Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Siemens Energy, Inc.

Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation

Siemens Power Generation, Inc.

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

James C Bellows

Christian T Kemper

Robert L Osborne

Fred W Shoemaker

Michael Twerdochlib

William A Byers

Michael Scot Briesch

Serge P Barton

Gerald L Carlson

Gerald J Feller

Daniel E Fridsma

James W Dorow

Avelino J Gonzalez

Karl E Harper

Sudhir Rajagopalan

Karen L Weaver

Teri J Robertson

Frederick W Shoemaker

Rudolph Koubek, Iii

Abol H Moulavi

Pamela J Kleinosky

Christopher D Mize

Eugene John Barsness

Methods and systems are disclosed for removing cuprous oxide deposits from a copper-containing water-based cooling system, such as those used to cool stators in industrial generators, without disrupting operation of the cooling system. A complexing agent, such as a 1,10-phenanthroline, e.g., 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (neocuproine), a 2,2-bipyridine compound, or the like can be introduced into the coolant fluid to facilitate dissolution of the deposits by forming a complex with the cuprous ions. The complexing agent can be dissolved in an alcohol at a concentration of about 4-5%, and then added to the coolant fluid to a concentration of about 6e-3 M or less to avoid undesirable precipitation of the agent. The complexing agent can be recovered by flowing the coolant mixture through an adsorbent material such as activated carbon, and the copper can be removed from the agent by reacting it with sodium sulfide.

System and method for cleaning stator cooling coils

A combined cycle power generation system () includes a steam turbine (), a combustion system () including a compressor (), a combustion chamber (), a gas turbine (), and a HRSG () to generate steam with energy from the combustion turbine. A flow line () passes superheated steam into the combustion chamber. In an associated method a first source of power is provided via a combustion process having a variable reaction temperature in a first turbine. A second source of power is provided via a second turbine. Components of the system are placed in a mode of increasing power output with steam generated from the HRSG, during which a portion of the steam is provided into a combustion chamber associated with operation of the second turbine.

Method for removal of entrained gas in a combined cycle power generation system

A power generation system () and method of operating such a system () including a steam turbine (). In one embodiment a HRSG () includes an evaporator () coupled to receive condensate from the steam turbine (), and a superheater () coupled to receive output from the evaporator (). The HRSG () generates steam with thermal energy received from a combustion turbine (). A flash tank () receives water heated in the HRSG (), outputs a first portion of the water as steam, and outputs a second portion of the water as liquid. A flow line () passes steam () from the flash tank () to a combustion chamber () in the combustion turbine () to provide power augmentation.

Energy recovery and steam supply for power augmentation in a combined cycle power generation system

A power plant including a steam turbine, and a steam turbine exhaust duct configured to deliver uncontaminated fluid from the steam turbine to downstream components of the power plant. The steam turbine exhaust duct includes a steam turbine exhaust duct isolation valve selectively configured to prevent fluid communication between the steam turbine exhaust duct and the downstream components of the power plant, and a steam turbine exhaust duct vent with a steam turbine exhaust duct vent valve. The steam turbine exhaust duct vent is configured to deliver contaminated fluid from the steam turbine exhaust duct to a fluid sink upon opening of the exhaust duct vent valve.

Air vent in main steam duct of steam turbine

A method of substantially preventing contaminants from entering a condenser adapted for use within a steam generating system. A condenser is provided. Steam or a combination of water and steam is passed into the condenser, the condenser operating in a normal mode if a pressure in a control area is equal to or greater than a predefined pressure and operating in a non-normal mode if the pressure in the control area is less than the predefined pressure. An inert gas is injected into the condenser if a pressure in the control area is less than a holding pressure, the holding pressure being equal to or greater than the predefined pressure.

Condenser system

A power generating system including a working fluid circuit. The power generating system includes a condenser system in the working fluid circuit and a condensate polisher circuit. The condenser system receives a working fluid that includes steam or a combination of water and steam and condenses at least a portion of the working fluid into a condensate. The condensate has a temperature above a predetermined upper operating temperature. The condensate polisher circuit is branched off from the working fluid circuit and receives and treats said condensate from the working fluid circuit and returns treated condensate to the working fluid circuit. The condensate polisher circuit includes a heat exchanger that reduces the temperature of the condensate at least to the upper operating temperature and a condensate polisher that removes contaminants from the condensate to bring the condensate to a predetermined purity.

