300
gpm.
Now,usingthesamevalvecharacteristiccurve,selecttheCvatminimumcontrollable20%open(forexample:Cv=45at20%open).
Assumethattheminimumoperationalflowrate(forexample,800gpm)willbehandledbythevalveatminimum20%openposition,calculatethe
valvedPasfollows:ControlvalvedP=(Q/Cv)2xspecificgravity=(800/45)2x0.9=284psi.Ideally,thisisthepressuredifference,whichshould
beavailablebetweenthepumpshead-flowcurveandthesystemresistancecurve(exclusiveofthecontrolvalvepressuredrop)attheminimum
operationalflowrateof800gpm.
Notethatduetohighstaticheadofaboilerfeedpumpinapowerplantapplication,theTraditionalMethodforestablishingcontrolvalvepressuredropprovidesalow
pressuredrop,whichisinadequateforthisapplication.Theremainingtwomethods(ConnellMethodandYusMethod,orMinimumControlValvePressureDropMethodfor
PumpedApplication)considerthishighstaticheadinthecalculationandresultinamorereasonablevalue.Thesemethodscanbeusedasthefirstiterationbutshouldnotbe
usedwithoutadditionalchecks.Theadditionalchecksshouldbedonetoensurethattheselectedvalvesizing(CvanddP)isabletodealwithalloperatingscenarioswithvalve
openingremainingwithintheacceptablecontrollingrangeofthevalve.Forthispurpose,itisessentialtorecognizethevariousoperatingscenariosandfunctional
considerationsatthepowerplant,whichimpactthecontrolvalvedP.

FunctionalConsiderationsforDrumLevelControlValves
Thebasicfunctionalconsiderationforadrumlevelcontrolvalveservingapowerboileristhatitshouldbecapableofcoveringawiderangeofoperatingparameters.
NormalFlowVersusMinimum/MaximumFlow.Inapowerboilerfittedwithaconstantspeedmotor-drivenpump,thedrumlevelcontrolvalveshouldbecapableof
handlingtherequiredflowduringnormalplantloadaswellasthatrequiredatreducedload(includingstartup).
Inaddition,thedrumlevelcontrolvalveshouldbecapableofhandlingmaximumflowrequirements,whichcouldariseduetoacombinationoffeedwaterflowsinadditionto
theratedflow,suchasboilerblowdown,sootblowing,orspraywaterusage.
Ifstartuporlow-loadoperationresultsintoosevereofarangeforonevalve,asecondstartupcontrolvalvemayberequiredtosplittheserviceconditions.
AbilitytoRestoreDrumLevel.Themaximumflowrequirementestablishedshouldbeutilizedandcheckedagainsttheflowrequirementwhentryingtorestoredrumlevel
fromlowleveltonormallevel.Incasethedrumleveldropstoaroundthelow-levelmarkandtheboilerisoperatingunderfull-loadconditions,itmaynotbepossibleto
restoredrumlevelwithoutreducingload,unlessthefeedwatersystemhasbeendesignedfortheextraflowcapability.

Consideraboilerdrumwitha3-minutestoragebetweenthenormallevelandthelow-lowlevelinaplantthatisoperatingatfullload.Ifthedrumleveldroppedtothelow-low
levelduetotransientconditions,inordertorestoredrumlevelinashortperiodoftime(forexample,15minutes)withoutdecreasingload,thefeedwaterpumpandthe
associatedcontrolvalvewillbeexpectedtohandle20%flowabovenormalloadoperation(since3minutesx100%=15minutesx20%).Onthesamebasis,ifthedrumlevelis
toberestoredoveralongerperiod(forexample,30minutes),thenthefeedwaterpumpandtheassociatedcontrolvalvewouldneedtohandleonly10%flowabovenormal
loadoperation.Thisadditionalsurgecapabilityisbuiltintothecontrolvalvenormallyoperatingat80%offulltravelandthepumpsdesignpointbeingabovethe100%
operatingpoint.
BoilerMakeupDuringHighDrumPressureCondition(PressureSafetyValveDischarging).TheASMEBoiler&PressureVesselCode,sectionI,paragraphPG-61.1requires
thatthesourceoffeedingshallbecapableofsupplyingwatertotheboileratapressureof3%higherthanthehighestsettingofanysafetyvalve.Undertheconditions
mentionedinthecode,theincreaseindrumpressurereducesthepressuredropavailabletothedrumlevelcontrolvalve.Thisreducesthefeedflowtothedrum,andthe
controlvalveisrequiredtoopenfurthertocompensate,ifpossible.
Ifthecontrolvalveisalreadyfullyopenandunabletocompensatefortheflowreduction,thencareshouldbetakenthatthereducedflowratedoesnotdecreasetoapoint
whereitfallsbelowthepumpsminimumflowrecirculationpoint;otherwise,allflowwillbedivertedtorecirculation,andnoflowwillreachtheboilerdrum.Suchacondition
isunacceptable,asitwouldviolatetheASMEcoderequirement.

