Active temperature control for generator in driveline

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an apparatus that includes a temperature sensor (242) configured to monitor a temperature of a generator component of a driveline assembly (200). The driveline assembly (200) includes a driveline component in thermal communication with a cooling fluid and mounted on the same shaft as the generator component. A controller (240) coupled to the temperature sensor (242) and a heat exchange circuit (232) for adjusting the temperature of the cooling fluid. The controller (240) calculates a target temperature of the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter of the driveline component (200) and adjusts delivery of the cooling fluid to the driveline component based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbomachines. More particularly, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to apparatus and methods for active temperature control of a generator in a drive train. Background Art

[0002] Gas turbines, steam turbines, and generators are often used as part of a drive train architecture in a power plant. In one type of power plant, a gas turbine may be used in conjunction with a generator to generally form a drive train for the power plant. Within a power plant, a compressor having rows of rotating blades and fixed guide vanes compresses air and directs it to a combustor, which mixes the compressed air with fuel. In the combustor, the compressed air and fuel are burned to form combustion products (i.e., a hot air-fuel mixture), which expand through blades in the turbine.

[0003] Some drive trains with a generator located between two turbines (typically a gas turbine and a steam turbine) may have a clutch to allow operation in simple and combined cycle modes. In this configuration, multiple thrust bearings (e.g., one thrust bearing per turbine) and a clutch are configured to compensate for different axial expansions or contractions of the axis between the thrust bearings after the clutch is engaged. After the turbine begins operating in steady state, if the thrust load on the thrust bearing occurs at a load smaller than the load required to compress or expand the clutch, any further expansion and contraction of the generator shaft (e.g., due to ambient and plant cooling water temperature swings) may change the thrust load. In addition, transient temperature swings may increase the number of slip events in the clutch. A generator shaft exposed to the generator cooling medium and having a relatively long length may experience daily temperature swings of, for example, about ten degrees Celsius to twenty degrees Celsius, resulting in axial length changes of about one millimeter to three millimeters or more. This situation can significantly affect the thrust bearing load, thereby increasing wear and temperature on the bearing. In addition, relative to the baseline operating characteristics, in the case where the vibration is particularly high due to the corresponding high axial clutch load, the load and expansion may affect the drive train vibration. Summary of the invention

[0004] All aspects, examples and features mentioned below can be combined in any technically possible way.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus comprising: a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of a generator component of a drive train assembly, wherein the drive train assembly includes a drive train component that is thermally connected to a cooling fluid and mounted on the same shaft as the generator component; and a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and a heat exchange circuit for adjusting the temperature of the cooling fluid, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a target temperature of the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter of the drive train assembly, and to adjust delivery of the cooling fluid to the drive train component based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing an amount of cooling fluid provided to or extracted from the generator component via a variable flow pump.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing an amount of cooling fluid transferred from the return conduit to the inlet conduit via a variable flow valve.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a mixing valve for diverting a portion of the cooling fluid exiting the heat exchange circuit into the generator component.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a temperature of a wetted surface cooler within the heat exchange circuit.

[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to: regulate the delivery of the cooling fluid via an auxiliary heat exchanger within the heat exchange circuit.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the target temperature based on a target axial length or a target thermal expansion of the shaft.

[0012] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a system comprising: a drive train component having a generator component and a drive train component mounted on the same shaft; a temperature sensor configured to monitor the temperature of the generator component; a heat exchange circuit thermally connected to the generator component, wherein the heat exchange circuit is configured to cool the generator component with a cooling fluid; and a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the heat exchange circuit, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a target temperature of the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter of the drive train component, and adjust delivery of the cooling fluid to the drive train component based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing an amount of cooling fluid provided to or extracted from the generator component via a variable flow pump.

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing an amount of cooling fluid transferred from the return conduit to the inlet conduit via a variable flow valve.

