Introduction

A.

Objective and Function of the System

The Feed Water System provides treated high-pressure water to the boiler.
It has the following major functions:

To supply high-pressure water (free from dissolved gases like

oxygen) to the boiler during start-up, normal and emergency
operations.
To supply attemperation water to:
a. Desuperheater sprays to control superheater temperature control
system.
b. Desuperheater spray for Bypass Control.
c. Spray for auxiliary steam pressure reducing and Desuperheating
system.
Ensure minimum flow of water through recirculation control of BFP.
Regulate flow of feed to boiler to maintain boiler drum level.
It also accepts chemical dosing to scavenge dissolved gas further as
well as to increase pH value of the feedwater.

Feedwater can be defined as return condensate plus make-up water. It

is the high-pressure deaerated (removal of gases like oxygen) water supplied
to the boiler from which steam is generated. The boiler receives the feed
water, which consists of varying proportion of recovered condensed water
(return water) and fresh water, which has been purified in varying degrees
(make up water). Feed-water composition depends on the quality of the
make-up water and the amount of condensate returned to the boiler.
Feedwater is supplied by the Deaerator, which also provides the
necessary Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) to the Boiler Feed Pumps. The
Boiler Feed Pumps (BFP) must supply a constant flow necessary to replace
water in the boilers that has been changed to steam. The Boiler Feed Pumps
(BFP) must also develop the required pressure to overcome head and drum
pressure.

System Boundary
Feed Water System starts from outlet nozzle of Deaerator
Feed Water Tank and ends at the downstream of HP Heater-2 i.e.,
upstream of Feed Water Flow Control Station. Minimum Flow
Recirculation lines terminate at Feed Water Tank. Balancing Leak
Off Line of each Boiler Feed Pump also terminates at Feed Water
Tank.
This system also includes a branch line from BFP common
discharge to Spray for Turbine Bypass.

B. System Overview

3. SYSTEM FLOW PATH DESCRIPTION

4. FEEDWATER SYSTEM COMPONENTS DESCRIPTION

Deaerator and Feedwater Tank

One of the main parts of feedwater system is deaerator (LAA10AC001)
and feedwater tank (LAA10BB001). The mass balance between steam
produced by boiler and the feedwater should be maintained in a fluctuating
load conditions based on firing rate and steam demand. Furthermore feed
water should be controlled to supply enough water into steam boiler.
The required water must face water treatment system before supplied
into a steam boiler, so the water has required parameter contents about
silica, scaling, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen and so on. The main
consideration is how to remove oxygen to prevent corrosion and remove
scaling which can isolate heat transfer process in the pressure parts of steam
boiler (water wall, header, economizer, etc).
The main functions of deaerator feedwater tank are:
1. Eliminate corrosive gases such as oxygen and non-condensable gases
in feedwater before supplied into steam boiler.
2. As storage tank to maintain and supply enough feedwater into steam
boiler.
3. Increase temperature feedwater until saturated temperature.
Figure 1. Shows Deaerator and Feedwater Tank Diagram

THE DEAERATOR PRINCIPLE

The removal of dissolved gases from boiler feedwater is an essential
process in a steam system. The presence of dissolved oxygen in feedwater
causes rapid localized corrosion in boiler tubes. Carbon dioxide will dissolve
in water, resulting in low pH levels and the production of corrosive carbonic
acid. Low pH levels in feedwater causes severe acid attack throughout the
boiler system. While dissolved gases and low pH levels in the feedwater can
be controlled or removed by the addition of chemicals, it is more economical
and thermally efficient to remove these gases mechanically. This mechanical
process is known as deaeration and will increase the life of a steam system
dramatically.
Deaeration is based on two scientific principles. The first principle can
be described by Henry's Law. Henry's Law asserts that gas solubility in a
solution decreases as the gas partial pressure above the solution decreases.
The second scientific principle that governs deaeration is the relationship
between gas solubility and temperature. Easily explained, gas solubility in a
solution decreases as the temperature of the solution rises and approaches
saturation temperature. A deaerator utilizes both of these natural processes
to remove dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other non-condensable
gases from boiler feedwater. The feedwater is sprayed in thin films into a
steam atmosphere allowing it to become quickly heated to saturation.
Spraying feedwater in thin films increases the surface area of the liquid in
contact with the steam, which, in turn, provides more rapid oxygen removal
and lower gas concentrations. This process reduces the solubility of all

dissolved gases and removes it from the feedwater. The liberated gases are
then vented from the deaerator.

