Feedwater heaters maintenance and repair technology: Reducing outage cost

Technical Report · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6674255

Wadsworth, F L ^[1]; Catapano, M C ^[2]

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1. Sonalysts, Inc., Waterford, CT (USA)
2. Powerfect, Inc., Livingston, NJ (USA)

This report is an assessment of the current state-of-the-art technology and techniques in the maintenance and repair of feedwater heaters. It is based upon a review of current practices in the United States utility industry. Selected techniques in use in Europe, Canada and Australia were also considered where they were considered pertinent to closed feedwater heaters with tubsheet designs. The study focused on those maintenance activities, procedures, and equipment that offer the most opportunity for improving plant performance and availability and reducing plant costs. The report provides detailed guidance for some of the critical maintenance activities performed by utility personnel such as visual inspections, leak detection and location, tube plugging, failure analyses, and selected repairs. It also includes helpful advice on the use of testing equipment and maintenance support often provided by service contractors. Summaries of some of the most promising newer systems of NDE are also included, along with practical comments on their benefits and limitations (e.g., sonic pulse testing, ultrasonic testing of tubes, remote field, and magnetic flux leakage systems). The report emphasizes the need for management to institute policy and procedural improvements in order to benefit from the technologies now available. 56 refs., 83 figs., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Sonalysts, Inc., Waterford, CT (USA); Powerfect, Inc., Livingston, NJ (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI
• OSTI ID: 6674255
• Report Number(s): EPRI-GS-6935
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200104* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Components
CRACKS
FAILURE MODE ANALYSIS
FEEDWATER HEATERS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
HEATERS
INSPECTION
LEAK DETECTORS
MAINTENANCE
MATERIALS TESTING
MONITORING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
ON-LINE SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
POWER PLANTS
REPAIR
SOUND WAVES
SYSTEM FAILURE ANALYSIS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TUBES
ULTRASONIC WAVES