Steam Path Audit

encotech,
encotech Inc.
 Overview

„ What is a Steam Path Audit (SPA)?

„ Objective & Benefits
„ Chronology of a Steam Path Audit
„ Damage
„ A Case study
What is a Steam Path Audit?

„ A detailed inspection of the stationary and rotating

steam path components
„ An accounting of performance losses on a stage-
by-stage basis
„ An accounting of performance losses on a
component-by-component basis
„ A presentation of losses in power and heat rate
 Impulse Blading

DIAPHRAGM
TIP TENON
SPILL STRIPS
TIP
LEAKAGE

COVER OR
SHROUD
STEAM FLOW
ROTATING STATIONARY
SHELL BLADE BLADE
PRESSURE
BOWL
ROOT LEAKAGE PRESSURE

ROOT
SPILL STRIPS
DOVETAIL

BALANCE HOLE
FLOW
BALANCE HOLE

PACKING
WHEEL

INTERSTAGE PACKING LEAKAGE

SHAFT
 The specific areas of concern addressed
by the audit are:

1) Leakages: 3) Flow blockages from:

- past stationary stage blading - deposits
- past rotating stage blading - foreign objects
- past shaft end packings where - mechanical damage
rotors emerge from casings
- across poorly fitting joints
- other miscellaneous leakages

2) Surface finish degradation: 4) Flow path modification

- deposits from:
- corrosion - solid particle erosion
- solid particle erosion - water droplet erosion
- mechanical damage - mechanical damage
 Objective of a SPA

„ The objective of the audit is to assess

the condition of the turbine steam path
to identify degradation in thermal
performance of the unit and to point out
the cause and location of power and
efficiency losses.
 Benefits of a SPA
„ Provides detailed inspection of steam path
„ Quantify heat rate, power and efficiency impact on
component-by-component basis
„ Aid economic decisions during the repair outage
„ Prioritize maintenance decisions on a benefit-to-cost ratio
„ Quantify the quality of turbine repairs by performing a
closing steam path audit
„ Provides excellent record/history of equipment condition for
future reference
 The Outage Time-Line

TURBINE OUTAGE

Shutdown Startup
Disassembly Reassembly

Opening Steam Upgrade and Closing Steam

Pre-Outage Test Post-Outage
Path Audit Maintenance Path Audit Test
 Results

„ Quantification of losses measured in pre-outage

test
„ Quality check on maintenance performed during
the outage
„ Performance improvement resulting from individual
maintenance actions
„ Expected return-to-service performance
 Chronology
of a
Steam Path
Audit

Dec, 2006 STEAG/STEAM PATH AUDIT

 Computer Model

„ Create turbine model at STEAG’s office using the

Thermal Kit
„ Design heat balance (VWO)
„ Turbine cross section
„ Clearance and steam seal system diagram
„ First stage shell pressure curve
 Coordinate Activities

„ Coordinate activities with owner

„ Plan around grit blasting schedule
„ Place upper half of casing w/ horizontal joint up or lay
on ground w/ trailing edges up
„ Leave all packing (interstage & shaft end) in place until
measured. This speeds SPA process significantly
„ All stages must be inspected prior to grit blasting
 Sequence of Events

„ Inspect casing horizontal joint for leakage paths

„ Measure blade geometry
„ Measure packing teeth, interstage, tip, root, and &
shaft end
„ Create a photographic record of the steam path
„ Geometric data for the steam path must be
obtained to properly model turbine
Solid Particle Erosion
Mechanical Damage
Cover Deposits
Blade Deposits
Foreign Object Damage
Flow Path Damage
Surface Roughness

encotec h,
h Inc.
Surface Roughness
Root Cracks
Tip Spill Strip
Clearance Measurements
Surface Roughness
Geometry Measurements
 INDIAN
EXPERIENCE
A Case Study

Dec, 2006 STEAG/STEAM PATH AUDIT

 TYPICAL 200 MW
„ Commissioned in the year 1984
„ Tandem compound two flow LP steam turbine
„ HP/IP – an opposed flow design
„ Output – 206,260 kW at VWO condition
„ Initial steam conditions
¾ Pressure 14710 kPa, Temp. 535/535 deg C
„ Exhaust Pressure 10.49 kPa
„ Shaft speed 3000 rpm
„ Total thirty three stages, Six Extractions
 Preliminary Observations

„ HP Casing
„ Severe Flow Path Damage on stages 2, 3, and 4

„ Tip, Root, and Interstage Packings rubbed

„ IP Casing
„ Severe Flow Path Damage on stages 11, and 12

„ Tip, Root, and Interstage Packings rubbed

„ LP Casing
„ Tip, and Interstage Packings rubbed

„ Slant End Packings severely rubbed

 Power Loss (kW)

1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000

0
Interstage

1447.4
Packings

Tip Spill

4795.3
Strips

End Packings

2740.4
Miscellaneous
Leakages

AUDIT
Flow Path

2506.6
Damage

Flow Change
OPENING

4177.8
Impact

Surface

3477.5
Roughness

Cover
Deposits

Hand
calculations

Trailing Edge
Thickness Power Loss (kW)