Reason to Deaerate
The most common source of corrosion in boiler systems is dissolved
gas: oxygen, carbon dioxide and ammonia. Of these, oxygen is the most
aggressive. The importance of eliminating oxygen as a source of pitting and
iron deposition cannot be over-emphasized. Even small concentrations of this
gas can cause serious corrosion problems.
Makeup water introduces appreciable amounts of oxygen into the
system. Oxygen can also enter the feed water system from the condensate
return system. Possible return line sources are direct air-leakage on the
suction side of pumps, systems under vacuum, the breathing action of closed
condensate receiving tanks, open condensate receiving tanks and leakage of
non-deaerated water used for condensate pump seal and/or quench water.
With all of these sources, good housekeeping is an essential part of the
preventive program.
One of the most serious aspects of oxygen corrosion is that it occurs as
pitting. This type of corrosion can produce failures even though only a
relatively small amount of metal has been lost and the overall corrosion rate
is relatively low. The degree of oxygen attack depends on the concentration
of dissolved oxygen, the pH and the temperature of the water.
The influence of temperature on the corrosivity of dissolved oxygen is
particularly important in closed heaters and economizers where the water
temperature increases rapidly. Elevated temperature in itself does not cause
corrosion. Small concentrations of oxygen at elevated temperatures do cause
severe problems. This temperature rise provides the driving force that
accelerates the reaction so that even small quantities of dissolved oxygen
can cause serious corrosion.

Chemical Deaeration
Boiler feedwater can be chemically deaerated using a specific type of
chemical known as an Oxygen Scavenger. These chemicals will combine with

the dissolved oxygen in the boiler feedwater. Oxygen scavengers are

normally fed to the preboiler section like the feedwater storage tank,
feedwater line or storage section of the deaerator. Outlined below are the
commonly used boiler feedwater oxygen scavengers.
SULFITES
Sodium sulfite (Na2SO3) and sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5) are inorganic
reducing agents, which will react with dissolved oxygen in alkaline water. The
dosage for sodium sulfite is 7.88 ppm per ppm of dissolved oxygen. The
reaction is as follows:
2 Na2 SO3 + O2 -> 2 Na2 SO4
Sodium sulfate is the byproduct, which can be found in the boiler water. The
reaction is pH dependent requiring the feedwater to be above 7.0. The
reaction rate is normally very slow. It takes 2030 minutes for sodium sulfite
to combine with dissolved oxygen. However, the reaction can be catalyzed
with metal ions like cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and iron (Fe). Sodium
metabisulfite is the most economical form of sulfite. However, the product is
acidic and may require a supplemental feed of caustic soda to achieve
oxygen scavenging.

HYDRAZINE
Hydrazine is a powerful reducing agent that reacts with dissolved oxygen. It
is an inorganic compound containing nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H).
Hydrazine will scavenge oxygen in boiler feedwater according to the
following reaction:
N2H4 + O2 -> N2 + 2 H2O
Gaseous nitrogen and water are the byproducts of the hydrazine reaction
with oxygen. Because hydrazine or its reaction byproducts do not add
dissolved solids to the boiler water, it is widely used in highpressure steam
boilers where solids are limited. The reaction rate of hydrazine with oxygen is
slow at room temperature. At temperatures typically found in pressurized
deaerators, the reaction rate is satisfactory for oxygen scavenging. The
reaction rate of hydrazine can be increased using various organic or

inorganic catalysts. Cobalt salts and hydroquinone are used to catalyze

hydrazine. In addition, reacting with dissolved oxygen, hydrazine can remove
oxygen from metal oxides. Red iron oxide (rust) can be reduced to black iron
oxide (magnetite) according to the following reaction:
12 Fe3 O (OH) + N2 H4 -> 4 Fe3 O4 + 8 H2O + N2
The reaction ratio of hydrazine to dissolved oxygen is 1:1. Commercial
hydrazine is available as a 35% solution in water. Hydrazine is classified as a
carcinogen and requires special handling.
The Plant will used hydrazine as oxygen scavenger and will be dosed or
injected on the exit line of feed water storage tank.

Figure 2. This shows the LP Dosing of Hydrazine in actual P&ID

Boiler Feedwater Pump (LAC10AP001/LAC20AP001)
A boiler feed pump (LAC10AP001/LAC20AP001) supplies feed water to
the boiler. The boiler feed pump raises the feedwater to a pressure high
enough for it to enter the boiler. Boiler feed pump extract water from
deaerator and feed it to the boiler drum via H.P heaters and economizer. An
essential part of the Boiler feed water system, a boiler feed pump is selected
according to the quantity and the amount of pressure required by the boiler.
The type of the boiler also plays an important role in selecting a feed water
pump. Multistage centrifugal-type boiler feedwater pumps are mainly used in
steam power plants. This type of pump is also used in the Plant.