[0015] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a mixing valve for diverting a portion of the cooling fluid exiting the heat exchange circuit into the generator component.

[0016] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a temperature of a wetted surface cooler within the heat exchange circuit.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the controller is configured to: regulate the delivery of the cooling fluid via an auxiliary heat exchanger within the heat exchange circuit.

[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the target temperature based on a target axial length or a target thermal expansion of the shaft.

[0019] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a method comprising: monitoring a temperature of a generator component of a drive train assembly, wherein the drive train assembly includes a drive train component that is thermally connected to a cooling fluid of a heat exchange circuit and mounted on the same shaft as the generator component; calculating a target temperature of the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter of the drive train assembly; and adjusting delivery of the cooling fluid to the drive train component based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein adjusting the delivery of the cooling fluid includes increasing or decreasing an amount of cooling fluid provided to or extracted from the generator component via a variable flow pump.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein adjusting the delivery of the cooling fluid includes reducing an amount of cooling fluid transferred from the return conduit to the inlet conduit via a variable flow valve.

[0022] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein adjusting the delivery of the cooling fluid includes adjusting a mixing valve for diverting a portion of the cooling fluid exiting the heat exchange circuit into the generator component.

[0023] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects, and wherein adjusting the delivery of the cooling fluid includes adjusting the temperature of the cooling fluid via a wetted surface cooler or an auxiliary heat exchanger within the heat exchange circuit.

[0024] Another aspect of the disclosure includes any of the preceding aspects and wherein the calculation of the target temperature is based on a target axial length or a target thermal expansion of the shaft.

[0025] Two or more aspects described in this disclosure (including those described in this summary) can be combined to form implementations not specifically described herein.

[0026] The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the drawings and description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] These and other features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of various aspects of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which depict various embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein:

[0028] FIG1 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional gas turbine (GT) engine of a drive train assembly;

[0029] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing drive train components and interconnecting parts of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 3 Schematic diagram showing thermal growth and thrust acting on drive train components during operation and monitored by embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 4 shows an exemplary flow chart of an operating method utilizing an embodiment according to the present disclosure; and

[0032] Figures 5 to 15 A block diagram of active temperature control hardware for a cooling fluid in a powertrain is shown according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] It should be noted that the drawings of the present disclosure are not necessarily drawn to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the present disclosure and therefore should not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In the drawings, like numbers represent like elements between drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] As an initial matter, in order to clearly describe the current technology, it will be necessary to select certain terms when referring to and describing relevant machine components within a turbine. To the extent possible, common industry terms will be used and adopted in a manner consistent with the accepted meaning of the terms. Unless otherwise indicated, such terms should be given a broad interpretation consistent with the context of the present application and the scope of the appended claims. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that several different or overlapping terms may often be used to refer to a particular component. An object that may be described herein as a single part may include multiple components and be referenced in another context as consisting of multiple components. Alternatively, an object that may be described herein as comprising multiple components may be referred to elsewhere as a single part.

[0035] In addition, several descriptive terms may be used regularly in this article, and it should prove helpful to define these terms at the beginning of this section. Unless otherwise stated, these terms and their definitions are as follows. As used herein, "downstream" and "upstream" are terms indicating the direction relative to the flow of a fluid, such as a working fluid through a turbine engine, or, for example, an air flow through a combustor or a coolant through one of the component systems of a turbine. The term "downstream" corresponds to the direction of fluid flow, and the term "upstream" refers to the direction opposite to the flow. In the absence of any additional particularity, the terms "front" and "rear" refer to directions, where "front" refers to the front end or compressor end of the engine, and "rear" refers to the rear end or turbine end of the engine.

