Failure in a turbine oil cooler
Failure in a turbine oil cooler
(OP)
Hi,
We have a turbine driven generator set and the cooling water for the oil cooler comes from a cooling tower station. However, it could happen that due to clogging of the oil cooler, the cooling pond water pressure might rise to such a point that the cooling water pressure is greater than the oil pressure. In case of failure of a tube in the oil cooler, the consequence might be catastrophic.
Grateful to have advices from the forum members.
Cooling water pressure 2.8 bar
Oil pressure 1.8 bar
Bob
We have a turbine driven generator set and the cooling water for the oil cooler comes from a cooling tower station. However, it could happen that due to clogging of the oil cooler, the cooling pond water pressure might rise to such a point that the cooling water pressure is greater than the oil pressure. In case of failure of a tube in the oil cooler, the consequence might be catastrophic.
Grateful to have advices from the forum members.
Cooling water pressure 2.8 bar
Oil pressure 1.8 bar
Bob





RE: Failure in a turbine oil cooler
Oil pressure 1.9 bar
RE: Failure in a turbine oil cooler
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Failure in a turbine oil cooler
RE: Failure in a turbine oil cooler
RE: Failure in a turbine oil cooler
from the data supplied seems like the water and oil pressures are too close for comfort.
the L.O. press = 27.6 psig
could you adjust the pressure of the LO to 30.5 psig (2.1 bar)?
also, if you have a pressure regulating valve in the cooling water system could you adjust the pressure to 1.6 bar?
then... is this something you are thinking of like a haz-op scenario?
I had leaky water tubes in lube oil coolers... the first sign is FOAM in the oil and also... the water goes to the bottom of the lube oil tank and the operator should detect the water during the regular checks of the lube oil tank drains, exactly for: water collection.
also, GT manufacturers recommend periodic lube oil analysis, typically once a month, and specifically for water content...
if you have a catastrophic failure because a tube started to leak... that means that some corners were cut in the routine maintenance and monitoring program.
an immediate catastrophic failure will happen if you have a massive tube failure in the lube oil cooler... but that is highly unlikely, unless the poor thing was never maintained.
you could also add another degree of protection with a Δp switch between the water and oil system to monitor that the value of Δp is kept at a certain value when the unit is running... as soon as that value goes to 0 or negative (water press higher than oil pressure)you should drop an alarm to let the operator know of the abnormal situation.
saludos.
a.
RE: Failure in a turbine oil cooler
99 times of 100, heat exchanger tube leaks are at very low flow rates, and are noticed when oil quality is checked.