The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 25, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 27, 2002
Wei Tong, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Christian L. Vandervort, Voorheesville, NY (US);
Wei Tong, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Christian L. Vandervort, Voorheesville, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
Apparatus () controls net thrust in a steam turbine (T) in response to changes in the operating condition of the turbine. The turbine includes a thrust bearing (B) positioned between low and intermediate pressure sections (LP, IP) of the turbine and a high pressure section (HP) thereof. Sensors () for sense thrust loads on the thrust bearing. A number of control valve (CV-CV) are used to balance pressures occurring at locations within the high pressure section of the turbine. A controller () is responsive to the sensors sensing a change within the turbine indicative of a significant change in net thrust to energize one or more of the control valves and to adjust the pressure within the high pressure section of the turbine so to maintain net thrust within an acceptable range of thrust values.