Automatic HRSG Superheater /

Reheater Drain Control

30 – 31 Oct – 1 Nov 2019

Bob Anderson - Consultant
 Automatic HRSG Superheater /
Rheater Drain Control
• Developed by
• Project managed by Competitive Power
Resources
• Supported by
• EPRI results are non-proprietary
• System soon to be commercially available to
the public from Flexim
 38,000 lb./hr. (17,237
6,600 lb (2,994 kg) kg/hr.) peak rate

Condensation stops when

EGT is above Tsat

Large quantity of condensate

forms when EGT is below Tsat &
air is moving over tubes
 HPSH Hot Start From 770 psi (53 bar)
800 4000 EGT [deg F]

Water migra on @ HPSH Outlet

700 3500
Temp A er
A emperator [degF]

EGT
600 3000
Temp Before
A emperator [deg F]
Tsat
500 2500
HP Steam Flow [klb/hr]

Speed
400 2000

HP Tsat (deg F)

300 1500

HPSH Out Steam Temp

[deg F]

200 1000

GT Speed
GT Speed [rpm]
Steam Flow
100 500

0 0
4:30

4:50

5:10

5:30

5:50

6:10
Drain Control - Startup From 0 bar - Simple
• Drainpipes must be large enough - gravity head only
• Discharge point must be below origination point

• Open all drains prior to purge to ensure SH is empty

• Leave all drains open during purge
• Close drains when pipe temperature downstream of
control valve exceeds Tsat + ≈50°C for 30 seconds

• Time is available for draining before steam flow starts

• Limited quantity of condensate generated @ 0 bar*
*Attemperator leakage can add significant water to SH
 Drain Control – Pressurized Startup -
Complex
• Much more condensate is generated when pressurized
• Very little time from GT fire to initial steam flow
• Drain flow varies greatly with initial pressure
• Opening drains for long periods can result in excessive:
– Drum pressure decrease
– Blowdown system temperature and/or flow
• Need to detect water vs. steam to minimize steam
release during purge
• Thermocouple can’t do this
High Flow Drain Pot Arrangement
This could work, but is too
expensive & won’t fit under
many existing HRSGs
Ultrasonic Detection of Water in Drain Pipe
 High Temperature Waveguide / Heat Sink
Transducer Clamps

Plate

Drainpipe
WaveInjector© & Transducers on 2” Pipe
WaveInjector© & Transducers on 3” and
Larger Pipe
Thermally Insulated WaveInjector®
Thermally Insulated WaveInjector®
 Flexim Liquid Detector Can Reliably
Determine When Water vs. Steam Is Present
• Installed on 5 different HRSG types to date
• 2”, 3”, 4” pipes & 10” vertical drip pot
• P22 and P91 drain pipe materials
• Various drain control valve types
– Quick acting ball valve
– Slow moving MOV
– Modulating control valve (preferred)
 Signal Processing and Output
• Meter output: Signal To Correlated Noise Ratio (SCNR)
• Empty pipe ≈ 0 dB
• Full pipe ≈ 26 dB
• 4-20 ma Empty Pipe
• Hart
• Etc.

Full Pipe
 Automatic Control With Ball Valve
HRSG3 Startup 22 Aug 2013
900.0
ΔT between HP Drum and HPSH Outlet Press =
probable flooding of Sec SH into tubes &
forming a water seal
800.0

700.0
HP Drum and HPSH Outlet Press
match = water seal removed
GT Speed (RPM)
600.0 GT Load (MW)
Small ΔT between DB Out Gas
EGT (°F)
Temp and primary HPSH Tsat
HP Drum Press (psi)
500.0
HPSH Out Press (psi)

HP Sec SH Drain Pos (%)

HP Pri SH Drain Vlv Pos (%)

400.0
Large ΔT between
DB Out Gas Temp (°F)
EGT and secondary
HPSH Tsat HP Sec SH Drain Temp (°F)
300.0 HP Pri SH Drain Temp (°F)

HPSH Tsat (°F)

HP Drum Tsat (°F)

200.0
Sec SH drain valve opened/closed Sec SH drain valve opens & closes more frequently during
Pri SH drain valve opened & closed repeatedly = large quan ty of
twice = all water removed purge = increase in condensa on rate as ΔT increases
water in Sec SH
100.0

0.0
10:15

10:25

10:35

10:45

10:55
10:20

10:30

10:40

10:50

11:00
Automatic Control With MOV

1200 4000
Startup From 700 psi 3/5/15
Automa c HPSH Drain Valve Control
3500

1000

3000

800 GT Exhaust Temp

HP Drum Pressure
2500
HP SH2 Outlet Steam Flow

HP SH2 Outlet Steam Temp.

HP A emp. - "A" Steam Inlet Temp.

Speed
600 2000
HP A emp. - "B" Steam Inlet Temp.

HP A emp. - "A" Steam Outlet Temp.

HP A emp. - "B" Steam Outlet Temp.

1500 HP SH2 Drain Vlv. Pos.
400 Calc HP Drum Tsat (deg F)
No undrained water
evident in HPSH GT speed

1000
HPSH 2 drain
valve posi on
200

500

0 0
4:45
4:47
4:49
4:51
4:53
4:55
4:57
4:59
5:01
5:03
5:05
5:07
5:09
5:11
5:13
5:15
5:17
5:19
5:21
5:23
5:25
5:27
5:29
5:31
5:33
5:35
 Some Key Points
• Viability of ultrasonic drain control is proven
• Installation of the WaveInjector® requires a high skill level
• Once installed the WaveInjector® is very reliable
• Performance is impacted by:
– Pipe arrangement
– Pipe slope
– Variations in pipe slope
– Drain valve location
– Pipe size
– Drain valve type*
*Full open/close valve results in flashing & intermittent
operation
 Beta System Installation

1st permanent installation

4 Liquid Detection systems

(2 HPSH & 2 RH) installed
on each of 4 HRSGs

1 HRSG now has

modulating control valve
and EPRI developed control
logic to prevent flashing

Other 3 HRSGs have ball

valves and simple logic
 38,000 lb./hr. (17,237
6,600 lb (2,994 kg) kg/hr.) peak rate

Condensation stops when

EGT is above Tsat

Large quantity of condensate

forms when EGT is below Tsat &
air is moving over tubes
 Current Status
• Successful cold start of Beta system with Fisher
90° modulating drain control valve and EPRI
developed control logic

• Successful cold start of host plant prototype

system with 90° Conval modulating blowdown
valve and EPRI developed control logic

• First “new construction” installation on 2

NooterEriksen HRSGs in Wisconsin – performing
steam blows now.
 What’s Next
• Hot start of Beta system with Fisher 90° modulating
drain control valve and EPRI developed control logic

• Hot start of host plant prototype system with 90°

Conval modulating blowdown valve and EPRI
developed control logic

• Startup of NooterEriksen “new construction”

installation

• Commercial release of system

Robert (Bob) Anderson

Competitive Power Resources Corp

P.O. Box 383
Palmetto, FL 34220
941.779.6376
[email protected]