AGraphicExample
ThesedesignconditionsandthecontrolvalvepressuredropvariationcanbewellrepresentedonagraphsimilartothegenericoneshowninFigure1,whichincludesthe
boilerfeedpump(constantspeed)head-flowcurve,systemresistancecurve,andthecontrolvalvepressuredrop(dPcv).
Asflowincreases,theavailablepressuredropacrossthecontrolvalvedecreases.Asaresult,thecontrolvalveopeningincreases.Theincreaseincontrolvalveopeningis,
however,restrictedtoaround80%to85%(duetocontrollabilityconsiderations),andthecorrespondingCvestablishesthemaximumflowcapabilityofthecontrolvalve.
Figure1alsoshowsthatasthepressureheadincreasesduetohighdrumpressure(highestsetpressureofpressuresafetyvalveplus3%),thesystemresistancelinemoves
upwardandcutsbackontheavailablepressuredropacrossthecontrolvalve.Atthispoint,thecontrolvalveopeningincreases,reducingthevalvedPtocompensateforthe
increaseinpressurehead.
Theresultisthattheoperatingpointmovestotheleftsideofthehead-flowcurve.Atthispoint,itisimportantthatthecontrolvalveopeningremainswithinitsoperating
range;otherwise,thedrumlevelmaynotbecontrollable.Itisalsocriticalthatthisoperatingpointfallsontherighthandsideoftheminimumrecirculationflowline;
otherwise,theentireflowthroughthefeedwaterpumpwillgotowardrecirculation,andnoflowwillreachthedrum.

SpecificDesignConsiderations
Someofthespecificoperatingcasesandfunctionalitiesofthedrumlevelcontrolvalvethatalsoneedtobeconsideredarediscussedbelow.
CombinedCycle(2x2x1)PlantOperatinginSingleTrain(1x1x1).Inthecaseofa2x2x1plantassumingonehigh-pressure/intermediate-pressure(HP/IP)boiler
feedwaterpumpperheatrecoverysteamgenerator(HRSG)theHPpressurecouldoperateat135bar.However,thisHPpressurecoulddecreasesignificantlyto85bar
during1x1x1operation(50%steamturbineload).Undertheseconditions,thepumpcontinuestooperatealongthepumpcharacteristiccurve,butduetolowerpressurein
thedrum,thecontrolvalveclosesandhastotakeahigh-pressuredrop.
Thecontrolvalvepressuredropcouldbeashighasfivetosixtimesthenormalpressuredrop.Atthispoint,thequestiontobeaddressediswhetherthecontrolvalveremains
withintheregulatingrangewhenitclosesandexperiencesthehighdPduring1x1x1operatingconditions.IfatthishighdPthecontrolvalveisoutofregulatingrange,then
adifferentbasedPforthecontrolvalvemustbeselected.
CombinedCycleBypassSprayOperation.Onasteamturbinetrip,theHRSGsteamisbypassed(usually70%to100%)andthebypassspraysareplacedinservice.TheHP
coldreheat(CRH)bypassvalvespraywaterisoftentakenfromtheIPsectionoftheHP/IPpump.However,insomecases,theIPsectionspraywaterpressuremaynotbehigh
enough,andthespraywateristakenfromtheHPdischargesectionofthepump.Ineithercase,thespraywaterrequirementsenhancetheflowcapacityoftheHPorIP
sectionofthepump,dependingonthelocationofthetakeoffspraywaterline.
ConsiderthecaseofaddedcapacitywhenspraywateristakenfromtheHPdischargesectionandassumethattheHPsectionflowhastobeupgradedby20%toincludethe
bypassspraywaterflow.This20%additionalcapacitycanbeconsideredasspareduringnormaloperationandcanbeutilized,ifrequired,fordrumlevelmakeup(fromlow
leveltonormallevel),forexample,ina15-minutetimeperiod.
Therefore,thedrumlevelcontrolvalveshouldbesuitableforhandlingthe20%additionalflowwithasignificantlyreducedpressuredropasprojectedbythedifference
betweenthepumpcurveandthesystemresistancecurve.Inotherwords,undertheseconditionsthecontrolvalvewillopenwidebutmustremainwithintheregulating
rangeofthecontrolvalve.
CombinedCyclePart-LoadOperationat75%Load.Inthecaseofpart-loadoperationwithcombustionturbinegeneratorsat75%,theHPfeedwaterflowcandecreaseto
around60%ofnormalflowwhilethesystemheadcoulddecreasebyaround75%to80%(duetolowerHPsteamoutletpressure).Withaconstantspeedfeedpump,thelower
feedwaterflowalongwiththedropinsystemheadrequiresthecontrolvalvetoabsorbtheadditionalpressuredropand,asaresult,thecontrolvalvetendstoclose.The
extentofvalveclosureshouldbeverifiedtoensurethatthecontrolvalveremainswithinthecontrollingrangeundertheseconditions.

