KSB HGC High-Pressure Boiler Feed Pump

High-pressure boiler feed pump for power stations

The KSB HGC is a boiler feed pump for handling boiler feed water and condensate in power stations and industrial facilities. KSB also lists the generation of pressurised water for descaling equipment as an application. It is a multistage pump for high pressure, with data up to 6091 psi and 13779 ft of head.

The design balances axial thrust with a balance disc, and a double-entry inlet is offered as an option, so in many applications no booster pump is needed.

Technical specifications

Features listed by KSB

Long service life comes from the balance disc and from adapting the pump casing to the rotor deflection line. A hydraulically optimised inlet avoids cavitation erosion, and a straight-shaft variant gives increased operating safety. Tapping allows one or several partial flows of feed water to be extracted for use elsewhere in the power station. No pre-warming of the pump is required, and more than 100 impeller and diffuser combinations allow an optimum efficiency. Maintenance of wear parts such as bearings, seal elements and balancing devices is easy, and the casing is sealed metal to metal.

Selecting an HGC pump

Provide the plant flow, discharge pressure or head, feed water temperature and quality, suction conditions, whether tappings are needed and the driver. The HGC and the smaller HGM cover different ranges; use the leaflet maxima as a first screen only.

Feed pumps of this type normally run in a closed feed water cycle with a deaerator or feed water tank upstream, so the elevation of that tank and the NPSH available decide whether the optional double-entry inlet is enough or a separate booster pump is still needed. Material choice follows the feed water chemistry: the leaflet lists chrome steel for the discharge and stage casings, impellers and diffusers, carbon steel for the suction casing and quenched and tempered steel for the shaft. The leaflet shows maximum ratings only, so the number of stages, rotor arrangement and bearing design come from the manufacturer selection for your duty.

How the KSB HGC boiler feed pump works

A boiler feed pump raises the pressure of feed water so that it can enter a boiler that works at high pressure. The HGC is a multistage pump, which means water passes through a row of impellers and diffusers, and each stage adds head. The axial thrust that these stages create is balanced by a balance disc, which takes the load off the bearings. A double-entry inlet is offered as an option, and it lowers the net positive suction head needed, so in many cases no booster pump is required. Tappings in the casing allow part of the feed water to be taken off at an intermediate pressure.

Where the HGC is used

• Boiler feed water in power stations.
• Condensate return and feed duties in industrial plants.
• Pressurised water for descaling equipment.
• Steam plants with high operating pressure.

Selection checklist for the HGC

• Flow, up to 6340 gpm in the catalogue range.
• Head, up to 13779 ft, and operating pressure up to 6091 psi.
• Feed water temperature of up to 392 degrees F.
• Frequency of 50 or 60 Hz.
• Hydraulics from more than 100 impeller and diffuser combinations.
• Inlet type: standard or double entry.
• Tappings for partial flows, if they are needed.
• Materials: carbon steel suction casing and chrome steel stage parts.
• Driver power and the starting method.
• Net positive suction head available from the feed water tank.

Installation, commissioning and maintenance notes

Set the pump on a rigid base plate and align the driver carefully. The suction tank level, the pipe size and the pipe layout must give the net positive suction head the pump needs. Vent and fill the pump before the first start, and follow the manual for the start-up sequence and minimum flow protection. The maker states that no pre-warming is required. Wear parts such as bearings, seals and the balancing device can be changed easily.

Requesting a quotation for the KSB HGC

Send the flow, the discharge pressure, the water temperature and the driver. Seven Star LLC serves industrial customers in Oman and the GCC and replies with a quotation based on the information provided.

Why the balance disc matters

The disc uses the pump pressure itself to push back against the axial thrust, so the thrust bearing carries little load, and service life is long.

Tapping partial flows

Tappings let a power station take feed water at an intermediate pressure for other uses, such as attemperation, without a second pump.

Records and spares

Keep the pump serial number, the hydraulic code and the seal details on file when ordering spares.

Start-up checks for the HGC feed pump

Before the first start, check the shaft alignment, the lubrication of the bearings, the seal flushing and the minimum flow line. Open the suction valve fully, vent the pump casing and confirm the direction of rotation of the driver. Watch the bearing temperatures, vibration and leakage during the first hours of running, and record the readings as the baseline for later comparison.

Feed water quality

Clean, deaerated feed water protects the chrome steel stage parts from erosion and corrosion, so the water treatment of the plant should follow the boiler maker guidance.

Documents and quotation

The leaflet is the US edition (11.24) with US units. State the duty in your own units and confirm the leaflet edition with current documentation.

The attached KSB leaflet is the manufacturer document for the HGC and lists the technical data used above. Seven Star LLC, an independent supplier in Muscat, quotes KSB pumps against your duty data. Browse Pumps for related equipment, or compare with the KSB Multitec multistage high-pressure pump.