Abstract: A steam-driven power plant includes a steam source providing steam at a desired pressure and a steam turbine operably connected to the steam source. The steam turbine includes a low pressure section and an intermediate pressure section. A low pressure admission conduit is configured to convey steam from the steam source to an entrance of the low pressure section and an intermediate pressure admission conduit is configured to convey steam from the steam source to a mid-steampath point of the intermediate pressure section. One or more valves are located between the steam source and the steam turbine to control a flow of steam from the steam source through the low pressure admission conduit and/or the intermediate pressure admission conduit.

Abstract: Change in swirl of gas turbine exhaust gases at off-design conditions is a key driver of exhaust diffuser inefficiency that adversely impact the gas turbine performance. Conventional ways to control swirl such as blowing, suction, and vortex generation are undesirable since they require parasitic power, are complex to design, and dilute the exhaust gas energy. To address such short comings, shape memory devices are incorporated into struts of an exhaust diffuser of a gas turbine. The shape memory devices change shape in accordance with heat, which can be applied through memory device heaters. By controlling the memory device heaters, the heat applied to the shape memory devices can be controlled. The shapes of the struts can be altered through altering the shapes of the memory device in consideration of load conditions to increase the efficiency.

Abstract: A steam-driven power plant includes a steam source providing steam at a desired pressure and a steam turbine operably connected to the steam source. The steam turbine includes a low pressure section and an intermediate pressure section. A low pressure admission conduit is configured to convey steam from the steam source to an entrance of the low pressure section and an intermediate pressure admission conduit is configured to convey steam from the steam source to a mid-steampath point of the intermediate pressure section. One or more valves are located between the steam source and the steam turbine to control a flow of steam from the steam source through the low pressure admission conduit and/or the intermediate pressure admission conduit.