Lessons-learnt during construction,
commissioning and start of operation
Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad,
August/September 2015
Dr. Oliver Then, Head of Power Plant
Technologies
Agenda
Introduction: Overview of the new built plants in Europe
Project Management: key to success
Project Organization
Planning
Scheduling
Quality Management
During construction: material challenges
T24
HR3C
P92
During commissioning: one exampe seawater ingress
First operating experiences: heat recovery concepts
Summary
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Reference Power Plant NRW
Gross output 600 MW
Net output 556 MW
Net efficiency (cooling tower ca. 46 %
mode)
Net efficiency (river cooling) ca. 47 %
Main steam parameters 285 bar/600°C/620°C
Feed water end temperature 303,4 °C
Condenser pressure 45 mbar, wet closed cooling via natural-draft
cooling tower
Boiler type Benson tower boiler with vertical tubes
Boiler efficiency 95 %
Mills 3 mill-concept with 6 burners each
Economizer stages Eight economizer + external desulpher-heater
Feed water pump concept 3 x 50 % electric motor driven feed water pumps,
variable speed drive with planetary gearing
Utilization of waste heat Use of mill air heat
Flue gas cleaning SCT-DENOX with ammonia, four-grade
electrostatic precipitator, flue gas desulphurization
using limestone-gypsum method
Flue gas discharge Discharge via cooling tower
Steam turbine Three-casing steam turbine with simple
intermediate heating and low-pressure stages
made of titanium alloy (reheating after high
pressure turbine)
Generator Water-/hydrogen cooled
Operating personnel 70
The concept study for the Reference Power Plant NRW served as a blue print for the
European new build program initiated in the late 90s.
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Overview of new built projects in Europe
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Overview of new built projects in Europe
Life/RH
start
Name of Name of No. Unit Cap. Tot. Cap. Steam COD Delay (Y)
Country Site of Plant Main Fuel erection
Plant Company Units MW (gr.) MW (el.) Temp. (Y) estimated
(Y)
(°C)
Czech Republic Ledvice 4 CEZ AS Ledvice 1 660 660 LIG 600/610 2008 2014 1,5
Germany Neurath F&G RWE Power Neurath 2 1100 2.200 LIG 595/605 2005 Jul 12 2,5
Germany Datteln 4 E.ON Datteln 1 1100 1.100 HC 600/620 2007 ? >4
Hamburg-
Germany Moorburg A-B Vattenfall Europe 2 820 1.640 HC 600/610 Okt 07 2015 2
Moorburg
Germany Boxberg R Vattenfall Europe Boxberg 1 675 675 LIG 600/605 Okt 06 Okt 12 2
Grosskraftwerk
Germany GKM 9 Mannheim 1 911 911 HC 600/610 2007 2015 2
Mannheim AG
Germany RDK8 EnBW Karlsruhe 1 912 912 HC 600/620 2008 2014 2
Germany Walsum 10 STEAG/EVN Duisburg 1 725 725 HC 610/620 2006 Nov 13 3
Germany Lünen Trianel Lünen 1 750 750 HC 600/610 Sep 08 Jan 14 0,5
Germany Wilhelmshaven GDF Suez Wilhelmshaven 1 800 800 HC 600/610 Sep 08 Apr 14 1,5
Germany Westfalen D&E RWE Generation Hamm 2 800 1600 HC 600/610 Feb 08 Sept 14 (E) 2
Netherlands Eemshaven RWE Power Eemshaven 2 800 1.600 HC 600/610 Sep 08 Jan 15 (A) 1,5
Netherlands Maasvlakte Electrabel Rotterdam 1 750 750 HC 600/610 2009 2013 1
Netherlands Maasvlakte 3 E.ON Benelux Maasvlakte 1 1100 1.100 HC 600/620 Feb 08 2015 2,5
The T24 material is used in European power plant projects with a capacity of 14.8 GW.
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Project Management is key to success
There are 16 processes covering all tasks that need to be managed for a successful
new build project These processes run within a phase or across phases.
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Project Management: Organization
The organization structure is usually based on the model of a hybrid project
organization. It combines the advantages of a line and a matrix approach.
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Project Management: Scheduling
The project schedule is of utmost importance for an efficient project management. The
activities are based on a functional breakdown of the power plant.
