Feedwater pressure is maintained by which component(s)?

• A. Speed governors on the main feed pumps
• B. Automatic pressure relief system
• C. Main steam valve
• D. Feedwater heater

Answer: (A)

Feedwater pressure is kept steady by regulating the discharge pressure of the main feed pumps through their speed governors. The governors continuously sense the pressure on the feedwater line and adjust the pump speed to hold the set pressure. If pressure drops, the governors speed up the pumps; if pressure rises, they slow them down. The other components have different roles and do not actively regulate normal feedwater pressure: a pressure relief system is a safety device to vent excess pressure; the main steam valve governs steam flow, not feedwater pressure; and a feedwater heater preheats water to improve efficiency, but it does not control the pressure directly.