Abstract: In one form of the invention, means are provided for sensing changes in electrical power demanded from an electrical generator driven by a gas turbine engine. In response, other means change the rate of fuel and air delivery to the engine in proportion to the demand changes and keep the combustor fuel-air ratio substantially constant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus utilizing valves mounted in parallel for controlling fluid flow powering an expander is disclosed. A large slow acting valve and a smaller faster acting valve are combined to obtain the desired control including a damped response. A start-up control based on shaft speed is further disclosed.

Abstract: In a combined cycle type electric power generation system including a plurality of shafts each coupling together a gas turbine, a steam turbine and an electric generator, there is provided an output control system including a plurality of control apparatus for respective shafts. Each apparatus is contracted such that in response to an output command from a central power dispatching station or an output of a load setter, a frequency deviation and a total load of the system and load of each shaft, the total load is equally or unequally distributed among respective shafts.

Abstract: A closed-cycle hot gas engine heated by solar radiation is provided with a governing system varying the working gas pressure so as to vary the power output at a constant high temperature level of the working gas and--at least partly--at a constant engine speed.

Abstract: Device for determining the power output of a turbo-group during disturbances in the electricity supply network, the working-medium pressures at the beginning and the end of all turbine-sections being utilized, from the time the disturbance breaks out, throughout its duration, and until the signal oscillations die away, in order to generate a signal representing the instantaneous power output of the turbo-group, this signal being employed to implement the regulating function during the disturbance.

Abstract: A coordinated control technique and arrangement for a steam power generating system is disclosed in which combined megawatt error and turbine pressure error signal are used to control the turbine control valve and the fuel flow to the boiler.

Abstract: An anti-stall control for use in a system having an engine which drives a pump to supply fluid under pressure to a motor and including means responsive to a control voltage for altering the flow of fluid to the motor. The anti-stall control senses the speed of the engine and generates a voltage proportional thereto, the speed voltage being compared to a reference voltage for providing a D.C. signal proportional to the speed voltage. A quick dump/slow recovery circuit is responsive to a decrease in the amplitude of the D.C. signal for generating a control voltage which decreases at a fast rate to prevent overloading of the engine, the circuit being responsive to an increase in the D.C. signal for generating a control voltage which increases at a slow rate to improve the stability of the system.

Abstract: A solar pond power plant has a solar pond with a heat storage layer for storing heat absorbed from solar radiation incident on the pond, and a low-temperature, closed Rankine-cycle turbogenerator operating on heat extracted from the heat storage layer. The turbogenerator has a generating capacity of Q.sub.I watts/m.sup.2 of pond area, this capacity being in excess of Q.sub.e watts/m.sup.2 of pond area where Q.sub.e is the net electrical energy that can be generated by the turbogenerator when heat is extracted from the heat storage layer at substantially the same average rate at which heat is absorbed by the layer. According to the invention, the generating capacity Q.sub.I of the turbogenerator is in the range 2-10 times Q.sub.e, whereby the solar pond power plant can be utilized for peak power requirements of a regional electrical generating system.

Abstract: In a flapper nozzle actuator system a radial outward flow turbine like flapper is used as the flapper. The angular velocity of the turboflapper is used to lift the turboflapper off a backplate towards a nozzle. The amount of lift off the backplate and hence nozzle outlet area is a function of the angular velocity of the turboflapper. An adjustable opposing torque on the turboflapper controls the angular velocity of the turboflapper and thus controls the flow rate.

Abstract: An electric heating apparatus for heating the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, having an internal combustion engine driving an electric power generator for charging a battery supplying power to electrical equipment on the vehicle includes a control system permitting actuation of the apparatus only when the engine reaches a predetermined rotational speed above which the generator is able to generate power. The air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine is regulated by a rotational speed control means in accordance with a control signal produced by a control circuit responsive to a temperature sensor detecting that the engine temperature is below a predetermined level and a voltage sensor detecting that the voltage produced at the neutral terminal of the power generator is higher than a predetermined value to increase the rotational speed of the engine and thereby the power generated by the power generator.

Abstract: An auxiliary power unit for an aircraft drives an electrical generator and an air compressor. The auxiliary power unit is primarily intended for operation with the aircraft on the ground when other aircraft power systems are shut down. The auxiliary power unit may, however, be used in an emergency to supplement the main aircraft generating system, with the aircraft airborne. When the auxiliary power unit generator is used in conjunction with the aircraft generating system, inlet air to the compressor is controlled to vary the compressor load on the power unit to minimize power unit speed changes and electrical frequency transients.