Condensate polisher circuit

A power generating system comprises a condenser and a deaerator apparatus. The condenser condenses a working fluid into a condensate and operates at an internal pressure above ambient pressure during a normal operating mode. The deaerator apparatus uses steam to remove contaminants from the condensate to bring the condensate to a desirable purity. The deaerator apparatus is deactivated during a typical operating state of the power generating system such that the condensate bypasses the deaerator apparatus. The deaerator apparatus is activated during a non-typical operating state of the power generating system such that the condensate passes into the deaerator apparatus wherein contaminants can be removed from the condensate. The typical operating state of the power generating system occurs when the condensate comprises a desirable purity and the non-typical operating state of the power generating system occurs when the condensate comprises an undesirable purity.

Deaerator apparatus in a superatmospheric condenser system

A method of increasing service interval periods in a steam turbine by neutralizing sodium hydroxide in contaminated steam in a high temperature and a high pressure portion of a steam turbine by placing a protective covering over at least a portion of each of the bolts of a nozzle block assembly. The protective covering neutralizes contaminants in contaminated steam to reduce stress cracking of the bolts during steam turbine operation, and thus extend the useful life of the bolts and reduce the need for service work to repair or replace damaged bolts.

Method of increasing service interval periods in a steam turbine

A pump configured to receive fluids through an inlet and direct those fluids in two directions through two or more fluid discharge outlets, wherein the fluids are discharged with different fluid characteristics, such as different pressures or flow rates. In one embodiment, the pump may include first and second pumping chambers for pumping fluids from the pump with different pressures or flow rates, or both, eliminating the need for two pumps. The fluid may be exhausted from the pump through a first fluid discharge outlet and a second fluid discharge outlet of the pump.

Fluid pump having multiple outlets for exhausting fluids having different fluid flow characteristics

A method of evaluating a power plant having a design life based on operating the plant within an allowable chemical exposure range includes accumulating a history of a chemical exposure of a steam generating portion of the power plant. The method also includes determining a remaining life of the plant based on the history of the chemical exposure and assuming continued operation of the plant within the allowable chemical exposure range. The method may also include evaluating an economic value of operating the plant based on the remaining life of the plant.

Power plant life assessment

A steam cycle power plant () is provided that may include a steam source generating steam (), a steam turbine () receiving the generated steam and discharging an exhaust steam, a condenser () receiving the exhaust steam and an atomizer () for injecting water into the exhaust steam downstream of the steam turbine () and upstream of a cooling surface of the condenser () effective to reduce a backpressure on the steam turbine () and improve a heat rate of the steam turbine (). The atomizer () may include a plurality of symmetrical spaced fluid connections () and a plurality of atomizing nozzles () affixed proximate at least one exhaust end of the steam turbine (). The power plant () may be a combined cycle power plant including a heat recovery steam generator () and a gas turbine engine ().

System and method for improving the heat rate of a turbine

A combustion turbine power plant () incorporating a desiccating scrubber () for simultaneously removing water and sulfur from a flue gas () of the power plant (). The desiccating scrubber () may include an inlet nozzle () for spraying an aqueous solution () containing a desiccant and a base into flue gas () so the aqueous solution () makes direct contact with flue gas (). A filter () may be provided to collect sulfur compounds downstream of the desiccating scrubber () and a regenerator () may be provided for recovering water. A controller () may control a base supply () and a desiccant supply () to regulate the respective amounts of each introduced into the aqueous solution (). Controller () may be responsive to sensors () measuring the water and sulfur content of flue gas () exhausted to atmosphere (). The desiccating scrubber () may include a demister () to entrain carryover droplets from a sprayed aqueous solution ().

Water and sulfur removal from combustion turbine exhaust

The present invention involves a system for controlling the electric charge within the exhaust hood and condenser of a steam turbine by using shaft current as an indirect measurement of exhaust charge, and then adjusting the pH accordingly. The present invention uses the turbine-generator shaftinstead of a probe, and therefore measures the potential of the current in the shaft to the ground. This measurementis then fed into a control unitwhich adjusts the chemical feedto the feedwater supplyof the steam turbine system.

Method for monitoring and controlling steam turbine system pH using shaft current

The present invention comprises an apparatus and method for efficiently venting impurities from a heat recovery steam generator system by concentrating the impurities in a condensing deaerating vent lineand then venting a proportionately small amount of steam with a proportionately high concentration of impurities. The condensing deaerating vent lineis attached to a low pressure drum, and feed watermay be added to the upper portion of the condensing deaerating vent lineto improve condensation and conserve thermal energy.

Growing community of inventors

Maitland, FL, United States of America

James C Bellows