FEEDWATER HEATER

A feedwater heater is a power plant component used to pre-heat water delivered to a steam
generating boiler. Preheating the feedwater reduces the irreversibilities involved in steam
generation and therefore improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the system. This reduces
plant operating costs and also helps to avoid thermal shock to the boiler metal when the
feedwater is introduced back into the system cycle.
In steam power plant, usually modelled as a modified Rankine Cycle, feedwater heaters allow
the feedwater to be brought up to the saturation temperature very gradually. This minimizes
the inevitable irreversibilities associated with heat transfer to the working fluid which is
water.

OPEN FEEDWATER HEATER

An open feedwater heater is basically a mixing chamber, where the steam extracted from the
turbine mixes with the water exiting the pump. In an ideal condition, the water leaves the
heater as a saturated liquid at the heater pressure. The schematic of a steam power plant with
one open feedwater heater is shown below.

Schematic diagram of one open feedwater heater

In an ideal regenerative Rankine cycle with an open feedwater heater, steam from the boiler
(state 5) expands in the turbine to an intermediate pressure (state 6). At this state, some of the
steam is extracted and sent to the feedwater heater, while the remaining steam in the turbine
continues to expand to the condenser pressure (state 7). Saturated water from the condenser
(state 1) is pumped to the feedwater pressure and send to the feedwater heater (state 2). At the
feedwater heater, the compressed water is mixed with the steam extracted from the turbine
(state 6) and exits the feedwater heater as saturated water at the heater pressure (state 3). Then
the saturated water is pumped to the boiler pressure by a second pump (state 4). The water is
heated to a higher temperature in the boiler (state 5) and the cycle repeats again. The T-s
diagram of this cycle is shown below

T-S diagram of an ideal

One Open Feedwater Heater

Regenerative Rankine Cylce with

Note that the mass flow rate

different. If 1 kg steam enters
to the feedwater heater and

at each component is
the turbine, y kg is extracted
(1-y) kg continues to expand

to the condenser pressure. So if the mass flow rate at the boiler is

from other components are:
Condenser:
Pump :

(1-y)
(1-y)

Feedwater Heater:
Pump

, then the mass flow rate

y+

(1-y) =

For convenience, heat and work interactions for regenerative Rankine cycle is expressed per
unit mass of steam flowing through the boiler. They are:
Heat Input: qin = h5 - h4
Heat Output: qout = (1 - y)(h1 - h7)
Work Output: Wturb,out = (h5 - h6) + (1 - y)(h6 - h7)
Work input: Wpump,in = (1 - y)(h2 - h1) + (h4 - h3)
Open feedwater heaters are simple and inexpensive, and can also bring the feedwater to
saturated state. However, each feedwater needs a separate pump which adds to the cost.

CLOSED FEEDWATER HEATER

Closed feedwater heaters are shell-and-tube type recuperators in which feedwater temperature
increases as the extracted steam condenses on the outside of the tubes carrying the feedwater.
The two streams can be at different pressures since the two streams do not mix. The
schematic of a steam power plant with one closed feedwater heater is shown below

Schematic diagram of Ideal Regenerative

Rankine Cycle with One Closed Feedwater Heater

A Closed Feedwater Heater

In an ideal regenerative Rankine cycle with a closed feedwater, steam from the boiler (state 4)
expands in the turbine to an intermediate pressure (state 5). Then some of the steam is
extracted at this state and sent to the feedwater heater, while the remaining steam in the
turbine continues to expand to the condenser pressure (state 6). The extracted steam (state 5)
condenses in the closed feedwater while heating the feedwater from the pump. The heated
feedwater (state 3) is send to the boiler and the condensate from the feedwater heater (state 7)
is allowed to pass through a trap into a lower pressure heater or condenser (state 8).

Another way of removing the condensate from the closed feedwater heater is pump the
condensate forward to a higher-pressure point in the cycle. The T-s diagram of this cycle is
shown below.

T-S diagram of an ideal Regenerative Rankine Cycle with One Closed Feedwater Heater

Heat and work interactions for regenerative Rankine cycle with one closed feedwater heater
is expressed per unit mass of water flowing through the boiler. They are:
Heat Input: qin = h4 - h3
Heat Output: qout = (1 - y)(h1 - h6) + y(h8 - h1)
Work Output: Wturb,out = (h4 - h5) + (1 - y)(h5 - h6)
Work input: Wpump,in = (h2 - h1)
Compared with open feedwater heaters, closed feedwater heaters are more complex, and thus
more expensive. Since the two streams do not mix in the heater, closed feedwater heaters do
not require a separate pump for each heater. Most power plants use a combination of open
and closed feedwater heaters.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF FEEDWATER HEATERS

Damage to feedwater heaters has involved primarily tube failures, which have been caused by
the following :

Erosion from steam impingement

Tube vibration
Erosion and corrosion on the inlet tube end
Oxygen pitting
Stress corrosion cracking
Failures of tube joints
Improper plugging
Poor maintenance

Non-destructive examination (NDE) are used for tube-side and shell-side inspections.
Since tube conditions are critical, eddy current and ultrasonic testing (UT) are used to
evaluate tube integrity. Eddy current testing determines wall thinning and identifies crack that
have occurred.
When leaks are detected, tubes are usually plugged with tapered or mechanical plugs and
are expanded in the tubesheet. Explosive plug are also used.
Copper-based tubing has been replaced by other materials in order to reduce the carryover of dissolved copper