CCI Combines Technologies for Total Control

When one of CCI’s long-time customers was experiencing leakage problems with its superheater bypass valves at its 750 MW power plant located in New Mexico, it was confident turning to CCI for a high-quality, dependable solution. Because CCI had previously installed secondary superheater bypass valves at this plant, the customer was familiar with CCI’s superior technology and trusted that CCI would provide the same quality and dependability in its primary superheater bypass valves.

The power plant’s problematic valves were CDC valves whose leakage was diminishing plant efficiency. Because these valves operate during plant startup, they must be able to withstand a high range of fluid temperatures, varying from 70°F water at startup to 780°F steam at the end of startup. These valves must maintain constant upstream pressure to prevent subcritical trip. Additionally, these valves act as relief valves in the case of a bypass trip, so their dependability is crucial to overall plant operation.

CCI responded to the station’s needs with two 22-stage DRAG® control valves featuring a pressurized seat design to achieve extremely tight (MSS-SP-61) shutoff for zero leakage and improved efficiency. In addition, the valves were designed with Iconel trim to handle the system’s wide range of temperatures as well as a long stroke for superior controllability required to maintain constant upstream pressure.

Finally, CCI will supply its revolutionary QuickTrak™ valve actuation system to the New Mexico plant. This will be one of CCI’s first installations of the QuickTrak™ high-performance system, which boasts a groundbreaking design that eliminates the need for failure-prone accessories and boosts capacity for fast, accurate, and reliable control.

CCI’s combination of DRAG® and QuickTrak™ technology, along with the valves’ long stroke and tight shutoff, provides a total CCI solution to achieve superior control and reliability. This will not only enhance total plant efficiency but also ensure that every single startup at the station is smooth and trouble free.

Published in SOLUTIONS Spring 2004