Important

Why this thing at the platform is important?
Well, it's our feedwaterpump we use to start up the unit.
It is driven by an electric motor of 8000 KW (appr. 10700 Horsepower), the blue box in the background.
It?s also a stand by pump which can produce 60% of the needed amount of feedwater at full load of the unit.
The main pump, is driven by a "small" steamturbine, and takes over when the unit reaches minimum load.

The whole pump unit stands on a kind of table, made of concrete.
The table is placed at very strong springs. These we use for damping of the vibrations that might occur in the pump unit.
The feedwaterlines have large expansion curves because they vary a lot in length when hot water is passing through.
Sometimes when the pump is stopped and cooling down, sometimes enormous bangs can be heard when vapour is formed inside the pipes when the pressure drops too fast.

At that moment, when the pipes are swinging at their springs and hangers, you learn that the "grand old lady" should be treated with respect....and cooling down curves have to be followed....