Abstract: Two gas turbine power plants are started and accelerated by fuel controls on selection of dead load mode. The startup is coordinated so that one turbine-generator is controlled as the lead unit and it is driven to a speed higher than normal, short of overspeed condition at which time its breaker is closed on an auxiliary bus. Shortly thereafter the second turbine-generator is synchronized to the first and its generator breaker is closed to the auxiliary bus. The two units are then ready for a simultaneous 200% load pickup from the dead load bus. After the load is applied, the lead unit is placed under isochronous control and the follow unit is tracked to the lead unit. Turbine lead/follow roles can be reversed during startup under certain conditions, and predetermined data is exchanged between the controls to enable coordinated dead load pickup operation.

Abstract: A drive motor intermittently energized through a battery powered circuit drives a flywheel and a generator at speeds lower than that of the drive motor through a reduction gear assembly. The output voltage of the generator is sensed to control cyclic energization of the drive motor and influence the charge condition of the battery by the generator.

Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and steam generators and a digital/analog control system. In the automatic and manual modes of operation, the control system develops a fuel reference signal for the throttle valve position control by means of a speed/load control which functions on a feedforward speed control basis without speed feedback correction. An electrical overspeed protection control is directly coupled to the throttle valve position control to limit turbine speed to a first reference value when the breaker is closed and to limit turbine speed to a lower reference value when the breaker is open. Electrical and mechanical overspeed protection systems directly trip the turbine at higher speed references.

Abstract: An electrical power generating system includes a prime mover having a throttle control for converting a source of input energy into a mechanical output. The system includes an electrical generator having a plurality of output windings and a field winding for exciting the output windings. The generator is mechanically coupled to the mechanical output of the prime mover. Means are provided for sensing a plurality of parameters related to the performance of the system and further means are provided for converting each of the sensed parameters into a digital signal indicative of the magnitude of the sensed parameter. Additional means are provided responsive to the digital signals for developing a plurality of electrical output signals. The electrical output signals are utilized to control either or both the generator and the prime mover to thereby control the output of the power generating system.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically controlling the active power produced by the generator of a hydraulic turbine-generator unit, comprising a frequency-responsive summing means having its inputs respectively connected to a reference signal source which develops an assigned power signal, to a power measuring means responsive to the active power produced by the generator, and to a gate opening sensing means responsive to the degree of opening of the hydraulic turbine gate apparatus, and its output connected to a control means for controlling the degree of opening of the gate apparatus. The frequency-responsive summing means is adapted to develop at its output a signal representative of an algebraic sum of the signal applied to its input connected to the reference signal source, the low-frequency components of the signal applied to its input connected to the power measuring means and the high-frequency components of the signal applied to its input connected to the gate opening sensing means.

Abstract: The operation of an electric power plant is controlled by generating a control signal in response to the pressure at the throttle valves, the load demand signal and the megawatt output of the power plant. During the start-up, before the pressure ramp ends, the control signal varies in accordance with the difference between the pressure at the throttle valves and the pressure required at the throttle valves to produce the load represented by the load demand signal and, after the pressure ramp ends, the control signal is varied in accordance with the difference between the load represented by the load demand signal and the megawatt output of the power plant. Integral separators are employed during start-up to separate the water from the steam and a bypass system is provided to collect the water from the separators and recirculate it. The firing rate of the furnace is controlled in accordance with the control signal.

Abstract: A fuel control system having a fuel control valve provided in a main fuel path for controlling the amount of fuel for an injection valve, an ON-OFF valve provided in a sub-fuel path and bypassing the main fuel path for controlling the passage of the fuel from the fuel tank, and holding means for maintaining the fuel amount passing through the main fuel path nearly constant. With this construction, when an drastic or abrupt increase of load occurs, the ON-OFF valve is opened and at the same time the amount of fuel passing through the fuel control valve is maintained nearly constant by the holding means, thus preventing the engine condition from being entered into a surging limit.

Abstract: Method of regulation of the water level in boilers or steam generators, in which the inlet flow of feedwater is regulated in response to a deviation signal proportional to the difference between the real measured water level and a reference level, the proportionality factor being a linear function of the power level of the boiler with respect to the nominal power, modified by a non-linear function of .xi. which preserves very low values for .xi. close to zero and increases very rapidly for higher values of .xi. so that the total gain is increased for low power levels and high values of .xi. within a restricted range.

Abstract: A reference signal generator generates a variable reference signal with which a signal indicating the momentary rotational speed of the prime mover (such as a gas turbine) for a generator is compared, to produce a rotational speed control signal in accordance with a signal representing the load applied to the prime mover, so as to compensate for the rotational speed fluctuation caused by load connection by holding the rotational speed of the prime mover above the desired level during no-load operation and at the desired level under load.

