Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Andrew S Braytenbah

Karl O Jaegtnes

Leaman B Podolsky

Gilbert F Hyde

Joseph Pankowiecki

James A Martin

Gerald E Waldron

A method and device for monitoring the flow of fluid for driving a turbine, the fluid flowing through a turbine blade path between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, by: sensing the value of the pressure of the fluid at the fluid inlet and fluid outlet; electronically calculating the fluid flow rate on the basis of the sensed pressure values; electronically comparing the calculated flow rate with a maximum desired flow rate; and automatically issuing an indication when the calculated flow rate exceeds the maximum desired flow rate.

Turbine-medium flow monitor

An axial thrust limiting system for a steam turbine including a rotor having a shaft, the turbine containing a plurality of chambers each defining a pressure zone containing a fluid which, during operation of the turbine, is at a pressure which influences the axial thrust load on the shaft, the turbine being constructed such that at least during rapid shut down a pressure differential can develop between two of the chambers to create an excessive axial thrust load on the shaft. The axial thrust limiting system includes controllable valve connected in a fluid flow path between the two chambers, and valve operating components connected for operating the valves during rapid shut down of the turbine in order to reduce the pressure differential between the two chambers.

Turbine shaft axial load protection system

In a system and method for automatically starting, synchronizing and operating a steam turbine, turbine control including valve position limiting and means for generating a reference control signal representative of desired turbine operation, the reference control signal being limited corresponding to the valve position limit. The reference signal is limited by calculated valve position limits, such that the reference signal is not permitted to rise above such limits. Desired system changes result in reference signal changes which are more quickly reflected in valve position changes, thereby enabling improved system response.

System and method for operating a steam turbine with digital computer

In a system and method for automatically starting, synchronizing and operating a steam turbine, control means for valve position limiting wherein such limit can be changed non-linearly. Means are provided whereby the system operator has the ability to manually select a minimum incremental change of the valve position limit as a keyboard-entered constant. If the operator enables a continuing change in the limit it is introduced arithmetically, permitting large swings in a reasonably short period of time.

A steam turbine is provided with an automatic digital computer controller and a backup analog controller which are interfaced with an electrohydraulic position control for the turbine throttles and governor valves. Valve position signals are generated by transducers and applied to the valve position control along with position setpoint signals from the computer or the backup controller for the purpose of generating valve control signals which drive the valves until the position setpoints are satisfied. The position signals are also applied to the computer where they are compared to the computer valve position setpoints. The automatic controller and the analog backup controller each have a speed/load control which generates the valve position setpoints in accordance with a speed or load reference, and the backup control tracks the computer setpoints during automatic control. The backup control position setpoint signals are also applied to the computer during automatic control there they are also compared to the computer valve position setpoints. If any comparison results in a difference in excess of a predetermined deadband valve, the computer generates a contingency signal to indicate a valve not functioning or backup not tracking.

System and method for operating a steam turbine with protection

In a system and method for automatically starting, synchronizing and operating a steam turbine, proportional plus integral feedbck control utilizing digital computer systems is adapted to correspond to physical valve operation by applying integration limits. Useful for both speed and load control modes of operation, the demand signal is compared with prior values thereof, and the differential is both multiplied by a proportional gain factor, and integrated in the computer utilizing numerical integration techniques. The integrated total is kept within a desired range by applying upper and lower limits, and the limited integral is combined with the proportional factor, further limited, as desired, and appropriately scaled for use as a process variable.

An electric power plant having dual turbine-generators and a steam source which includes a high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor. Each turbine includes a high pressure portion driven by superheat steam and a lower pressure portion driven by reheat steam. A turbine bypass system permits minimum flows of superheat and reheat steam from the source at times when the turbines require flows of such steam that are less than the minimum flows. Before it is reheated, steam that has passed through the high pressure portions and their bypass lines drives auxiliary steam turbines that rotate means for propelling the coolant gas through the reactor. During acceleration of a turbine-generator to its synchronous speed, one of the steam flows through its high and lower pressure portions is varied to govern the shaft speed, while the other flow is held relatively constant, that one of the flows which is varied being determined by the shaft speed. As the turbine-generator is accelerated, the steam flow through a bypass line associated with its lower pressure portion is varied to compensate changes of flow through that portion, in order to maintain a desired pressure of hot reheat steam.

