Generation

Renovation & Modernisation

R. K. Jain
Director (Technical)

NTPC Limited

India Electricity 2006 11th May, 2006

INDIAN POWER SECTOR

Present Status: Per capita consumption about 600 units per annum Installed Capacity 1,24,287 MW (April, 2006)

Indias Projected Growth is 7-8 % of GDP Projected power requirement by year 2012: Per capita consumption 1000 units per annum Installed capacity over 2,00,000 MW Projected power requirement by year 2032: Per capita consumption about 3000 units per annum Installed capacity about 6,00,000 to 7,00,000 MW
However government of India is targeting double digit growth rate (10%) and hence projections are likely to get revised upwards. The above necessitates : Sustainable Large Capacity Addition Program at higher efficiency Upgrading fleet of Old Power Stations which are inefficient and have poor availability

R&M and Re-powering India has large number of old plants which are inefficient and running below design capacity Operating pressure and temperature of these old plants are lower and there is no reheating in some of the units Fuel available at present is different from what plant were designed for Some of the equipments have degraded Re-powering of these plant can quickly increase the power generation at relatively lower cost to consumer Re-powering can increase the cycle efficiency and hence reduce emission of greenhouse gases and pollutants

R&M and Re-powering

R&M will involve up gradation of milling system, APH, ESP, firing system etc and refurbishment of turbine, condenser, pressure parts, fans etc. Re-powering may involve following changes in plant design : Adoption of higher steam parameters Introduction of topping cycle, old turbine may be retained in bottoming cycle. Bottoming turbine cycle efficiency improvement by adoption of high efficiency blade design
Thus, Renovation & Modernization of old existing units is an important tool for capacity enhancement, life extension and improvement in availability, reliability & efficiency. Re-powering is challenging from technology as well as engineering point of view and offers huge potential for capacity addition augmentation.

RATIONALE FOR R&M

New Plants costly. Longer gestation period of new plant. Limited availability of new site. Old plants can be renovated and Modernised at lower costs and life extension achieved. Availability and efficiency can be improved. Minimum environmental impact and R&R problems for additional capacity. R&M is an efficiency improvement tool and can improve generation by 30%, environment impact by 47% and efficiency by 23% (Source: TERI)

APPROACH TO R&M
Depends on Age of the plant, its existing condition and generic problems in its inherited design Operational History & Problems being faced to run the plant Major modifications carried out from the original design condition Type of fuel & its cost To cater to changes in the input / output of the plant coal, water, power evacuation Source of availability of inputs for future Cost of generation Cost of Technology

WHY R&M?
To restore the original rated parameters by one to one replacements Improve performance by introduction of new technology. To upgrade the units to comply with fast changing Environmental / statutory standards / guidelines. To cater to technological obsolescence. Mega R&M Technology Upgrades. This would aim at both leveraging the technological advancements, as well as driving down the Cost Of Generation, while factoring in the emerging business scenario to meet the market determined price for power

Technological Options
Clean Coal Technology To reduce SOX ,NOX & CO2 Emissions Energy extraction from coal 1.PC fired 2.Fluidized bed combustion-Reduces Sox, NOx Emissions 3.Indirect combustion through coal gasification Sub Critical Steam Parameters To Supercritical Parameters Increase in Pressure and temperature to like 250bar and 565 deg C Re-powering Technology For better efficiency, pollution control and less cost besides life extension

Technological Options

BOILER & AUXILIARIES

Replacement/Augmentation Of Pressure Parts. Retrofitting/ Modifications Air Pre Heater. Augmentation Of Milling System. Provision Of Flame Scanners, ignitors. Renovation of Draft System. Retrofitting Of ESPs.

Technological Options

TG & AUXILIARIES
Replacement of turbine blades with latest design. Modernization of condensors by change in type and material of tubes, augmenting with tube cleaning mechanism. Modernisation of power cycle equipments with more efficient pumps and improved Regenerative Heaters. Modification of air evacuation system with Vacuum pumps.

Technological Options

Gas Turbine
Inlet Air Cooling system. Online Compressor Washing System Dry Low NOx Burners. Improved metallurgy for improved life of Hot Gas Path Components Improved efficiency Thermal Barrier Coatings of Blades & Vanes. Improved major inspection intervals. Multi Fuel Firing

Technological Options
ELECTRICAL Up gradation of insulation of rotating machines from Class B to Class F. Up gradation of protection systems including diagnostic tools. Replacement of HV , EHV circuit breakers with SF6 / Vacuum breakers for stability and to overcome obsolescence. C&I Modernization of obsolete C&I systems with State- of-ArtTechnology. MISCELLANEOUS Augmentation Of CHP Augmentation Of Water Treatment Plants Introduction of Ash Water Re-circulation System.

