Generation and controls: Summary

Generating of Power: A super short summary:
Ohk...here is an overview of how things work in a power plant. I shall not go into details here...just the energy transformation chain and a few controls. Just a basic idea.

Energy in a Thermal Power Plant:
Ignition and the consequent combustion of coal generates heat. this means that exothermic chemical reactions take place at the initial stage. the heat produced increases the average kinetic energy of the fluids (appropriately chosen for the purpose) that act as a carrier of the thermal energy produced by the exothermic chemical reactions. now, applying Bernoulli's equation we can see that the pressure head and the velocity head of the system must be such that they ensure movement of the turbine blades and they should be controlled in order to have 3000 rpm for a 2 pole system (as in SGS).

there are several control points...the coal feeder determines and controls the amount of coal to be sent to the mill where pulverisation takes place. Governors (nozzle and throttle type) control steam entry into the turbine. the strength and flux intensity of the electromagnet is controlled by controlling the excitation voltage. these control points are logically programmed in such a manner that malfunctioning at any point will lead to a sequential disruption of processes in the system till the malfunctioning part is made error free.

The effluents are effectively managed to ensure Zero Discharge. for details read up ESP and Bottom Ash removal systems along with details of effluent treatment plants. watching the controls valves open and close is an experience....the sight n the sound...super cool! you would never know the feel if you don't witness it.

The Control Units and Panels are extremely attractive! trust me...if you are an instrumentation engineer you are sure to fall in love with them! A co-trainee(a girl) had referred to the bottom ash disposal control panel as "cute"...so i guess u get the idea!!!! :P

for further information join a Plant as a Trainee!!

Plants and Power!!

  "With reference to your application we are pleased to offer you vocational training....Please report to the station Manager, Southern Generating Station (on the appointed date)....at 9am to commence your training."
 and that was the appointment letter from CESC Limited.

All right....been bhery bhery busssy with training these last few weeks. Infact training is still on. Am supposed to report at 9am in the morning and stay on till 5pm...and it takes me around two whole hours to reach the Plant and again two whole hours to come back.....phew! But, the hectic schedule is worth it. Training is fun...and of course educative!

OVERVIEW:


CESC Ltd. was earlier known as Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation. (click here for the website) Kilburn & Co. secured the electric lighting license in 1897 and the first power generating station was started in 1899...roughly a decade after electric lighting reached London. The company later changed name to CESC Ltd. and is under the RPG Group.

Electricity is the only form of energy, which is easy to

• produce
• transport
• use
• control

Electricity consumption per capita is the index of the living standard of people of a place or country.

Electricity in bulk quantities is produced in power plants.Thermal Power Plant is one of them, generating more than 80% of the total electricity produced in the world.

The “SOUTHERN GENERATING STATION” is a modern pulverized coal-fired electricity generation unit. It uses the Rankine-based thermodynamic cycle. To increase efficiency, the Rankine Cycle is modified. Here, in this power plant the Regenerative Cycle has been adopted to increase efficiency.

Total capacity is135 MW, with two units each of the capacity of 67.5MW. 

The boiler capacity is 77MW. 

TRAINING:

The best thing about Industrial Training is the fact that you get to see most of the things that you have theoretically studied during your semester. Here you get the opportunity to see their practical applications. For example...God knows why i had a feeling that valves were small and harmless little things. At the Plant i figured out that they were (mostly) huge and made monstrous sounds when operated!! :P

You get to see the Engineers live in action. The sessions with these Engineers and of course the line men can actually teach you more than text books ever can! There are various technical details of the training that can be shared here but that would make the post irritatingly long....so i shall refrain from going into details. I may make another post on the details later.
Lemme summarise things here.
Circuits I studied:
air, coal, water and oil.
I saw:
Boiler, turbine, generator (actuator), valves, microprocessor controlled AVR units...etc etc etc....its a huge list!!
Detailed visits:
DM plant and the effluence treatment plant, boiler and turbine, control units of ESP and the Zero Discharge System and a visit to the top of the Hydro Bin (and that was almost a Fear-Factor stunt type experience!!), Conveyor Belt, Bunkers and crushers, the wagon tippler...are a few. Also detailed study of the transformers.

EXPERIENCE:

I made some great friends. Got accustomed to the work environment in a Plant. Found out how things work in the Core sector. Fell in love with the various Control Units and rediscovered my love for Process Control and DCS.

and its not yet over....shall share more on this later.

At the Edge

At the edge…preparing for the fall…

At a height insurmountable…  an abyss pulling me, so strong.

I breathe… the air seems sour…

The gorge so deep…  invincible is the Power.

Am breaking… broken pieces of glass

It’s hurting… the sharp edges that right through me pass

Am at the Edge… but not much longer…

…and then................I fall.