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NTPC ,kayamkulam

INTRODUCTION

One of the largest thermal power plants in Kerala, the Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle
Power Plant run by theNTPC, is situated in Kayamkulam. Krishnapuram Palace is located
nearby and an old cashew factory. The development of the sector in the country, since
independence has been predominantly through the State Electricity Boards. In order to
supplement the effects of the states in accelerating power development and to promote
power development on a regional basis to enable the optimum utilization of energy
resources, the Government of India decided to take up a programme of establishment
of large hydro and thermal power stations in the central sector on a regional basis. With
this in view, the Government set up the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd., in
November 1975 with the objective of planning, construction, commissioning, operation
and maintenance of Super Thermal and Gas Based Power projects in the country. The
power plant consists of heat recovery boilers, steam turbo generator, auxiliary electrical
and mechanical equipments. The power generated at this power station is fed over
220KV AC transmission systems and is distributed to substations Kundara and Pallam. The
function of a gas turbine in a combined cycle power plant is to drive a generator
which produces electricity and to provide input heat for the steam cycle. Power for driving
the compressor is also derived from gas turbine. NTPC, India's largest power company, was
set up in 1975 to accelerate power development in India. It is emerging as an Integrated
Power Major, with a significant presence in the entire value chain of power generation
business. NTPC ranked 341st in the 2010, Forbes Global 2000 ranking of the Worlds
biggest companies. With a current generating capacity of 34,854 MW, NTPC has embarked
on plans to become a 75,000 MW company by 2017.
Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

Overview of NTPC

NTPC was set up in the central sector in the 1975 in response to widening demand & supply
gap with the main objective of planning, promoting & organizing an integrated development to
thermal power in India. Ever since its inception, NTPC has never looked back and the corporation is
treading steps of success one after the other. Today NTPC contributes more than 1/ 4

th

of the total

power generation in India.

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

NTPC KAYAMKULAM

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Established in

: 1998

Project Name

: Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power


Project(RGCCPP)

Type of station

: Gas based combined cycle

Approved Investment

: Rs. 1189.94 crore

Location

: Choolatheruvu in Alappuzha district of


Kerala

Fuel

: Naphtha

Fuel source

: BPCL

Water source

: Achankovil river

Gas Turbine Output

: 2 X 115 MW

Steam Turbine Output

: 1 X 120 MW

Net plant Output

: 350 MW

Beneficiary States

: Kerala & Tamil Nadu


(with consent of Kerala)

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

Combined Cycle to improve efficiency

Combined Cycle power plant integrates two power conversion cycles namely,
Brayton Cycle (Gas Turbines) and Rankine Cycle (Conventional steam power plant)
with the principal objective of increasing overall plant efficiency. In the above two
cycles gas turbine exhaust is at a temperature of 5005500C and in Rankine Cycle
heat is required to generate steam at the temperature of 500-5500C. So, why not use the
gas - turbine exhaust to generate steam in the Rankine cycle and save the fuel required to
heat the water? Combined Cycle does just the same. The efficiency of Gas Turbine
cycle alone is 30% and the efficiency of Rankine Cycle is 35%. The overall efficiency of
combined cycle comes to 48%.

Black Start System

To start a gas turbine in the event of AC-power failure an emergency


black start system is provided. It also helps in safe closing down of the gas turbine
and its auxiliaries following a trip in the event of grid collapse. The black start system
consists of a separate diesel engine or a gas turbine driven synchronous generator connected
to station switch gear bus. It can be operated manually from local or remote and also it
automatically comes into operation following a blackout condition. Capacity of black start
unit is such that it can supply the total auxiliary power required to start a gas turbine from
standstill condition. RGCCPP is provided with a diesel generator set for the duty.

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

How Does A Combined - Cycle Power Plant Work?


Air Inlet

The amount of air needed for combustion is drawn through the large air inlet
section where it is cleaned, cooled and controlled, in order to reduce noise.

Turbine - Generators:

The air then enters the gas turbine where it is compressed, mixed with fuel Naphtha
and ignited, which causes it to expand. The pressure created from the expansion
spins the turbine blades, which are attached to a shaft and a generator, creating
electricity.

Each gas turbine produces 115 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)

The hot exhaust gas exits the turbine at about 550 degree Celsius and then passes
through the Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG).

In the HRSG, there are tubes filled with demineralised water. The hot exhaust gas
coming from the turbines passes through these tubes, which act like a radiator,
boiling the water inside the tubes, and turning that water into steam. The gas
then exits the

power plant through the exhaust stack at a much cooler 100

degree Celsius, after having given up most of its heat to the steam process. This
steam is fed to the steam turbine through large pipes.

Steam Turbine
The steam turbine is capable of producing up to 120 MW. It is located on
top of the Condenser

Steam enters the turbine with temperatures as high as 550degree Celsius and
pressure as strong as 2,200 pounds per square inch. The pressure of the steam
is used to spin turbine blades which are coupled to a generator, producing
additional electricity, about 120 MW per HRSG unit.

After the steam is spent in the turbine process, the residual steam leaves the
turbine at low pressure and low heat, about 100 degree Celsius. This exhaust
steam passes into a condenser, to be turned back into water.

By using this combined-cycle process, from two gas turbines, we can produce a
total of about 350MW of electricity.

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

Transmission of Generated Power Onto the Grid

The Gas Turbine and Steam Turbine generators produce power at 10.5 kV.
The transformers take the generated 10.5 kV and transform them to 220 kV, which is
the required voltage needed for transmission to the nearby tower that sends power to
the substation.

A small amount of generation is directed to Auxiliary transformers which transform


the generated voltage to a 6.6 kV, so that it may be used by the plant to power its
own pumps, fans, and motors.

Gas Insulated Switchyard(GIS)

The most salient feature of NTPC Kayamkulam is the GIS facility.

GIS is extremely compact compared to other conventional switchyards.

Unlike conventional

switchyard,

here the insulation between three phase

lines(R,Y,B) in
each bus bar is provided by SF6 which is a highly inert gas.

From each transformer, the power passes underground into the switchyard. The
power from all of the generators comes together there, where it is measured,
metered and directed onto the grid

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

Condenser and Cooling Tower

The purpose of the condenser is to turn low energy steam back into pure water
for use in the Heat Recovery Steam Generator.

The purpose of the cooling tower is to cool the circulating water that passes
through the condenser. It consists of 8 cells with large fans on top, inside the
cone-like stacks, and a basin of water underneath.

The cool basin water absorbs all of the heat from the residual steam after being exhausted
from the steam turbine and it is then piped back to the top of the cooling tower.

As the cool water drops into the basin, hot wet air goes out of the stacks. Normally, hot
moist air mixes with cooler dry air, and typically a water vapor plume can be formed.

DeMineralising Plant
It is

the plant where

the

purified water

to condenser is

deminer alised.

Demineralization is done to prevent the rusting ofcondensing chamber and its


pipes. It has the following five stages:

Activated Carbon Filter ( ACF)

Strong Acid - Cation exchange bed (S AC)

Degasser tower

Strong Base Anion exchange bed

Mixed Bed Unit (MBU)

Passing through these five stages, purified water is demineralised and fed to
the condenser

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

NTPC ,kayamkulam

CONCLUSION
In today s society ,

electricity is a

need . Being electrical engineering students,

studying about its generation has been our necessity.


The one day in NTPC gave us an opportunity to explore the dimensions of power generation,
with the proper guidance of the qualified and skilled employees of NTPC.
The knowledge we gained from this visit would be highly beneficial in our further studies
and career.

Dept. of EEE, MESITAM

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