[0036] It is often necessary to describe parts that are disposed at different radial positions relative to a central axis. The term "radial" refers to movement or position perpendicular to the axis. For example, if a first component is closer to the axis than a second component, this document will describe the first component as being "radially inward" of the second component or "inside" the second component. On the other hand, if the first component resides farther away from the axis than the second component, this document may describe the first component as being "radially outward" or "outside" of the second component. The term "axial" refers to movement or position parallel to the axis. Finally, the term "circumferential" refers to movement or position around the axis. It should be understood that such terms may apply relative to the central axis of the turbine.

[0037] In addition, several descriptive terms may be used regularly herein, as described below. The terms "first," "second," and "third" may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the position or importance of individual components.

[0038] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "a kind of" and "the" are intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that when used in the specification, the terms "include" and / or "comprise" specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or their groups. "Optional" or "optionally" means that the event or situation described subsequently may or may not occur, and the description includes instances where the event occurs and instances where the event does not occur.

[0039] Where an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to," it may be directly on, engaged to, connected to, or coupled to, or there may be intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to," there may be no intervening elements or layers. Other words used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0040] Referring to the drawings, FIG1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary machine including a turbomachine that is operable to be used in a drive train assembly to which the teachings of the present disclosure may be applied. In FIG1 , a turbomachine in the form of a combustion turbine or gas turbine (GT) engine 100 (hereinafter referred to as “GT engine 100”) is shown. GT engine 100 includes a compressor 102 and one or more combustors 104 provided with a compressor discharge housing 107 that defines a plenum 109 that receives compressed air from compressor 102. Fuel nozzles within combustor 104 supply fuel and air to combustion chamber 106 to produce high temperature and high pressure combustion gases. GT engine 100 also includes a GT turbine 110 (i.e., an expansion turbine or turbine section) and a common compressor / turbine shaft 111 (hereinafter referred to as “rotor 111”).

[0041] In one embodiment, the GT engine 100 may include an engine currently commercially available from GE Vernova of Cambridge, MA. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular GT system and may be implanted with other engines, including, for example, other HA, F, B, LM, GT, TM, and E-class engine models from GE Energy, as well as engine models from other companies. In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular turbine and may be applicable to, for example, steam turbines, jet engines, compressors, turbofans, etc. More importantly, the teachings of the present disclosure are not necessarily applicable only to turbine assemblies in GT engines, but may be applied to virtually any type of industrial machine or other turbine that is operable to mechanically drive a generator as discussed herein. Therefore, references to the GT engine 100, and specifically references to the GT turbine 110 of the GT engine 100, are for descriptive purposes only and are not restrictive.

[0042] Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2, and as described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a drive train assembly (hereinafter referred to as "assembly") 200, wherein a generator 202 is mounted on a shaft 111. Any subcomponents, subsystems, and / or other parts of the generator 202 (such as windings, generator shaft segments, stator segments, etc.) may be individually or collectively referred to as "generator components". As discussed herein, the assembly 200 includes various drive train components mounted on the shaft 111 with the generator 202, and each of these components may be thermally connected to one or more cooling fluids. The generator 202 is located between two turbines (e.g., the GT turbine 110 and the steam turbine 210 of the GT engine 100), although other arrangements are possible. The assembly 200 may include a clutch 212 between the generator 202 and one turbine (e.g., the steam turbine 210) to allow operation in simple (i.e., only one turbine operation) and combined cycle (i.e., two turbine operation) modes. In this configuration, the assembly 200 includes a plurality of thrust bearings 214 and a clutch 212 to compensate for differential axial expansion or contraction of the shaft 111 between the thrust bearings 214 after the clutch 212 is mechanically engaged. The clutch 212 can accommodate changes in the axial length of the shaft 111, for example, by acting as a spline-type gear coupling in addition to a selectively engageable clutch. In this case, any slippage of the clutch 212 can occur via torque-transmitting teeth (not shown) within the clutch 212. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the generator 202 itself can be considered a "drive train component", but other drive train components may include Figure 2 and / or any of the various operating components shown in other figures, and thus may include any device included within and / or coupled to assembly 200.

