Hydra-power Systems, Inc.

Lynn A Stuart

Richard A Gabellini

The hydraulic piston cylinder assembly which operates the governor of a turbine which powers a hydropower generator has a servo valve capable of flowing only a portion of its flow requirements during normal low power fluctuation conditions of the turbine's operation. During high power fluctuation conditions of the turbine's operation, such as during start-up, hydraulic fluid also flows to and from the piston and cylinder assemblies through high flow pressure and return conduits that bypass the servo valve. Control of fluid flow in the high flow conduits is accomplished by a proportional throttling valve located in the high flow return line. The servo valve and proportional throttling valve together have a flow capacity which is equal to the flow requirements of the piston and cylinder assembly and they are both actuated by the same electronic controller. However, the electronic controller only actuates the proportional throttling valve when the flow requirement of the piston and cylinder assembly exceeds the flow capacity of the servo valve. A hydraulic logic circuit activated by the electronic controller allows the high flow pressure and return conduits to be reversed for two-way operation of the piston and cylinder assembly.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Lynn A Stuart