EXPECTED BENEFITS
Increase in generation with improved performance Increase in safety, reliability, availability and operational flexibility Recapturing and/ or enhancing of unit capacity Extension of economic useful life by 15-20 years at comparatively lower capital cost Benefit by way of additional life Possibility of reducing cost of generation

R&M with Efficiency Increase

Increased power output resulting from efficiency increase is free of fuel cost, free of operational cost and free of emissions.

Fuel consumption per kWh

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation w/o efficiency improvement

Rehabilitation with efficiency improvement

20

40

years

Mega R&M
Opting for higher steam pressure & temperatures due to the availability of better material suited for these parameters improves heat rate and reliability Therefore, for old plant it may be worthwhile to consider mega R&M schemes to bring these plants up to the contemporary state of the art plants in terms of efficiency and availability Typically, such mega R&M may include up-rating, re-powering, higher process parameters resulting in enhanced efficiency, improved operational safety, reliability, advanced diagnostics etc. Mega R&M typically consists of replacements of major equipment / systems of the plant at marginally higher cost & longer shutdowns of the Units are inherent.

Plans for R&M The importance of R&M was recognised by the Government of India way back in 1984 when PHASEI R&M Programme for 34 thermal power stations in the country was launched by the Central Electricity Authority as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme The Government of India has now accorded high priority to R&M and Life Extension (LE) of old existing power plants. The funds in the form of loan assistance at concessional interest rates are being provided by the Government through Power Finance Corporation (PFC) for R&M works

LIFE EXTENSION PROGRAMME DURING 10TH PLAN

S. No. i) ii) PARTICULARS Number of thermal power stations Number of thermal units 32 106

iii)
iv) v)

Estimated Cost
Total Capacity involved Average PLF of the units before LE programme

Rs. 9200 crores

10,413 MW 49%

vi) vii)

Anticipated PLF after completion. Anticipated additional generation/ annum

75% 23700 MU

viii)

Capacity expected after completion of LE works

10,747 MW

R&M PROGRAMME DURING 10TH PLAN

S.No.
S.No.

PARTICULARS

PARTICULARS

i)
i)

Number of thermal power stations

13

13

Number of thermal power stations

ii)
ii)

Number of thermal units

57

57

Number of thermal units

iii)

iii)

Estimated Cost

Estimated Cost

Rs.977 crores

Rs.977 crores

iv)

iv) Total Capacity involved Total Capacity involved 14270 MW

14270 MW

11TH PLAN PROGRAMME

Sl. No. Particulars LEP R&M

i)

Number of thermal power stations

18

12

ii)

Number of thermal units

34

31

iii)

Estimated Cost

Rs.6000 Crores

Rs. 751 Crores

iv)

Total capacity involved

6,000 MW

7,090 MW

Thermal Units for R&M in 10th and 11th Plan

No of units for R&M in 10th Plan No of units for R&M in 11th Plan
45 40 35
No of units

30 25

25 20 15 10 5 0 4

No of units

30 43

20 15 10 5 0 0 110 MW and 200 & 210 MW Below Unit size 2 500MW 29

10 500MW

110 MW and 200 & 210 MW Below Unit size

Total MW for R&M in 10th Plan

Total MW for R&M in 11th Plan

360 5000 110 MW and Below 200 & 210 MW 8910 500MW

1000

0 110 MW and Below 200 & 210 MW 500MW 6090

POWER PLANT R&M OBJECTIVES

availability improvement
efficiency upgrading environmental control updating life extension

increased electrical output

reduced fuel consumption

emissions within new norms

improved reliability

RESULTS
increased power output reduced power generation cost operation free of restrictions

plus CDM BENEFITS

Challenges in R&M

Limited Agencies for R&M implementation in the country. Prohibitive cost of New Technologies impediment for introduction on wider scale. Unfavorable cost benefit analysis.

R&M activity to be linked with planned shut down.

CDM Potential in R&M Offers substantial CDM benefits reduction/substitution of coal by: through

Enhancement of efficiency by upgrading cycle parameters

Co-firing of biomass with coal in coal fired furnaces

R&M SCENARIO IN NTPC

Department formed in 1995 to Cater to R&M of its own Stations R&M is identified as Key Thrust Area as the many NTPC plants are crossing 1,00,000 operating hours R&M of power plants of 10,799 MW capacity has been undertaken / in progress R&M of power plants of 7,642 MW capacity is under planning The cost of R&M may be up to Rs. 1.5 crores per MW depending on the life and condition of the plant.

