STEAM TURBINE SYSTEM WITH STEAM TURBINE CLUTCH
A steam turbine system and method of operating a steam turbine system including a steam generator coupled to a high pressure section and a low pressure section. The steam turbine system may further include to a first portion of a drive shaft coupled to the high pressure section and a clutching device for releasably coupling to a power generator coupled to the first portion of the drive shaft. The steam turbine system may also include a second portion of the drive shaft for coupling to the power generator coupled to the low pressure section. The method may be implemented using a controller of the steam turbine system.
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The disclosure relates generally to a steam turbine including a clutch for engaging or disengaging one or more high pressure sections from a power generator of the steam turbine, depending on a mode of operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany of today's steam turbines can be run in multiple modes of operation. For example, many turbines will run on high pressure steam during peak hours of operation and may switch to a low pressure steam during low energy generation. Typical steam turbines have a high pressure section and a low pressure section. However, when the turbine is run at a low pressure, the high pressure section is still utilized. In many cases, this results in a high pressure section being engineered to also accommodate low pressure steam, and thus low temperature steam. These configurations can alter the performance of the high pressure section, requiring changes in performance features as well as requiring moisture removal provisions within the high pressure section.
Further, the temperature changes associated with switching back and forth between a high pressure and high temperature steam to a low pressure and low temperature steam may cause thermal stress and thermal growth to components of the steam turbine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONEmbodiments of the invention disclosed herein may include a steam turbine system comprising: a steam generator coupled to a high pressure section and a low pressure section; a first portion of a drive shaft coupled to the high pressure section; a clutching device for releasably coupling to a power generator coupled to the first portion of the drive shaft; and a second portion of the drive shaft for coupling to the power generator coupled to the low pressure section.
Embodiments of the invention may also include a method of operating a steam turbine system, the method comprising: delivering steam from a steam generator to at least one of a high pressure section and a low pressure section; engaging or disengaging, by a controller, a clutching device which is releasably coupled to a power generator via a first portion of a drive shaft from the high pressure section; and supplying power to the power generator via a second portion of the drive shaft which is coupled to the power generator from the low pressure section
These and other features of the disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various aspects of the invention.
It is noted that the drawings may not be to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings. The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONDisclosed herein is a steam turbine system including a steam turbine clutching device for disengaging a high pressure section from a power generator during low energy supply operation. Turning to
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Clutching device 270 can be useful in a number of embodiments. For instance, clutching device 270 may be engaged during a period of higher energy output from steam turbine system 200, referred to as a high energy operating condition. A high energy operating condition can consist of a period of high pressure steam, high temperature steam, or a combination thereof. High energy operating conditions may include temperature ranges of approximately 370° C. to approximately 600° C. and a pressure range of approximately 6,895 kPa (1000 PSI) to approximately 20,684 kPa (3000 PSI), or approximately 6,895 kPa (1000 PSI) to approximately 13,790 kPa (2000 PSI). Further, clutching device 270 may be disengaged during a period of lower energy output from steam turbine system 200, referred to as a low energy operating condition. It should be understood that a low energy operating condition may include a period of low pressure steam, low temperature steam, or some combination thereof. Low energy operating conditions may include temperature ranges of approximately 100° C. to approximately 300° C. and a pressure range of approximately 414 kPa (60 PSI) to approximately 5,516 kPa (800 PSI), or approximately 689 kPa (100 PSI) to approximately 2,413 kPa (350 PSI).
By integrating clutching device 270 into steam turbine system 200, both high pressure section 220 and low pressure section 230 can be optimized for the proper operating conditions of each instance. For instance, since high pressure section 220, in some embodiments, may not be exposed to any low energy steam, advanced performance features may be integrated into this section and moisture removal systems may not need to be installed. This can provide a boost in the energy conversion efficiency of high pressure section 220. Further, low pressure section 230 can be further optimized for the handling of low energy steam. Another feature of the current disclosure is that rapid temperature changes that may occur during changes between high energy and low energy conditions can be obviated in high pressure section 220 by moving low energy steam directly to low pressure section 230, which will usually already exist at comparable temperatures to the low energy steam.
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As described above, in embodiments utilizing a system of valves, when clutching device 270 is engaged, first portion of the drive shaft 250 supplies power from high pressure section 220 to power generator 260. When clutching device 270 is disengaged, instead first portion of the drive shaft 250 does not supply power from high pressure section 220 to power generator 260. However, in both instances, second portion of the drive shaft 255 can provide shaft power to power generator 260 from low pressure section 230. Although described as a system of three valves, it should be understood that there may be more valves, especially in embodiments including more than the two disclosed sections, high pressure section 220 and low pressure section 230.
In a further embodiment, a method of operating steam turbine system 200 is disclosed. For instance, as shown in
In any case, the method may include delivering steam from steam generator 210. Any known type of steam turbine system 200 with a steam generator 210 may be used. The steam is then sent to at least one of high pressure section 220 and low pressure section 230. The steam can be sent to sections 220 and 230 via any known mechanism, including but not limited to pipes typically fitted within steam turbine system 200. The steam expands through low pressure section 230 alone, or also through high pressure section 220. The method may also include engaging or disengaging, by controller 295, clutching device 270, which is releasably coupled to power generator 260 via first portion of the drive shaft 250 from high pressure section 220, as described above. Power is supplied to power generator 260 via second portion of the drive shaft 255, which is coupled to power generator 260 from low pressure section 230. The method may also include exhausting the steam to condenser 240, which may be coupled to low pressure section 230.
