Tripping Report FD Fan VFD Earth Fault
Tripping Report FD Fan VFD Earth Fault
Tripping Report FD Fan VFD Earth Fault
Trip -1
FD fan tripped at 5.00 pm on dated 04/07/2019 on earth fault alarm recorded in FD VFD panel.
Alarm reset and try to start FD fan but FD fan VFD tripped again on Earth fault.
After that Turbine tripped at 5.13pm on TG inlet steam pressure low low. Try to synchronized
the generator with grid to avoid the complete blackout of the plant but unable to connect as
frequency was not matched at that time. It was decided to keep Boiler in hot box-up condition &
thorough inspection to be carried out of FD Fan Motor and VFD. All parameters found normal.
Boiler taken in service at 7.48 pm. TG sync with grid at 9.21 pm.
Date and Time of the Tripping: 04/07/2019 5:00 pm
Date and Time of the Synchronization 04/07/2019 7:48 pm
Outage Duration (In Hours Mins) 2 hrs. 48 min
Trip -2
FD fan again tripped at 12.44 am on dated 05/07/2019 on earth fault alarm on FD VFD panel.
Hence decide to shut down the plant & keep boiler in hot box up condition. Turbine tripped on
low steam pressure.
Again motor and cable checked and values are as follows.
R - Y = 960 MΩ
B - R = 1026 MΩ
Y - B = 1100 MΩ
R = 0.1 MΩ
B = 0.1 MΩ
Y = 0.1 MΩ
Out of three runs one cable of 150 Sqmm B phase meager shows zero ohms with respect to
ground. So decided to replace the faulty cable. But due to unavailability of 150 sqmm cable so it
was replaced with 2 run of 120 sqmm.
After replacement of cable on 05/07/2019 at 7.00 pm during boiler light up FD fan again tripped
two times on over current/earth fault alarm. As suspected VFD was giving the false alarm so first
VFD checked.
Output cables of VFD disconnected and start in on scalar-fly mode. Found VFD working normal
so conclude there is no issue. Hence to avoid any other tripping with same cause we decided to
replace the motor & all the old cables with new as suspected there is the issue.
Stopage-3
On 07/07/2019 at 12.00 PM FD Fan stopped as burning smell observed from FD fan junction
box. Junction box checked and found Y-Phase termination cable is heating so tightness done and
after that boiler light up at 4.05 pm on 07/07/2019 TG syncronized with grid at 6.06 pm. JB kept
in observation.
On dated 30/6/2019 FD fan tripped on Earth fault alarm but Boiler taken in service before TG
tripping & plant normalized.
Chronology of Events(Alarms):-
Why-Why Analysis:-
Why Plant tripped TG tripped on Turbine steam pressure low low as FD fan tripped on earth
fault alarm recorded in FD VFD.
Why FD fan tripped FD fan tripped due to earth fault alarm on VFD panel.
Following causes for the Earth Fault
1. Meager - One 150 Sqmm cable B phase found short with ground,.
Why Earth fault sense on VFD 2. Terminal short or ground due to water /moisture ingress in JB.
3. Suspected damaged in Motor Bearing and Motor internal output
terminal short with motor body.
Why Cable is short. Only B - Phase found short and the cause may be
1. Over heating
2. Puncher
Why Water ingress in JB JB was fabricated at site and due to heavy rain moisture/water can ingress
from isolator screw.
Why Motor bearing damaged Due to ageing and Motor was running since last 3 year and no stand by
available.
Why Burning smell was coming from As 3 runs of 150 Sqmm mm cable changed with 4 runs of 120 sqmm cable
JB ( from VFD to JB ) and also 6 run of 50 sqmm flexible copper cable
replaced with 9 run of 50 sqmm copper cable ( From JB to Motor ). Due to
increase of the cable JB overfilled and difficult to tight the connection.
Root cause –
Following are the cause of Earth fault
Cable Replaced
Motor Replaced
Electrical
Position SM Dy. SM P&E Cell
Department HOD
Ameet
Name Mayur Saraswat K. V. V. Ramana _
Nampalliwar