Electric power plant and turbine acceleration control system for use

An electric power plant having dual turbine-generators connected to a steam source that includes a high temperature gas cooled nuclear reactor. Each turbine comprises a high pressure portion operated by superheat steam and an intermediate-low pressure portion operated by reheat steam; a bypass line is connected across each turbine portion to permit a desired minimum flow of steam from the source at times when the combined flow of steam through the turbine is less than the minimum. Coolant gas is propelled through the reactor by a circulator which is driven by an auxiliary turbine which uses steam exhausted from the high pressure portions and their bypass lines. The pressure of the reheat steam is controlled by a single proportional-plus-integral controller which governs the steam flow through the bypass lines associated with the intermediate-low pressure portions. At times when the controller is not in use its output signal is limited to a value that permits an unbiased response when pressure control is resumed, as in event of a turbine trip.

Dual turbine power plant and a reheat steam bypass flow control system

A power plant including dual steam turbine-generators connected to pass superheat and reheat steam from a steam generator which derives heat from the coolant gas of a high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor. Associated with each turbine is a bypass line to conduct superheat steam in parallel with a high pressure turbine portion, and a bypass line to conduct superheat steam in parallel with a lower pressure turbine portion. Auxiliary steam turbines pass a portion of the steam flow to the reheater of the steam generator and drive gas blowers which circulate the coolant gas through the reactor and the steam source. Apparatus and method are disclosed for loading or unloading a turbine-generator while the other produces a steady power output. During such loading or unloading, the steam flows through the turbine portions are coordinated with the steam flows through the bypass lines for protection of the steam generator, and the pressure of reheated steam is regulated for improved performance of the gas blowers.

Dual turbine power plant and method of operating such plant, especially

An electric power plant having a cross compound steam turbine and a steam source that includes a high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor. The steam turbine includes high and intermediate-pressure portions which drive a first generating means, and a low-pressure portion which drives a second generating means. The steam source supplies superheat steam to the high-pressure turbine portion, and an associated bypass permits the superheat steam to flow from the source to the exhaust of the high-pressure portion. The intermediate and low-pressure portions use reheat steam; an associated bypass permits reheat steam to flow from the source to the low-pressure exhaust. An auxiliary turbine driven by steam exhausted from the high-pressure portion and its bypass drives a gas blower to propel the coolant gas through the reactor. While the bypass flow of reheat steam is varied to maintain an elevated pressure of reheat steam upon its discharge from the source, both the first and second generating means and their associated turbines are accelerated initially by admitting steam to the intermediate and low-pressure portions. The electrical speed of the second generating means is equalized with that of the first generating means, whereupon the generating means are connected and acceleration proceeds under control of the flow through the high-pressure portion.

Power plant and system for accelerating a cross compound turbine in such

A control system is disclosed for a high temperature gas cooled reactor power plant, wherein a steam source derives heat from the reactor coolant gas to generate superheated and reheated steam in respective superheater and reheater sections that are included in the steam source. Each of dual turbine-generators includes a high pressure turbine to pass superheated steam and an associated intermediate low pressure turbine to pass reheated steam. A first admission valve means is connected to govern a flow of superheated steam through a high pressure turbine, and a second admission valve means is connected to govern a flow of reheated steam through an intermediate-low pressure turbine. A bypass line and bypass valve means connected therein are connected across a second admission valve means and its intermediate-low pressure turbine. The second admission valve means is positioned to govern the steam flow through the intermediate-low pressure turbine in accordance with the desired power output of the turbine-generator. In response to the steam flow through the intermediate-low pressure turbine, the bypass valve means is positioned to govern the steam flow through the bypass line to maintain a desired minimum flow through the reheater section at times when the steam flow through the intermediate-low pressure turbine is less than such minimum. The power output of the high pressure turbine is controlled by positioning the first admission valve means in predetermined proportionality with the desired power output of the turbine-generator, thereby improving the accuracy of control of the power output of the high pressure turbine at low load levels.

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Pennsauken, NJ, United States of America

Andrew S Braytenbah