BOILER FEED PUMP TURBINE

In a thermal power plant, the BFP is one of the critical auxiliary machines that are equivalent to the heart of the plant. In thermal power generation, high-pressure steam is used to drive a turbine, which in turn rotates the generator directly connected to the turbine to generate power. The steam is produced by feeding hot water to the boiler from the BFP. This means that an unexpected stop of the BFP completely stops power generation and therefore the BFP requires a very high level of reliability.

One of the danger BFP may pose is fire hazard. Therefore the BFP shall be protected by fire protection system. What is the main ingre- dient in a BFP fires ? Several hundred liters of relatively low flash point mineral oil. Put it under pressure and confine it within piping, seals or removableopening covers. Then, provide an available “hot” Picture - 01 : Typical Boiler Feed Pump Turbine surface—hot enough to ignite mineral oil … nearby steam piping or turbine casing will do the job. Now, wait until a fl ange leaks, a pipe breaks, a seal fails or a cover is left off an opening— and sim sala bim, have a “recipe” for one of the largest fires could ever imagine

One of the common fire protection used in this application is water-based system. The heart is a deluge system. However, as said "hot surface" has been there, pouring water directly to those hot surface shall be avoided unless real fire has occured. The appropriate system is single pre-action deluge system, as an alarm signal from electronic or mechanical-type detectors won't actuate the deluge directly. There should be the second condition for the discharge initiated. The purpose is to avoid false discharge which is initiated by false alarm.

The fire sensor used can be fixed-point heat detectors, prefereably mechanical type as the environment mostly unfriendly to an electronic equipments. The other alterna- tive is to use linear heat sensor cable. You can use Protectowire Heat Sensor Cable series PHSC. PHSC-280-XCR having alarm temperature at 138^o C PHSC-356-XCR having alarm temperature at 180^o C Those two models can be used for this application.