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Integrated planning is the basis for efficient operation
The essential tool for data management is the plant master database. It contains all C&I
equipment, vessels, consumers, valves, actuators, motors, pumps.
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Quality Assurance & Control are very important
High time pressure and cost pressure on
suppliers has a negative impact on the quality
assurance & control necessary on the part of
suppliers
Work is subcontracted (or even sub-
subcontracted) to manufacturers lacking
relevant experience
Work packages are divided up and allocated
to a large number of different manufacturing
sites
Staff numbers have been cut in many
manufacturing areas
In terms of a high quality product, the earliest
possible implementation of quality
management is required
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Use of new materials
European projects differ in size and steam parameters, therefore varying
material concepts and boiler designs are used.
Source: GKM
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Use of T24
The T24 material was chosen as material in different parts, e.g. membran tube wall,
superheater and reheater bundles and supporting tubes.
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Qualification of the T24 material
Qualification of the material 7CrMoVTiB10-10 in AVIF research projects:
FDBR-/VGB research project „Qualification of materials for the use in steam
generators with high temperature levels“ (A77, duration: 1994-1998)
Research project „Demonstration of long-term properties of weld joints of modern
steels for the use in steam generators at temperatures of up to 620 °C“ (A129,
duration: 1998-2001)
Fitness for use established in accordance with VdTÜV materials data sheets 533
Technical supply conditions pursuant to DIN EN 10216-2 and VGB-R 109
Qualification process revealed small processing
window:
Accurate adherence to manufacturing prodecures
Stringent craftsmanship of welders
The T24 material was qualified but it places high demands on processing.
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T24: series of damage events
Starting March 2010 – hard coal fired power plants in Europe
in the area of superheater
and reheater tube
penetration
transition pieces
upper part of spiral wall
Quelle: Dr. Benesch, Herausforderungen an Werkstoffe durch den
zukünftigen Kraftwerksbetrieb, Ge, 13.09.2012
VGB PowerTech e.V. | FOLIE 14
T24: failure characteristics
March 2010 – hard coal fired power plants in Europe
crack initiation purely at the inner surface
branched structure
trans- and intergranular crack propagation
nearly without any deformation
filler material
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T23: damage event
2009 – hard coal fired power plants in USA
T23 only at the top of
the boiler
water chemistry was not
controlled in respect to oxygen
Quelle: SUPERCRITICAL UNIT EXPERIENCE WITH GRADE T23 EVAPORATOR
TUBE; Eric Dupont, 2013
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T24: damage investigations
–Preconditions
Please overwrite
for SCC t SCC
sensitive condition of base
material and/or weld joint due Material
condition
to chemical composition,
structure, surface condition,
etc.)
Circumferential cracking
critical stresses resulting from Medium Stress
external impact, welding
stresses and exceeding a
system specific threshold of
stress
presence of a fluid promoting
SCC (e.g. H)
Cracking rectangular to weld
Appearance of SCC
Quelle: Dr. Benesch, Herausforderungen an Werkstoffe durch
den zukünftigen Kraftwerksbetrieb, Ge, 13.09.2012
Hydrogen-induced stress corrosion cracking (SCC) was identified as a damage
mechanism.
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T24: preventive actions in three areas
Influencing the medium: Material Influencing stresses:
condition
Optimised chemical cleaning Heat treatment at 450°C-520°C
(pickling) of the complete boiler with
Optimised water chemistry external burners
of boiler water Medium Stress
Optimised start-up
procedure
Source: Vesta
O2 content in ppb
5 Influencing material condition:
Local heat treatment at
temperatures in the range of
0 Time Source: RWE 600°C in highly stressed area
O2 content during start-up
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T24: influencing the stresses by the boiler heating
>20%
0,2%-yield strength versus test temperature
FDBR-/VGB-Forschungsvorhaben A77: „Qualifizierung von Werkstoffen zum
Einsatz in Dampferzeugeranlagen mit erhöhten Temperaturen“
„Boiler heating“ before first commissioning at 480-520°C leads to:
reduction of lokal stresses (appr. 20%)
lower sensitivity against HSCC
increase sensitization of austenitic materials
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T24: influencing the medium
Reduction of oxygen content
Increase of pressure loss during the period of low oxygen operation
Beginning of ripples formation was identified after approx. 1,5 years of operation
VGB PowerTech e.V. | FOLIE 20