In the disclosed method, when clutching device 270 is engaged, as illustrated in
The method may further include utilizing high pressure throttle valve 280 between steam generator 210 and high pressure section 220, utilizing high pressure bypass valve 285 between steam generator 210 and low pressure section 230, and utilizing low pressure throttle valve 290 between high pressure section 220 and low pressure section 230. In such an embodiment, when clutching device 270 is engaged by controller 295, first portion of the drive shaft 250 supplies power from high pressure section 220 to power generator 260, and when clutching device 270 is disengaged by controller 295, first portion of the drive shaft 250 does not supply power from high pressure section 220 to power generator 260. However, whether clutching device 270 is engaged or disengaged, second portion of the drive shaft 255 supplies power from low pressure section 230 to power generator 260.
With further reference to these embodiments of the disclosed method, when clutching device 270 is engaged by controller 295, as shown in
As further detailed above, in embodiments of the method, clutching device 270 may be engaged during a high energy operating condition, while clutching device 270 may be disengaged during a low energy operating condition.
Embodiments of this method may be beneficial to many steam turbine systems. As one example, this method may be beneficial in a concentrated solar power system, where clutching device 270 may be engaged during a daytime operating condition or clutching device 270 may be disengaged during a nighttime operating condition.
For example, in one embodiment, steam turbine system 200 is used in a concentrated solar power (CSP) system 300, as illustrated in
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It should be understood that while the invention has been described as utilizing only one high pressure section 220, one low pressure section 230, one condenser 240, one clutching device 270, and three valves, more of each of these elements may be utilized in steam turbine system 200. For instance, multiple low pressure sections 230 may be utilized, or a plurality of high pressure sections 220, each of which may be releasably coupled individually. Further, any steam turbine system 200 with multiple sections now known or later developed may benefit from features of the invention, especially in the case of multiple operating conditions, be they based on energy, pressure, temperature, or any combination thereof. Each section may be optimized to run at particular conditions based on the turbine configuration and steam output.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A steam turbine system comprising:
- a steam generator coupled to a high pressure section and a low pressure section;
- a first portion of a drive shaft coupled to the high pressure section;
- a clutching device for releasably coupling to a power generator coupled to the first portion of the drive shaft; and
- a second portion of the drive shaft for coupling to the power generator coupled to the low pressure section.
2. The steam turbine system of claim 1, wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator.
3. The steam turbine system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a high pressure throttle valve between the steam generator and the high pressure section;
- a high pressure bypass valve between the steam generator and the low pressure section; and
- a low pressure throttle valve between the high pressure section and the low pressure section.
4. The steam turbine system of claim 3, wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator.
5. The steam turbine system of claim 4, wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are opened and the high pressure bypass valve is closed.
6. The steam turbine system of claim 4, wherein in response to the clutching device being disengaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are closed and the high pressure bypass valve is opened.
7. The steam turbine system of claim 1, wherein the clutching device is engaged during a high energy supply operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged during a low energy supply operating condition.
8. The steam turbine system of claim 7, wherein the high energy supply operating condition consists of a period of time wherein steam comprises at least one of: a high pressure steam and a high temperature steam; and wherein the low energy supply operating condition consists a period of time wherein steam comprises of at least one of: a low pressure steam and a low temperature steam.
9. The steam turbine system of claim 1, further comprising a concentrated solar power system operably coupled to the steam turbine system.
10. The steam turbine of claim 9, wherein the clutching device is engaged during a daytime operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged during a nighttime operating condition.
11. A method of operating a steam turbine system, the method comprising:
- delivering steam from a steam generator to at least one of a high pressure section and a low pressure section;
- engaging or disengaging, by a controller, a clutching device which is releasably coupled to a power generator via a first portion of a drive shaft from the high pressure section; and
- supplying power to the power generator via a second portion of the drive shaft which is coupled to the power generator from the low pressure section.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged by the controller, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged by the controller, the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
- utilizing a high pressure throttle valve between the steam generator and the high pressure section;
- utilizing a high pressure bypass valve between the steam generator and the low pressure section; and
- utilizing a low pressure throttle valve between the high pressure section and the low pressure section.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged by the controller, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged by the controller the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are opened by the controller and the high pressure bypass valve is closed by the controller.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein in response to the clutching device being disengaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are closed by the controller and the high pressure bypass valve is opened by the controller.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the clutching device is engaged by the controller during a high energy supply operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged by the controller during a low energy supply operating condition.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the high energy supply operating condition includes at least one of: a high pressure steam and a high temperature steam; and wherein the low energy operating condition includes at least one of: a low pressure steam and a low temperature steam.
19. The method of claim 11, further comprising a concentrated solar power system operably connected to the steam turbine system.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the clutching device is engaged during a daytime operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged during a nighttime operating condition.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 26, 2013
Publication Date: Mar 26, 2015
Applicant: General Electric Company (Schenctady, NY)
Inventors: Colin Scott Riley (Rotterdam, NY), Tad Russel Ripley (Clifton Park, NY)
Application Number: 14/038,210
International Classification: F01K 7/16 (20060101); F01K 13/02 (20060101);