QUALITY APPROACH DURING UNIT OVERHAUL TO REDUCE BTL

BY S K LAL Sr. MGR. (FQA) NTPC Ltd.-VINDHYACHAL

CONSEQUENCES OF BTL
FORCED SHUT DOWN OF UNIT UNWANTED GEN. LOSS AVAILABILITY LOSS INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE COST RELIABILITY HAMPERED PROFITABILITY LOSS .. AND SO MANY

MAJOR CAUSES OF BTL

FLUE GAS/ASH EROSION. OVERHEATING (LONG TERM/SHORT TERM). WELD JOINT FAILURE (SHOP / ERECTION / STUB). MAINTENANCE INDUCED DEFECTS. THERMAL FATIGUE (FIN / ATTACHMENT CRACK). CORROSION FATIGUE. STEAM EROSIN (SOOT BLOWER AREA)

NTPC LTD.
VINDHYACHAL SUPER THERMAL POWER STATION

LARGEST POWER PLANT OF INDIA TOTAL INSTALLED CAPACITY 3260MW STAGE I (6X210MW)-(1987 -91) STAGE II(2X500MW)-(1999-2000) STAGE III(2X500MW)-(2006-2007)

BTL DETAILS(FINANCIAL YEAR RECORDS)

18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

17

16

15 13

16

TOTAL BTL NOS.

2003- 2002- 2004- 2005- 2006- 200704 03 05 06 07 08 (TILL JULY)

% AVAILABILITY LOSS DUE TO BTL

1.400% 1.200% 1.000% 0.877% 0.907% 0.800% 0.600% 0.400% 0.200% 0.000% 200304 200203 2004- 200505 06 200607 200708 0.585% 0.890% 0.810% 1.19%

AIM: ZERO FORCED OUTAGE DUE TO BOILER TUBE LEAKAGE FROM OVERHAUL TO OVERHAUL.

THRUST FOR QUALITY OVERHAUL

SALIENT FEATURES:

IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATION OF BTL ANALYSIS. IDENTIFICATION OF MAJOR EROSION PRONE AREA. PLANNED, ORGANIZED & THOROUGH INSPECTION AND COMPLETE BOILER MAPPING. AVAILABILITY OF QUALITY MATERIAL, TOOLS/ TACKLES, EQUIPMENTS, TRAINED /SKILLED MANPOWER & CONTRACT.

PROCESS CONTROL & STRINGENT QUALITY SURVELLIANCE DURING OVERHAUL. USE OF PROVEN NDT CHECKS AS WELL AS NEW TECHNIQUES FOR HEALTH ASSESSMENT & RLA STUDIES AS WELL AS FOR ASSURANCE OF QUALITY JOB DURING OVERHAUL.

PLANNED SHUT DOWN OF THE UNIT FOR OVERHAUL

TWO YEARS ADVANCE ROLLING PLAN FOR BOILER OVERHAUL & LINCENCE RENEWAL. WELL DEFINED ENGINEERING DECLERATION FOR THE WORKS TO BE CARRIED OUT WITH SPECIFIED TIME FRAME. AVAILABILITY / ADVANCE PROCUERMENT OF SPARES, MATERIAL TOOLS/ TACKLES & CONSUMABLES.

ALL PROCUREMENT VIA PRE DIFINED SPECIFICATION, QUALITY CHECKS AND THROUGH ESTABLISHED/ APPROVED VENDORS. AVALABILITY OF JOB CONTRACT IN ADVANCE. ALL CONTRACTUAL JOB SPECIFICATION AND SCOPE OF WORK WELL DEFINED AND TIED UP WITH STRINGENT QUALITYCHECKS/NORMS ON EACH STAGE OF WORK.