0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
– Total All Casings

Interstage
Packings 260.2

Tip Spill Strips

4570

End Packings
282.4

Miscellaneous
Leakages
Flow Path
Damage
1975.3

Flow Change
AUDIT

Impact
3241.1

Surface
Change in Power by Category

Roughness
CLOSING

2077.8

Cover
Deposits
Hand
calculations
Trailing Edge
Thickness

Recovery
6738.2
 Power Loss by Casing

OPENING CLOSING
AUDIT AUDIT
12000 12000

10499.3

10000 10000

8000

Power Loss (kW)

8000
Power Loss (kW)

6738.2
6495.5

6000 6000

4000 4000

1928.6
2000 1415.8
2000
1123.6 1023.9 843.4 802.9

0 0
HP IP LP Gov LP Gen HP IP LP Gov LP Gen Recovery
 Power Loss (kW)

0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Interstage

669.8
Packings

Tip Spill
Strips

4270.6
End Packings

2627.5
AUDIT
Miscellaneous
Leakages

Flow Path
OPENING
Damage

1300.6
Flow Change
Impact

Surface
Roughness

1630.7
– HP Casing

Cover
Deposits

Hand
calculations
Trailing Edge
Thickness
Power Loss (kW)

0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000

Interstage
120.5

Packings
3992.1

End Packings
262.1

Flow Path
AUDIT

Damage
1037.0
Change in Power by Category

CLOSING

Surface
Roughness
1083.8

Hand
calculations

Recovery
4003.7
 Power Loss (kW)

-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Interstage

355.4
Packings

Tip Spill

-639.9
Strips

End Packings

41.8
Miscellaneous
Leakages

AUDIT
Flow Path

1206
Damage
OPENING
Flow Change
Impact

Surface

965.3
Roughness

Cover
– IP Casing

Deposits

Hand
calculations

Trailing Edge
Thickness
Power Loss (kW)

-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000

Interstage
17.0

Packings

-527.3
4.6

End Packings

Flow Path
938.3

Damage
AUDIT
Change in Power by Category

CLOSING

Surface
591.2

Roughness

Hand
calculations

Recovery
904.7
 Power Loss (kW)

0
200
400
600
800
1000
Interstage
Packings

226.40
Tip Spill

413.1
Strips

End Packings

10.4
Miscellaneous

AUDIT
Leakages

Flow Path
Damage
OPENING
Flow Change
Impact

Surface

473.7
Roughness

Cover
Deposits

Hand
calculations

Trailing Edge Power Loss (kW)

– LP Gov Casing

Thickness

0
200
400
600
800
1000

Interstage
55.3
Packings
530.1

End Packings
8.7

Flow Path
Damage
AUDIT
Change in Power by Category

Surface
CLOSING

249.4

Roughness

Hand
calculations

Recovery
280.2
 Power Loss (kW)

0
200
400
600
800
1000
Interstage

195.8
Packings

Tip Spill

751.5
Strips

End Packings

60.60
Miscellaneous

AUDIT
Leakages

Flow Path
Damage
OPENING
Flow Change
Impact

Surface

407.9
Roughness

Cover
Deposits

Hand
calculations

Trailing Edge
Thickness
Power Loss (kW)
– LP Gen Casing

0
200
400
600
800
1000

Interstage 67.4
Packings
575.2

End Packings
7.0

Flow Path
Damage
AUDIT
Change in Power by Category

Surface
153.4

Roughness
CLOSING

Hand
calculations

Recovery
612.9
 G.T.H.R Loss (kJ/kWh)

0
100
200
300
400
Interstage Packings

45.72
Tip Spill Strips

116.55
End Packings

63.03
Miscellaneous Leakages

AUDIT
Flow Path Damage

55.28
Flow Change Impact

32.97
OPENING
Surface Roughness

110.56
Cover Deposits

Hand calculations

Trailing Edge Thickness

Total loss
424.11
– Total All Casings

Recovery

G.T.H.R Loss (kJ/kWh)

0
100
200
300
400

Interstage Packings
8.17

Tip Spill Strips

112.37

End Packings
6.69

Miscellaneous Leakages

Flow Path Damage

43.45
AUDIT

Flow Change Impact

11.22
Change in Heat rate by Category

Surface Roughness
63.63
CLOSING

Cover Deposits

Hand calculations

Trailing Edge Thickness

Total loss
245.53

Recovery
178.58
 Heat rate loss by Casing

OPENING CLOSING
AUDIT AUDIT
424.1

400 400
G.T.H.R Loss (kJ/kWh)

300 300

G.T.H.R Loss (kJ/kWh)

241.5 245.5

200 200 178.6

146.3

100 100

55.4 56.5
44.8 33.6 31.9
24.0

0 0
HP IP LP Gov LP Gen Total loss Recovery HP IP LP Gov LP Gen Total loss Recovery