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Last updateSun, 04 Feb 2024 4am

Rotork Type K passes the speed test for power plant damper operation

The swift performance capability of the Rotork Type K vane type damper drive has provided the successful retrofit solution to a critical application involving the safe and efficient operation of balanced-draft power generation boilers.

Inlet draft (ID) fan inlet dampers at power stations regulate the fan-induced pressure and airflow supply to balanced-draft power generation boilers. These boilers require a consistent internal operating pressure for efficient and safe combustion. Boiler pressure fluctuations create combustion problems that can, in extreme conditions, lead to catastrophic failure and structural damage. The maintenance of consistent operating pressure relies entirely on the swift operation of the ID fan inlet dampers.

At the three-unit 2735MW Florida Power & Light Manatee Power Station at Parrish, Florida, the ID fan inlet dampers demand full 90 degree damper movement at full torque load in three seconds or less in order to safeguard the operation of the boilers.

In a recent outage at the station it was necessary to replace the ID fan inlet damper drives on Units 1 and 2, which were over thirty years old and incompatible with the HART protocol of the station’s new Distributed Control System. In addition the manual overrides on the drives had proved to be unreliable.

The equipment selected to replace the obsolete equipment was Type K ‘PM Series’ pedestal mounted TK-6 damper drives, delivering a torque of 5000 lbs-ft at a tested time of less than three seconds for a full 90 degree stroke. Operated by vane-type direct drive pneumatic actuators, these units offer a smoother and faster acting performance than any alternative design.

 

 

Type K provided a ‘drop-in-place’ retrofit installation, matching the dimensions of the existing damper drive footprint on all eight of the replacement installations in Units 1 and 2. Integrated air volume boosters were fitted to obtain the required rotation speed and the control interface was provided by smart positioners.

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