General Electric Company

Carl Raymond Toth

Dean Alexander Baker

Steven Di Palma

John Lawrence Meyer

Austin Daniel Frazer

Bruce Frederick Nagel

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for controlling steam pressure within a turbine component. The method includes calculating a predicted stress on a rotor of the turbine component based on a predicted steam flow with the inlet valve in a minimum load position, a rotor surface temperature, and an inlet steam temperature, and determining whether the predicted stress exceeds a threshold. If the predicted stress exceeds the threshold, the inlet valve adjusts to a warming position. When steam in the discharge passage reaches a target pressure, the exhaust valve partially closes while maintaining the warming position of the inlet valve. If a safety parameter of the turbine component violates a boundary, the exhaust valve partially opens while maintaining the warming position of the inlet valve. When the predicted stress does not exceed the threshold, the inlet valve opens to at least the minimum load position.

Control of rotor stress within turbomachine during startup operation

Certain embodiments of the disclosure may include systems and methods for boundary control during steam turbine acceleration. According to an example embodiment, the method can include receiving an indication the turbine is in an initial acceleration phase; receiving speed control parameter data from a plurality of sensors; receiving boundary control parameter data from a plurality of sensors; providing a control valve configured for controlling steam flow entering the turbine; determining the control valve position based on received speed control parameter data; determining the control valve position based on received boundary control parameter data; adjusting at least one boundary control parameter to the at least one boundary control parameter limit during turbine startup, wherein the value of a speed control parameter is simultaneously adjusted based on the adjusted at least one boundary control parameter; and adjusting the control valve position based at least on determined parameter data.

Systems and methods for boundary control during steam turbine acceleration

A redundant control system including at least three redundant signals is presented. The redundant control system includes a failure circuit associated with each of the redundant signals. The failure circuit generates a failure signal in response to an occurrence of a failure of a corresponding one of the redundant signals. A select circuit is associated with each of the redundant signals. The select circuit is receptive to a default signal associated with the corresponding one of the redundant signals, to the failure signal, and to the corresponding one of the redundant signals. The select circuit selects the default signal when the failure signal indicates a failure of the corresponding one of the redundant signals and selects the corresponding one of the redundant signals when the failure signal does not indicate a failure for the corresponding one of the redundant signals. A median determination circuit is receptive to the default signals selected and the redundant signals selected to determine a median signal indicative of a median of the default signals selected and the redundant signals selected.

Growing community of inventors

Clifton Park, NY, United States of America

Carl Raymond Toth