[0043] When the turbines 110, 210 of the assembly 200 begin to operate in a steady state, any further expansion and contraction of the shaft 111 (e.g., due to ambient and plant cooling water temperature swings) may change the thrust load on the thrust bearing 214, particularly where such changes occur at a temperature less than the sliding friction coefficient of the clutch 212. In addition, transient temperature fluctuations within the assembly 200 may be associated with undesirable slippage of the clutch 212. The shaft 111, which is exposed to the generator cooling medium and has a relatively long length, may experience daily temperature swings of, for example, about ten degrees Celsius to twenty degrees Celsius, resulting in axial length changes of about one millimeter to three millimeters or more. This situation may significantly increase the thrust bearing loads on the various components of the assembly 200, thereby increasing wear and temperature on the bearing 214. In addition, in cases where vibrations are particularly high due to abnormally large axial clutch loads, this load and expansion may affect the drive train vibration.

[0044] In addition to the generator shaft axial length, the length of the shaft 111 in the assembly 200 may vary due to other variables, including but not limited to: lubricating oil temperature, ambient air temperature, collector housing air temperature, steam path temperature, steam seal temperature, turbine compressor temperature, etc. These fluctuations and oscillations can result in increased thrust bearing loads, particularly in an assembly 200 operating with only one shaft 111. In addition, these variables may affect equipment behavior in a manner that makes operation less consistent and less predictable. Using one parameter to offset changes in another parameter significantly reduces cycling and may create excessive loads on certain parts of the assembly 200. In addition, assemblies 200 with certain component-coolant combinations (e.g., air-cooled condensers) may experience larger cooling fluid temperature variations elsewhere, driving larger daily variations in gas temperature within the generator 202. Examples of thermal variations and mechanical forces experienced by the assembly 200 are shown in FIG. Figure 3 Detailed description is given in FIG. 1 and will be further described herein.

[0045] As discussed herein, various components within the assembly 200 may be cooled to control thrust, vibration, and / or other operating characteristics of the assembly 200. The assembly 200 may include a steam turbine 210 on the shaft 111, and various subcomponents of the steam turbine 210 may be cooled independently and / or in combination. In the illustration, the steam turbine 210 may include a low pressure (LP) component 222, an intermediate pressure (IP) component 224, and a high pressure (HP) component 226, as is known in the art. The LP component 222, the IP component 224, and the HP 226 of the steam turbine may all be coupled to the shaft 111 and / or positioned on the shaft, and / or may be configured to rotate the shaft to generate mechanical work and / or drive the generator 202 and / or other components. Certain components of the steam turbine 210, such as the HP component 226 and the IP component 224, may be mechanically coupled to each other via a thrust bearing 214. The thrust bearing 214 may be specifically configured to support varying axial loads within the steam turbine 210 under varying conditions, and the thrust bearing 214 may interconnect other components of the assembly 200 in addition to the HP component 226 and the IP component 224. The GT turbine 110 of the GT engine 100 may similarly be mechanically coupled to the generator 202 on the shaft 111 via the thrust bearing 214.

[0046] In the assembly 200, any of the GT engine 100, the generator 202, the clutch 212, and / or the steam turbine 210 may be cooled by various types of cooling infrastructure. These cooling mechanisms may rely on one or more cooling fluid suppliers 230 coupled to a heat exchange circuit 232 that provides a flow of cooling fluid (e.g., air, hydrogen, water, etc.) to cool the components and / or sections thereof. At least some of the heat generated by operating losses is removed by cooling circuit components in the heat exchange circuit 232 that are fed by a cooling fluid (e.g., air, water, glycol, and / or other cooling fluid from another cooling fluid supplier 230). The heat exchange circuit 232 may also include other coolant transport / return infrastructure that uses and / or may be fed directly from cooling water for the assembly 200 and / or may rely on a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger (or other heat exchange system) cooled by power plant cooling water. Thus, the cooling fluid supplier 230 may indicate multiple cooling suppliers having similar or different cooling fluids and / or similar or different temperatures when supplied. Thus, the heat exchange circuit 232 may use a first coolant for directly cooling a particular component, a second coolant for absorbing heat from the first coolant (i.e., via a cooling liquid circuit), and / or any other combination of coolants and / or coolant temperatures.