OVERHAUL

QUALITY OVERHAUL

SYNERGIC & COORDINATED EFFORT OF BMD+FQA+MTP

PRE OVERHAUL QUALITY CHECKS FOR TOOLS/ TACKLES,CONSUMABLE MANPOWER & PROCEDURE
1.SKY CLIMBERS HEALTHINESS/ SCAFFOLDING MATERIAL SAFETY. 2. HAND TOOLS AND WELDING MACHINES 3.CRANES,HANDELLING EQUIPMENT,WINCHES. 4.POWER POINT HEALTHINESS (INCLUDING TEMPORARY LIGHTING)

5. CONTRACTORS STORE AUDIT FOR ELECTRODES,GAS AND OVEN CHECKING. 6. AVALIBILITY OF W.P.S. & P.Q.R. FOR DIFFERENT WELDING PROCESS INVOLVED IN PRESSURE PARTS. 7. WELDERS QUALIFICATION(H.P. AND L.P.)AND ISSUANCE OF WELDER IDENTITY CARD INDICATING HIS QUALIFICATION CRITEREA. 8. ENSURE COMPLET MOBILISATION OF BOILER PRESSURE PARTS CONTRACTOR AS WELLAS NDT CONTRACTOR . 9. COMPETENCE & ADEQUECY OF MANPOWER ENGAGED IN O/H TO BE ENSURED.

SHUT DOWN AND INSPECTION

QUICK ERECT SCAFFOLDING IN 1ST PASS & 2ND PASS OF BOILER PR. PARTS AND UPTO ROOF FOR PENDENT COILS INPECTION. COMPLETE WASHING/ CLEANING OF BOILER FURNACE/ PENT HOUSE, GOOSE NECK. PROPER BUFFING OF BOILER TUBES & COMPLETE ILLUMINATION INSIDE OF BOILER.

THOROUGH VISUAL / PHYSICAL INSPECTION AS WELL AS D-METERING OF BOILER 1ST AND 2ND PASS EROSION PRONE AREA. BOILER TUBE THICKNESS MEASUREMENT (25000 READING IN 210 MW UNITS & 50000 READINGS IN 500 MW UNITS).

AREA OF D-METERING ECONOMISER COILS (U.B. & L.B.) UPTO HEADER BENDS. WATER WALL S-PANEL (FRONT/REAR) IN SIX STEPS UPTO NOSE BENDS. SOOT BLOWER AREA WW TUBES. BURNER BLOCK AREA GOOSE NECK BENDS. SCW TUBES OF ALL FOUR WALLS OF 2ND PASS IN LTSH/ RH REGULATING STAGE/ ECO AREA. HANGER TUBES.

R.H BENDS INSPECTION AFTER THE REMOVAL OF T BARS. LTSH COIL & ITS TERMINAL TUBE BENDS. DIVISIONAL PANEL, RADIANT S.H.,PLATEN S.H.(ALL MECHANICAL LOCKING AREA/ SPACER & BINDER TUBES AREA). SCREEN TUBES.

>20% EROSION IN FIRST PASS > 15% EROSION IN IInd PASS

TUBE CUTTING BASED ON % THINNING.

IDENTIFICATION AND PROPER MARKING OF ERODED TUBE FOR CUTTING. COMPLETE BOILER MAPPING. VISUAL INSPECTION OF REFRACTORY/INSULATION INSPECTION OF CASETTE BAFFLES,BINDERS TUBE COIL SUPPORTS AND SHIELDING, CLEARENCES &CHECK OF THE BENDS.

QUALITY INSPECTION BY SEPARATE GROUP FOR Ist & IInd PASS CONSISTING OF BMD+FQA PERSONNEL.

QUALITY CHECKS DURING WELDING WORK OF BOILER PRESSURE PARTS

CUTTING OF TUBES BY GRINDER ONLY. PROPER CAPPING OF VERTICAL CUT TUBES. ENSURE PROPER SPOOL PIECES BY ENSURING COLOUR CODING & DIMENSION. CLEANLINESS OF THE SPOOL PIECES WITH STRESS ON PROPER FIT UP. AUTHETICITY OF RAW MATERIAL USED IN WELDING i.e. WELDING CONSUMABLES. ( FILLER WIRE, ELECTRODE & ARGON GAS WITH 99.9% PURITY.)

CORRECT PROCEDURE OF WELDING AS PER ESTABLISED W.P.S. & PQR. 100% RT OF ALL NEWLY WELDED JOINTS. PWHT AS PER APPROVED PROCEDURE, WHENEVER REQUIRED. WELDERS PERFORMANCES TO BE MONITORED ON DAILY BASIS & PROMPT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN. ROUND THE CLOCK SURVELLIANCE DURING WELDING & RADIOGRAPHY.