Figure 3. This figure shows a part of Feedwater System P&ID and it highlights
two identical boiler feed pump (standby and operating pump).

As indicated in the P&ID, the suction pressure of the Boiler Feed Pump
is 9 kg/cm2 with temperature of 180oC and a flow of 256 tons/hr. Its discharge
pressure is raise to 187 kg/cm2 with no change in temperature and flow.
Aside from the suction and discharge line, the BFP also have Balancing Leakoff Line, Minimum Recirculation Line and Warm-up Line which is used for
different specific purpose.

Balancing Leak Off Line (LAB40BR001/LAB40BR002)

Balance leak off line is fitted to a high capacity BFP to reuse the thrust
balancing water from thrust balancing system of a BFP. Generally BFPs are
fitted with balance valves or dummy piston arrangement or balancing disc
arrangement. The high pressure water comes to one of this balancing system
through an annular path in between valve or disc or piston sleeve to balance
the thrust towards suction end and after that it has to be discharged through
balance leak off line to Deaerator for further use as feed water. A relief valve

is also fitted on balance leak off line so, if leak off isolating valve closed due
to any breakdown when the pump is running it ensures flow of leak off water
hence saves BFP from seizing.

Minimum Recirculation Line (LAB30BR001/LAB30BR002)

It is worth noting that a part of each BFP discharge (before the
discharge valve) is recirculated back to the deaerator. This is called Boiler
Feed Pump Recirculation. Recirculation control is necessary to ensure
minimum feedwater flow through the boiler feed pump under all conditions.
This recirculation is necessary because of the churning effect inside the
heavy-duty pump generates a lot of heat, so some minimum water flow is
necessary to take away this heat. Flow for BFP suction is measured, and a
set point for example 30% of flow is set to operate each BFP recirculation
valve. When flow through the BFP is more that the set point, the recirculation
valve closes. It can be ON/OFF type or modulating control type.

Warm Up Line
A warm up line is a means for maintaining an idle pump at
approximate uniform temperature when started. It is recommended that a
warm up procedure for liquid temperatures above 150C (302F). When a
pump is to be put on the line, it is desirable to first bring it nearly to the
prevailing feed water temperature by circulating water through it before it is
started. Likewise, when a pump has been in operation and is taken off the
line and shutdown, it is essential that water be circulated through it to
maintain a uniform temperature. Otherwise it results in distortion of the
close-running parts. If such a pump is started, rubbing would occur inside the
pump.

High Pressure Heater

The regenerative feedwater heating or regeneration is one of the most
commonly used methods to increase the thermal efficiency of steam power
plants. A feedwater heater is a heat exchanger designed to preheat boiler

feedwater by means of condensing steam extracted (or bled) from a steam

turbine. The heaters discussed here are classified as closed, since the
tubeside fluid remains enclosed by the tubes and channel, and does not mix
with the condensate, as is the case with open feedwater heaters. They are
unfired since the heat transfer within the vessel does not occur by means of
combustion, but by convection and condensation. The steam extraction
process in a closed feedwater is referred to as uncontrolled extraction. The
flow rate of steam into a feedwater heater is not limited by the amount of
available steam (as opposed to a surface condenser, for instance). The
shellside operating pressure in a feedwater heater is determined by the
pressure of the steam supplied to it, not by the amount of heat transfer
surface.
CONFIGURATION
Most feedwater heaters are of a standard shell-and-tube configuration.
A few employ straight tubes, although the majority uses U-tubes, which are
relatively tolerant to the thermal expansion during operation.
RELATION TO POWERPLANT CYCLE
The heating process by means of extraction steam is referred to as
being regenerative. The feedwater heaters are an integral portion of the
power plant thermodynamic cycle. Normally, there are multiple stages of
feedwater heating. Each stage corresponds to a turbine extraction point.
These extraction points occur at various stages of the expansion of steam
through the turbines. The presence of the heaters in the cycle enhances the
thermal efficiency of the power plant; the greater the number of extraction
stages, the lower the amount of thermal energy required to generate a given
amount of electrical energy. A beneficial by-product of the energy extracted
by the heaters is the reduced rate of rejection of energy to the environment.
PRESSURE CLASSIFICATION
Low Pressure Heater: A heater located (with regard to feedwater flow)
between the condensate pump and either the boiler feed pump or, if present,
an intermediate pressure (booster) pump. It normally extracts steam from
the low pressure turbine.
High Pressure Heater: A heater located downstream of the boiler feed
pump. Typically, the steam source is the high pressure turbine. This heater is
used in the Plant in Feedwater System.