[0047] The heat exchange circuit of the conventional drive train can be configured to operate only at full capacity, thereby providing a continuous unregulated flow of coolant to keep any cooling components at the lowest possible temperature. In conventional systems, the temperature of the cooling fluid transmitted to the generator may also depend on the power plant cooling water and / or ambient coolant temperature. The embodiment of the present disclosure differs from the conventional thermal management infrastructure in that the coolant is used to actively control any axial thermal expansion of the contraction shaft 111 during steady-state operation, which can further improve mechanical performance. That is, the embodiment of the assembly 200 uses a heat exchange circuit 232 combined with a controller 240 and / or other hardware to control the expansion, thrust, etc. of the shaft 111 by adjusting the amount of cooling fluid provided from the cooling fluid supplier 230. By considering the thrust bearing and / or vibration parameters in the drive train assembly 200, the embodiment of the present disclosure enables a more consistent output to be achieved under steady-state operation. In addition, when considering the thrust bearing 214 parameters (e.g., thrust load), shaft 111 vibration, etc., the controller 240 can select and / or modify the target temperature of the generator 202 to meet certain performance goals. In some cases, embodiments of the present disclosure may control cooling of drive train assembly 200 so that shaft 111 has a stable, constant temperature and does not undergo any significant thermal expansion or contraction cycles as its operation continues. In other cases, target temperatures for various parts of drive train assembly 200 may vary over time, such as by manual selection by an operator, automatic determination by controller 240 to account for other system changes (e.g., lube oil conditions, steam temperature, air temperature, gas turbine thrust loads, steam turbine thrust loads, vibrations, etc.), and / or a combination of these methods.

[0048] Figure 3 An annotated diagram is provided of how thermal expansion and compression may affect thrust or other mechanical characteristics of the assembly 200 during operation. Changing loads, operating modes, etc. may affect the temperature of various components within the assembly 200, particularly the thrust bearings 214. The effect of changing the temperature on each thrust bearing 214 may depend on where each thrust bearing 214 is located in the assembly 200. Figure 3The non-limiting diagram in depicts an example of elevated temperatures that cause thermal expansion of metal components at thrust bearings 214 within assembly 200. Elevated temperatures may cause inward axial expansion of GT engine 100 components and inward expansion of shaft 111 on which GT engine 100 is mounted. Similarly, elevated temperatures may cause inward axial expansion of shaft 111 within steam turbine 210 and inward axial expansion of a casing for housing steam turbine 210. The inward axial expansion of shaft 111 and / or other components will affect the thrust on thrust bearings 214, i.e., due to the reaction force on thrust bearings 214 as shaft 111 and / or other components expand inward. Each thrust bearing 214 may experience outward axial forces in the opposite direction of thermal growth. During operation, these axial forces are added to any existing thrust caused by aerodynamic loads ("GT loads") within GT engine 100 and steam forces generated in steam turbine 210. Embodiments of the present disclosure actively control the temperature within assembly 200 to account for these combined thrusts, whereas conventional systems may not account for any additional thrusts resulting from thermal expansion or compression.

[0049] Reference again Figure 2 , embodiments of assembly 200 include temperature sensors 242 (e.g., thermometers, thermocouples, and / or any other currently known or later developed temperature sensing devices) for monitoring the temperature at one or more locations within generator 202. When the powertrain is operating, temperature sensors 242 monitor the temperature of one or more components of generator 202, such as a portion or all of the generator's power generation components, a portion of the shaft on which the generator is mounted, stator windings, and / or any other portion of generator 202 whose temperature may be measured.