FQA PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

* REPAIR RATE REDUCTION BELOW 3% FOR ALL NEWLY WELDED JOINTS

RLA STUDIES & OTHER NDT CHECKS

IDENTIFICATION OF OVERHEATED TUBES. OXIDE SCALE MEASUREMENT FOR R.H.,S.H. COILS & OVERHEATED TUBE REPLACEMENT. HARDNESS SURVEY. SAMPLING FROM ALL THE HIGH TEMPRETURE ZONE FOR NECESSARY MICRO STRUCTURE ANALYSIS.

DOWNCOMERS & HEADERS CRITICAL WELD JOINTS & DMW JOINTS HEALTH ASSESSMENT & RLA IN PHASED MANNER ( FOR UNITS CLOCKING MORE THAN 1LAKH HRS.)
D.P.T. OF ATTACHMENT WELDS & DISSIMILER JOINTS: LIKE SCW HEADERS, RING HEADERS,HANGER SUPPORT OF PENT HOUSE, SPRAY LINE STUBS & OTHER CRITICAL STUB JOINTS, NIPPLE, GAMMA PLUGS & HAND HOLE WELDS,BOILER DRUM STEAM CHEST

CREEP MEASUREMENT OF HIGH TEMP. /PRESSURE LINES ON PREDETERMINED LOCATION AND COMPARISION WITH ORIGINAL VALUE. CHECKING OF HANGERS/SUPPORT & RESET IF REQUIRED. (HOT & COLD CONDITION READING TO BE USED FOR REFERENCE.) DRUM INTERNAL INSPECTION, PHYSICAL CONDITION OF DEPOSITS,PITTING,DAMAGE TO SURFACE, GENERAL CLEANLINESS ,CHECK FOR CHOCKING OF LINES & ANALYSIS OF DEPOSIT. DRAINS, VENTS, SPRAY LINES,VALVES INSPECTION & RECTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS.

BEST PRACTICES IMPLEMENTED DURING OVERHAUL

STAGE I UNIT-: ECO COIL REPLACEMENT IN PHASED MANNER EARLIER COIL REPLACEMENT WAS AFTER INSPECTION FROM TOP & BOTTOM & THEN BY LOWERING COILS. SPOOL PIECES REPLACEMENT BASED ON EROSION 100% RT & THEN COIL LIFTED FOR POSITION/ERECTION JOINT & FINAL RADIOGRAPHY.

DISADVANTAGE

MAJOR TIME CONSUMING WORK SPACE CONSTRAINT & DIFFICULT WORK ENVIRONMENT(AS COIL REPAIR IN THE AREA BETWEEN U.B. & L.B.) LIMITED NO. OF COILS CAN BE LOWERED AT A TIME. ALIGNMENT PROBLEM LEADING TO FURTHER EROSION IN 6 TO 8 MONTH PERIOD.

NEW STRATEGY

180 COIL TAKEN OUT & REPLACEMENT WITH PREFABRICATED & RADIOGRAPHED COIL. (ALREADY FABRICATED BETWEEN TWO O/H PERIODS)

REQUIREMENT OF ONLY ERECTION JOINTS DURING O/H.

INSPECTION TIME REDUCED.

MORE STRESS ON ALIGNMENT & SHIELIDING.

OLD ERECTION/SHOP JOINTS RADIOGRAPHY AT APPROCHABLE LOCATION IN PHASED MANNER ( MAINLY FOR 500MW UNIT) STAGE I REGULATING COIL REVIVAL & COMPLETE INSPECTION FOR BEND EROSION. PROPER SHIELDING OF TUBES PRONE TO FLUE GAS EROSION. HYDRO TEST AS PER IBR NORMS & THEN FLUSHING THROUGH RING HEADER FOR REMOVAL OF FOREIGN MATERIAL

R.H. LEAKAGE CHECKING BY AIR PRESSURISATION RATHER THEN VACUUM PULING. ALL FINS WELDING DONE BY TESTED WELDERS. VISUAL INSPECTION & RANDOM DPT TO ENSURE QUALITY. ON LINE AVAILABILITY OF BOILER MAPPING & RADIOGRAPHY RECORDS. WELDING PROCESS STRINGENT CONTROL & TARGET FOR REPAIR RATE REDUCTION LESS THEN 3% FOR NEWLY WELDED JOINTS.