NTPC R&M Project under CDM: NTPC has taken up Badarpur R&M project under CDM PIN is already prepared

NTPCs EXPERIENCE SO FAR

NTPC Talcher TPS (4x60+ 2x110 MW)
R&M Scope
Extensive RLA and R&M of SG and TG Retrofitting of existing ESP and addition of new fields Replacement of Static Excitation System, Power & Control cables, replacement/ Retrofit of HT/LT Switchgear ,Augmentation of H2 plant Renovation of Cooling Towers Augmentation of Ash Handling New AWRS New Railway Siding inside the plant New Coal Handling Plant R&M of Switchyard

R&M cost - Rs 1.50 Crs/MW PLF is around 88% as against 19% during takeover in Jun 1995.

NTPCs EXPERIENCE SO FAR

NTPC Tanda TPS (4x110 MW)
R&M Scope
Extensive RLA and R&M of SG and TG ESP Renovation Replacement of 6.6 KV & 11 KV Switch gear Replacement of LT Switch Gear Renovation of Fire Fighting system New Stacker Reclaimer Additional DM Stream New DDCMIS for Units 1&2 and Upgradation of DAS for Unit 4 Clarification of CW Make up water system & Effluent Treatment plant

R&M cost - Rs 1.17 Crs/MW PLF is around 85% as against 21% at the time of takeover in Jan 2000

EXPERIENCE OF TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES

The 60 MW boilers at Talcher TPS have been redesigned taking into account the current coal characteristics. Milling system have been upgraded. The 110 MW Units at Kothagudam have been upgraded to 120 MW by PPIL with a Turbine HR less than 2000 Kcal/Kwh.

110 MW Unit at AECO, Sabarmati has been upgraded to 120 MW by NASL with Turbine HR improvement of approximately 140 Kcal/Kwh. No. of 200/210 MW LMZ Units have been upgraded to 225 MW in other countries with considerable improvement in Heat rate. These are now being planned in India.

Governments Initiatives

Partnership in Excellence
CEA has identified 26 stations which are operating at a PLF of less than 40%. These stations would have a Partnership in Excellence with better performing utilities, so as to achieve an improvement in performance in the shortest possible time. Subsidized funds would be made available for this programme through PFC / REC. The target is to achieve a PLF of 60% in two years time.

Role of NTPC
NTPC has been entrusted the responsibility of 14 stations out of the identified 26. Site office has been opened at all the 14 stations and experts have been posted at all sites. The teams will aim to implement the customized O&M systems and will carry out one cycle of overhauls.

Governments Initiatives

R&M of SEB stations

The 10th Plan envisaged R&M of an installed capacity of 11,055 MW with a target of achieving 75-80% PLF and 20 years of Life Extension.

Role of NTPC
NTPC has taken up consultancy services for a few of these stations. NTPC initially took up four power stations for R&M/LE (Total 1332.5 MW). Subsequently another six stations (1512.5 MW) were taken up for R&M / Life Extension (LE) / Recommissioning / Residual Life Assessment (RLA) Funds being provided by PFC / REC

APDP-R&M

Highlights of Achievement
Proj. PLF bef. PLF aft. % imp. in PLF SOC bef. SOC aft. % imp. APC in SOC bef. APC aft. % imp. in APC

CTPS 3x140 MW DTPS 1x140 MW GTPS 2x210 MW

23.97

72.66

203.13

28.60

0.80

97.20

22.30

11.43

48.75

36.78

65.41

77.84

5.28

1.88

64.40

12.59

9.88

21.52

45.00

84.00

93.19

3.00

0.70

76.67

12.40

10.23

17.50

International Best Practices in R&M

Internationally, R&M program are focused on leveraging technological developments in various fields to upgrade candidate plants & bring them at par with contemporary machines International best practices range from one-to-one replacements to Mega R&M

In USA and other advanced countries utilities have largely gone for Mega R&M because of the age of their units & rapid changes in their business environment which required them to remain competitive and efficient
Hence, Mega R&M schemes such as up-gradation of process parameters, improved balding in turbines, Re-powering, & even installing machines of higher capacity on the same footprint were adopted

Case Study of a German Power Plant

Improvement of efficiency and environmental conditions by retrofitting the units

This was mainly achieved due to using low NOx burners in boiler, redesigning of LP turbine and cooling tower modernisation The emission levels of the units was reduced drastically due to use of low NOx burners, installing Flue Gas Desulfurification plant and optimisation of operation of ESP
Flue gas discharge through cooling towers, automatic concrete cutter for existing chimneys

Conclusion
Implementation of the R&M Schemes has benefited the stations by way of Overcoming Technological obsolescence. Low cost capacity addition Extending the life of equipment / components. Complying with Statutory and Environmental Norms Sustaining availability and improved performance There is huge potential in India for R&M activities because of large number of old plants which are inefficient and running below design capacity

R&M to be planned in advance before major deterioration or breakdown of unit

Urgent need to enhance manufacturing capacity to handle load of R&M / Creation of new manufacturing base