General Electric Company

William Thomas Parry

Michael Alan Davi

Nestor Hernandez Sanchez

Nestor Hernandez

Michael Joseph Boss

Douglas Carl Hofer

Clement Gazzillo

Norman Douglas Lathrop

Kurt Neal Laurer

Flor Del Carmen Rivas

Kenneth James Robertson

Raymond Kenneth Overbaugh, Jr

Flor Del Carmen Rivas Cortés

Karen J Tyler

Alison Carol Farrell

Christopher M Tomaso

Jon-Paul James Cronier

Kenneth W Koran

Solutions for clutching turbine wheels are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes: a turbine rotor shaft; a plurality of turbine wheels affixed to the turbine rotor shaft; an independent turbine wheel engagably attached to the turbine rotor shaft; and a clutch operably connected to the turbine rotor shaft, the clutch configured to couple and decouple the independent turbine wheel from the turbine rotor shaft.

Clutched turbine wheels

A steam turbine and a start-up system for a steam turbine are disclosed comprising: a plurality of stages, a steam path through the plurality of stages, an inlet port for introducing steam to a first stage, an exhaust port at a last stage for allowing exhaust to exit the steam turbine, an admission port for allowing steam to enter the steam path at a location downstream from the inlet port, and a ventilator port for allowing steam to exit the steam path, the ventilator port located upstream of the admission port to create a reverse flow of steam towards the ventilator port from the admission port.

Steam turbine and system for start-up

A steam turbine includes a turbine rotor, a generator end having a generator end first stage with a first reaction, and a turbine end having a turbine end first stage with a second reaction not equal to the first reaction. The steam turbine includes a tub section disposed between the generator end and the turbine end, the turbine rotor and the tub section defining an annulus therebetween. A difference between the first reaction and second reaction is capable of urging a steam flow through the annulus for reducing a temperature of the turbine rotor. A method of cooling the turbine rotor is also disclosed.

Apparatus and method for double flow turbine tub region cooling

A steam turbine includes a casing including a steam inlet and an exhaust, the casing enclosing operative structure of the steam turbine; a valve controlling introduction of a steam flow at a location of the steam turbine to impact an enthalpic condition of steam exiting the exhaust; and a controller controlling operation of the valve to attain a desired enthalpic condition of steam exiting the exhaust. Controlling operation of the valve allows for attainment of a desired enthalpic condition of the steam exiting the exhaust for use in another industrial process without having to modify the steam turbine structure.

Steam turbine having exhaust enthalpic condition control and related method

A system for cooling a high pressure section of a turbomachine includes a conduit configured to carry cooling steam from a boiler to a space upstream of a first stage nozzle of the turbomachine. The conduit extends through a housing of the turbomachine and a nozzle diaphragm of the first stage nozzle. The system further includes a control valve in the conduit configured to regulate the flow of cooling steam. A turbomachine includes a housing; a turbine shaft rotatably supported in the housing; and a plurality of turbine stages located along the turbine shaft and contained within the housing. Each turbine stage includes a diaphragm attached to the housing. The diaphragm comprises a plurality of nozzles. A hole is provided in the diaphragm upstream of a first stage of the plurality of stages for the introduction of cooling steam. A method of cooling a high pressure section of a turbomachine includes introducing cooling steam into the turbomachine through the at least one hole.

System and method for providing supercritical cooling steam into a wheelspace of a turbine

Cooled exhaust hood plates are provided in areas of high velocity steam flow within an exhaust steam flow of a steam turbine. Coolant is directed within double walled exhaust hood plates to cool plate surfaces adjacent to the high velocity exhaust steam flow. The cooled exhaust hood plates cool and condense the exhaust steam in proximity. Condensation will occur in low velocity area near the exhaust hood plate to reduce the boundary layer and improve the flow through the hood, improving overall turbine performance.

Cooled exhaust hood plates for reduced exhaust loss

A cooling system for a turbine with a first section and a second section. The first section may include a first line for diverting a first flow with a first temperature from the first section, a second line for diverting a second flow with a second temperature less than the first temperature from the first section, and a merged line for directing a merged flow of the first flow and the second flow to the second section.

Turbine systems and methods for using internal leakage flow for cooling

A turbine includes, in an exemplary embodiment, an outer housing, a turbine shaft rotatably supported in the outer housing, and a plurality of turbine stages located along the turbine shaft. Each turbine stage includes a diaphragm attached to the casing, a rotor having a plurality of buckets and a bucket cover fixedly attached to the turbine shaft, and a packing ring mounted in a first circumferentially extending groove in said diaphragm. The packing ring includes a seal shroud and a sealing means and is positioned adjacent the turbine shaft. The seal shroud is fabricated from a first material having a first coefficient of expansion, and the is diaphragm fabricated from a second material having a second coefficient of expansion. The first and second materials are selected so that at a first temperature a gap between the turbine shaft and the diaphragm is larger than at a second higher temperature.

Expanding sealing strips for steam turbines

The root region of a flowpath through a turbine includes a sealing configuration for minimizing leakage flow and secondary aerodynamic losses. Entrance and exit root radial seals are provided between upstream and downstream nozzles at locations radially inwardly of the root region of the flowpath to minimize radial leakage flow. To minimize intrusion flow into the flowpath from rotor pumping action and consequent aerodynamic losses, an exit flow guide on each bucket turns the exiting radial flow in a predominantly axial direction. Additionally, the upstream bucket root radius and nozzle root radius are faired or tapered to minimize the possibility of a protuberance projecting into the flowpath at steady state operation. An additional entrance root axial fin is provided on the buckets to reduce the flow coefficient and afford further reduction in leakage flow.

Flowpath sealing and streamlining configuration for a turbine

Method and apparatus to limit and control rotational loss heating such as occurs in a large steam turbine in the bypass mode of operation under no-load and low-load operating conditions. According to the invention, a portion of the high pressure bypass steam is admitted to the lower pressure sections of the turbine to provide motive fluid for driving the turbine while, simultaneously, a second portion of the high-pressure bypass steam is admitted to the high-pressure section of the turbine in a reverse-flow direction to pass backwards therethrough and limit the rotational loss heating. The two flows may be proportioned to control rotational loss heating in both the high-pressure and lower pressure sections of the turbine. A reverse-flow valve and a ventilator valve are provided for routing the reverse-flow of steam.

Growing community of inventors

Rexford, NY, United States of America

William Thomas Parry