ValvePressureDropandCavitation.High-pressuredropacrossthecontrolvalve(especiallythatexperiencedduringcommissioningandstartup)canleadtocavitation,
whichcandestroythevalvetriminashortperiodoftime(withinafewdaysofoperation).Therefore,powerstationshavetypicallyusedatwo-valvearrangementworkingin
splitrangeoperation.Thesmallersizedvalve(withanti-cavitationtrim)isusedforstartupconditions,whiletheother,largervalve(withoutanti-cavitationtrimorminimal
anti-cavitationtrim)isusedforhigher-loadoperation.
Alternatively,asinglevalvewithacharacterizeddiscstackcanbeusedtohandlethewiderangeofoperation.ThebottomofthetrimprovideslowCvvaluesandprovidesanticavitationfeatures,butathighervalveopeningstheanti-cavitationfeaturesdecreaseandresembleastandardtrim.
Pre-operationalProcedure.Notethatbeforecommissioningtheboilerthereareseveralpre-operationalprocedures,suchasboilerfill,chemicalcleaning,passivation,steam
blow,andstartup.Foreachstep,theboilerdrummustbesuppliedwithfeedwater,andthisprocedureshouldbeclearlyestablishedupfront.
Usually,theboilerisfilledusingtheboilerfillpumpbecauselowdrumpressureandlowfeedwaterflowisoutsidetherangeofthefeedwatercontrolvalve.Butsomeofthe
otherpre-operationalstepsmayrequiretheuseofthestartupfeedpump(usuallyprovidedwhenusingturbine-drivenfeedwaterpumps)anditsassociateddrumlevel
controlvalve.Ifthedrumlevelcontrolvalveistobeusedunderthesecircumstances,itwillbesubjectedtohighpressuredropduetolowdrumpressuresduringthepreoperationalprocessandstartup.
Itisimportantthatthesecasesbeindicatedonthevalvedatasheettoenablethevalvevendortoprovidethecorrectvalvesuitableforhandlinghighpressuredropsandany
expectedcavitationatlowvalveopenings.
Asanexample,thecommissioningstartuponsomesubcriticalboilersrequiresboilerpassivationtobeconductedbyfillingtheboilerwithfeedwaterandchemicalsand
increasingdrumpressureinstepsfrom0bargto50barg.Thispressurelevelexceedsthecapabilityoftheboilerfillpump;therefore,thestartupfeedpumpmayberequired
forthisoperation.Suchanoperationimposesahighpressuredropacrossthedrumlevelcontrolvalve,whichshouldbespecifiedaccordingly.
SupercriticalBoilers.Supercriticalboilersdonotutilizetheconventionalboilerdrumusedinsubcriticalboilers.Instead,theyhaveonce-throughflowthroughthetubes,
exceptatstartup,whentheboilercirculationpumpisinoperationalongwithmakeupflowfromthestartup(motor-driven)feedpumpanditsassociatedcontrolvalve.
Thestartupfeedpump,insomecases,issizedtoserveasastandbypumpaswell.Suchastartup/standbypumpwouldtypicallyberatedfor30%maximumcontinuousrating
(MCR)flowand100%MCRhead.Insuchcases,theassociatedcontrolvalveexperiencesalargepressuredropduringpre-start/startupconditions.
Thepre-startprocessforsupercriticalboilersinvolvesaboilerflushingoperationforachievingproperwaterchemistry,followedbythefirstburnerlight-off(coldstart).A
typicalflushingoperationiscarriedoutataround20%MCRflowwithnopressureintheboiler.Onfirstburnerlight-off,theboilerfeedisat3%forwardflow(toprevent
economizersteaming)andtheboilercirculatingpumpprovidesheaddueto32%MCRflowaroundthefurnace.Undertheseconditions,thecontrolvalveisexposedtosevere
operatingconditionsduetolowflowandhighpressuredrop.
Thepressuredropdecreasesduringthestartupsequenceastheboilerpressureincreases.Inanycase,inordertoavoidvalvedamage,theoperatingconditionsspecifiedfor
thecontrolvalveshouldcovertheentirerangeofpre-startupandstartupconditionstowhichthevalvewillbesubjected.
SteamBlowOperationforBoilerExternalPiping.Duringsteamblowoperation,theboilerdrumpressureisincreasedtoacertainvalue(approximately700to1,100psig,
dependingontheblowpath)andthentheblowvalveisopeneduntilthedrumpressureisbleddowntoalowvalue(about150to450psig).Thedrumisthenre-filledwith
feedwateratthelowdrumpressure,whichimposesahighpressuredropacrossthedrumlevelcontrolvalve.Ifthecontrolvalvetrimisnotdesignedforthisoperation,the
trimcouldbedamagedduringthisprocess.

OneSizeDoesNotFitAll
TheConnellMethodandYusMethodmaybeusedasafirstapproximationinestablishingthepressuredropforthefeedwatercontrolvalve.However,thevalueobtained
fromthefirstiterationneedstobefurthercheckedandmodifiedasnecessary.Thisistoensureproperfunctioningofthefeedwatercontrolvalveunderalloperating
scenarios(includingstartup).Theseoperatingscenariosandcorrespondingoperatingparametersshouldbeclearlyidentifiedonthevalvedatasheetsubmittedtothevalve
supplier.
S. Zaheer Akhtar, PEisaprincipalengineerforBechtelPowerCorp.,Frederick,Md.

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