AUDIT OF BOILER OVERHAUL BY KNOWELDGE TEAM. SHARINGS OF THE LEARNINGS ACROSS THE PROJECTS.
IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW TECHNIQUE & RECOMMENDATION.

FIELD QUALITY

ASSURENCE

FQA SET UP

HEAD FQA REPORTING TO HOP AS WELL AS TO CQA. TRAINED EXECUTIVES OF ALL THREE DISCIPLINES i.e. CIVIL, MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL. LAB ASSISTANT & TRAINED NDT STAFF MINIMUM LEVEL II TO SUPPORT THE SYSTEM. WELL EQUIPPED LABORATORY AND CALIBRATED TESTING EQUIPMENTS ALONG WITH NDT FACILITIES FOR CARRYING OUT VARIOUS TESTS AND CHECKS. SKILL UPDATION OF THE TECHNICAL STAFF ON REGULAR BASIS. AVAILABILITY OF STANDARDS, CODES, TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION.

ROLE OF FQA IN O&M PHASE OF POWER PLANT TIE UP OF QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF O&M SPARES DURING INDENT STAGE ITSELF. ENFORCING PDI CLAUSE FOR CRITICAL O&M SPARES. PREPARATION / APPROVAL OF MQP FOR SITE AWARDED INDENTS / P.O. VENDOR AUDIT AND STANDARDISATION. TECHNICAL SUPPORT IN SPARE PART DEVELOPMENT.

INVOLVEMENT IN FORCED OUTAGES, SHORT SHUTDOWN AND OVERHAUL. MONTHLY FEEDBACK ON QA ACTIVITIES TO HOP & CQA. MONTHLY QUALITY CERTIFICATION FOR O&M CONTRACTS PROGRESSIVE PAYMENT.

CO-ORDINATION WITH RIO FOR FACILITATING THE SPARES INSPECTION. RECEIPT INSPECTION OF SPARES AT STORES. QUALITY AUDIT ON PRESERVATION OF CRITICAL SPARES. PREPARATION / APPROVAL OF FQP FOR SITE AWARDED CONTRACTS. FINALIZATION OF MAINTENANCE QUALITY PLANS. ASSOCIATION WITH O&M IN WITNESSING CRITICAL CHECKS AND SURVEILLANCE ON MAJOR CHECKS

ORGANISATIONAL CHART
ED (ENGG.)

ED (REGION)
GM (CQA)

GM (ENGG.)

ED (STATION)
(AGM ) CQA

(AGM/DGM) RIO

(DGM ) FQA

Sr. Mgr. (FQA)

Exec. (CIVIL) 2nos.(O&M/project)

LAB ASST. 02 NOS.

Exec. (Mech.) 4nos.(O&M/Project)

LAB ASST. 02 NOS.

Exec. (Elect.)
2nos.(O&M/Project)

Exec.(Stores & Site Insp.) -01No.

FQA LAB EQUIPMENTS

1.
2. 3. 4.

5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

13.
14.

RADIO ISOTOPES WITH TELEFLEX CAMERA. MPI KIT 2NOS. (1.MORE THAN 40,000AMP. 2. UPTO 20,000 AMP.) UT MACHINES -2NOS. D-METER WITH DATALOGGER -5NOS. D-METER -10NOS. IN-SITU METALLOGRAPHY KIT. HARDNESS TESTER (EQUO TIP -01NO. & CHINESE 01NO.) X-RAY M/C FOR ALUMINIUM WELDING EXAMINATION -01NO. UTM 60 TON CAPACITY 01NO. IMPACT TESTING MAQCHINE. PAINT THICKNESS ALCOMETER. OXIDE SCALE THICKNESS GAUGE. MATERIAL SORTER. VIDEOSCOPE.

THANK YOU