Abstract: A load connection command signal is utilized to raise the rotational speed of a power turbine of an electric generator above a rated speed thereof while the same signal is used to connect load to the generator after a predetermined period of time. A load disconnection command signal is utilized to lower the rotational speed of the power turbine below the rated speed while the same signal is used to disconnect load from the generator with a time delay.

Abstract: An isolated electrical power generation system is described with multiple isochronous, load-sharing engine-generator units. The system includes load sensing means for generating a signal representing the individual power output of each engine-generator unit, means for generating a signal representing the total power output of all the engine-generator units in the system, and load-sharing means responsive to deviations between each individual power output signal and the total power output signal for controlling the fuel inputs to the respective engines in the various units. A load simulating means responds to the occurrence of a preselected condition, such as an excessive temperature, in an individual unit for adding a simulated power output signal to the individual power output signal for that particular unit.

Abstract: In a steam turbine-generator with means for determining a load demand signal in accordance with a load reference signal, means for determining the valve opening under each admission mode of full-arc and partial-arc in accordance with said load demand signal and means for adjusting the ratio between valve openings under the each admission mode in accordance with a load change the ratio of steam flow under each of the admission modes is controlled in accordance with a load change so as to minimize the thermal stresses and thereby reduce the turbine load changing time.

Abstract: A vapor generator supplies vaporized motive fluid to a prime mover which drives a load. In the embodiment of this disclosure the primary load is the electrical load on an alternator. A sensor provides a continuous signal representative of the load. Responsive to this signal the flows of motive fluid and fuel and air to the vapor generator are modified. Additional modifications to the flows are made responsive to signals representing the temperature and pressure of the vapor leaving the vapor generator.

Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant includes gas and steam turbines and steam generators and a digital/analog control system. In the control system, an automatic digital computer control generates position setpoints for the gas turbine fuel valves and the steam turbine inlet valves to control turbine speed and load. A synchronizer system includes an automatic synchronizer subsystem and a manual synchronizer subsystem. The automatic synchronizer subsystem includes a sequencer which is largely embodied in the digital computer and it further includes a synchronizer which is external to the automatic control. The automatic sequencer connects the synchronizer to synchronize the three generators in a sequence which depends on the startup and loading operation of the turbines, the synchronization operation of the synchronizer and the operation of the breakers. The manual synchronizer subsystem responds to operator inputs to generate a speed reference for the synchronization of each turbine.

Abstract: There is provided an exciter arrangement for generators comprising an internal combustion engine, a generator coupled with the internal combustion engine and driven thereby, an exciter for regulating excitation of the exciter, a detector for detecting a value responsive to a revolution number of the internal combustion engine, and a controller for controlling the exciter in response to an output of the detector.

Abstract: In a marine power plant which has an rpm-regulatable heavy gas turbine, a propulsion generator driven by the turbine, a propulsion motor driven by the generator and a fixed propeller driven by the motor, the turbine rpm is regulated as a function of the propeller rpm to obtain a delivered turbine output which lies above the minimum output limit of the turbine.

Abstract: A combined cycle electric power plant including gas and steam turbines, steam generators, afterburners and a digital/analog control system is provided with inlet guide vane control apparatus adapted to match gas turbine exhaust flow to the requirements of the steam generator with which it is associated. The guide vane control apparatus operates to limit the inlet guide vane position as a function of gas turbine compressor inlet temperature in accordance with a desired gas turbine exhaust flow at predetermined operating conditions.

Abstract: A combined cycle electric power generating plant, which includes gas and steam turbines, inlet guide vane positioning means for the gas turbines, steam generators, afterburners and a digital/analog control system, is provided with inlet guide vane control apparatus adapted to modulate the position of the inlet guide vanes as a function of load or inlet blade path temperature. The inlet guide vane control apparatus is further adapted to operate in either an automatic or manual mode with additional provision for bumpless transfer therebetween incorporated in the control apparatus.

Abstract: As a improved way of effecting fast valving of turbines of power system steam-electric generating units for the purpose of improving the stability of power transmission over transmission circuits to which their generators make connection, when stability is threatened by line faults and certain other stability endangering events, the heretofore employed and/or advocated practice of automatically closing intercept valves at fastest available closing speed in response to a fast valving signal, and thereafter automatically fully reopening them in a matter of seconds, is modified by providing to reopen the valves only partially to and thereafter retain them at a preset partially open position.For best results the process of what can be termed sustained partial reopening is so effected as to result in its completion within a fraction of a second following the peak of the first forward swing of the generator rotor.