[0050] The controller 240 may interact with the heat exchange circuit 232 via a flow regulator 244 (e.g., a valve, a pump, and / or an apparatus described herein for controlling fluid flow) to affect the amount of cooling fluid provided to the assembly 200. The controller 240 may include a computing device and / or any other currently known or later developed control system, and may be coupled to the temperature sensor 242 via a wireless and / or wired connection to receive data therefrom. The controller 240 may also be coupled to various portions of the heat exchange circuit 232, including the flow regulator 244 therein. As discussed herein, the flow regulator 244 may include various configurations of valves, pumps, wet surface coolers, cooler assemblies, and / or any other currently known or later developed apparatus for controlling the temperature of the fluid heat exchange circuit 232 by adjusting the flow rate, composition ratio, and / or other operating parameters of the fluid therein.

[0051] The generator 202 may be coupled to a temperature sensor 242 at the outlet of its cooler, in a chamber at a slightly cooler outlet temperature, and / or in other locations, or otherwise include and / or be structurally integrated with the temperature sensor. The temperature of the generator 202 monitored via the temperature sensor 242 may be transmitted to the controller 240 via the power plant control software, and the controller 240 may thus adjust the flow conditioner 244 with reference to the temperature of the generator 202 and the mechanical characteristics of the shaft 111. Compared to a control system that can directly monitor various mechanical characteristics of the shaft 111, the temperature obtained from the temperature sensor 242 may be used to indirectly identify thrust bearing parameters, vibrations, and / or other characteristics of the shaft 111. During operation, the controller 240 provides control logic for calculating a target temperature to achieve a desired shaft 111 characteristic (e.g., a target axial length of the thrust bearing 214, thermal expansion, etc. to reach a set upper temperature limit (or axial load). In response, the controller will adjust the amount of cooling fluid provided to various parts of the assembly 200 to indirectly affect these shafts 111 via the temperature of the assembly 200.

[0052] Reference now Figure 2 and Figure 4 , Figure 4 An example embodiment of the component 200 is provided ( Figure 2 ) is a flowchart of an example method implemented by the present disclosure. Process P1 of the present disclosure may include operating assembly 200 so that GT engine 100 and steam turbine 210 together drive generator 202 via shaft 111. As assembly 200 continues to operate in process P1, the temperature within assembly 200 (and therefore the temperature of thrust bearing 214) may change due to varying loads, environmental conditions, and / or mechanical conditions of parts, etc. In order to account for varying thrust loads on thrust bearing 214 and / or other variables such as vibrations of components within assembly 200, process P2 may include monitoring the temperature of generator 202 via temperature sensor 242. As discussed herein, temperature sensor 242 may be positioned in various locations within generator 202, and any one or more of temperature sensors 242 may be included in (or excluded from) the monitoring of the temperature of generator 202 in process P2.

[0053] In process P3, controller 240 may calculate a target temperature for any component of assembly 200 based on one or more of a desired amount of axial thrust to be applied to thrust bearing 214, a desired amount of mechanical vibration within assembly 200, and the like. The calculations in process P3 may derive a desired temperature within generator 202 from known, measured, or estimated thermal expansion in any portion of assembly 200. Thermal expansion may be measured using, for example, the total length or partial length of shaft 111, the temperature of shaft 111 within generator 202, the amount of force applied to clutch 212 and / or thrust bearing 214, and / or other measurable variables indicative of characteristics of shaft 111 during operation. Vibration parameters of assembly 200 may include, for example, velocity, acceleration, vibration frequency, and / or other measurable properties of assembly 200 and / or its components. Vibration parameters of assembly 200 may be measured via accelerometers and / or other sensors within assembly 200 or coupled to controller 240. In more complex calculations, the controller 240 may include logic and / or additional variables to take into account relevant quantities (e.g., load on the GT engine 100, net steam force from the steam turbine 210, whether the assembly 200 is in a steady-state or transient operating mode, lubricating oil conditions, steam temperature, air temperature, gas turbine thrust load, steam turbine thrust load, vibration, etc.), and thus increase or decrease the calculated target temperature based on current or estimated values ​​of these quantities. In some cases, calculating the target temperature in process P3 may include: independently modifying the calculated target temperature (e.g., manually or via an additional computing device in communication with the controller 240) to further take into account thermal expansion and / or stress on the shaft or properties of other mechanical components of the drive train assembly. In process P4, the controller 240 may adjust the flow of cooling fluid through the heat exchange circuit 232 based on the difference between the temperatures monitored via the temperature sensor 242 and the expected values ​​of these temperatures calculated in process P3 (e.g., by adjusting the position of one or more flow regulators). Adjustment of the cooling flow in process P4 may therefore increase or decrease the temperature within generator 202 by controlling the amount of cooling fluid in generator 202 , thereby affecting the thrust on thrust bearing 214 and / or vibrations of other components of assembly 200 .

