Alstom Technology Limited

General Electric Company

General Electric Technology Gmbh

Thomas Meindl

Jürgen Gerhard Hoffmann

Jürgen Hoffmann

A power station () is provided having a turbine shafting () including a gas turbine () and a generator () which is driven directly by the gas turbine (), produces alternating current at an operating frequency and whose output is connected to an electrical grid () with a predetermined grid frequency. An electronic decoupling apparatus or a variable electronic gearbox () is arranged between the generator () and the electrical grid (), and decouples the operating frequency from the grid frequency.

Power station and method for its operation

A method is provided for operating a power station () with turbine shafting () including a gas turbine () and a generator () that is driven directly by the gas turbine () and that generates alternating current with an operating frequency. The output of the generator is connected to an electrical grid () with a given grid frequency. An electronic decoupling apparatus or variable electronic gearbox () is arranged between the generator () and the grid (). The decoupling apparatus decouples the operating frequency from the grid frequency. In the event of a temporary over-frequency or under-frequency event in the electrical grid (), the mechanical rotational speed of the gas turbine () is decreased more than the grid frequency during an under-frequency event of the electrical grid () and is increased more than the grid frequency during an over-frequency event of the electrical grid ().

Method for operating a power plant

A method is provided for operating a power station (), with turbine shafting (), that includes a gas turbine () and a generator () driven directly by the gas turbine () and that generates alternating current with an operating frequency, the output of the generator is connected with an electrical grid () with given grid frequency. An electronic decoupling apparatus or variable electronic gearbox () is arranged between the generator () and the grid (), the decoupling apparatus decouples the operating frequency from the grid frequency. Increased service life of the station and reduced emissions are achieved in that, when there are longer-lasting changes in the grid frequency, the mechanical or aerodynamic rotational speed of the gas turbine () is kept constant and the output of the gas turbine () is adjusted without a delay.

A combined-cycle power plant () has at least one power train () including a steam turbine () and a second generator () directly driven by the steam turbine () and generating alternating current, the output of which generator is connected to a power grid () having a given grid frequency (F), and at least one power train () of a gas turbine () and a first generator () driven directly by the gas turbine () and generating alternating current with an operating frequency, the output of which generator is connected to a power grid () having a predetermined grid frequency. An electronic decoupling device or a variable electronic gear unit () decouples the operating frequency from the grid frequency and is arranged between the first generator () and the power grid (). Such a plant allows both flexible steady-state operation with high overall efficiency as well as flexible transient operation.

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Kirchdorf, Switzerland

Thomas Meindl