[0054] As discussed herein, the controller 240 may include any of a variety of mathematical formulas, simulation models, lookup tables, etc. for calculating the target temperature in process P3. For example, the controller may calculate the target temperature based on a target thrust bearing load on the thrust bearing 214 in one or more selected locations of the drive train component (e.g., those locations for maintaining thrust bearing loads for one or more specific load cells in the GT engine 100). Further operating characteristics used by the controller 240 to calculate the target temperature may include the temperature of components external to the generator 202 (e.g., thrust bearing 214 temperature, temperatures within the GT engine 100 and / or steam turbine 210, etc.) and / or other quantities from which the temperature or thermal expansion within the component 200 may be derived.

[0055] refer to Figures 5 to 15 In the various implementations shown in FIG. 2 , various types of heat exchange circuits 232 may interact or couple with the assembly 200 and the controller 240 for active temperature control within the assembly 200 . Figures 5 to 15 The embodiment of the assembly 200 shown in FIG. 2 may include a heat exchange circuit 232 having multiple cooling fluids (e.g., various combinations of power plant cooling water, ambient air, river water, etc.), wherein a first pipeline 252 conveying a first (sealed) cooling fluid absorbs heat from the generator 202, and a second pipeline 256 conveys a second (unsealed) cooling fluid provided from a cooling fluid supplier 230, the second cooling fluid being used to absorb heat from the first cooling fluid. However, it should be understood that embodiments of the present disclosure are also applicable to assemblies 200 having only one cooling fluid, and / or those assemblies having three or more cooling fluids by adding or removing subcircuits for additional cooling fluids within the heat exchange circuit 232.

[0056] Figure 5An example is depicted in which the heat exchange circuit 232 of the assembly 200 includes a generator heat exchanger 250 and a set of first coolant transfer lines ("first lines") 252 for transferring a first cooling fluid (e.g., a sealed coolant such as ethylene glycol, hydrogen, etc.) between the generator heat exchanger 250 and an intermediate heat exchanger 254. In further examples, the first lines 252 may be coupled to other heat exchangers (not shown) for drive train components other than the generator 202. Within the generator heat exchanger 250, the first cooling fluid is in thermal communication with the generator 202 and absorbs heat from the generator. The first lines 252 circulate the first cooling fluid to the intermediate heat exchanger 254, where it exchanges heat with a second (non-sealed) cooling fluid (e.g., plant cooling water, air, ambient fluid, and / or other examples discussed herein). A set of second coolant transfer lines ("second lines 256") transfer the second cooling fluid from the cooling fluid supply 230 to the intermediate heat exchanger 254, and vice versa. One or more flow regulators 244 (e.g., "variable flow pumps," or alternatively valves or other controllable flow mechanisms) may be operably coupled to the controller 240 to enable active flow control of the first cooling fluid within the first pipeline 252. By increasing the flow through the flow regulator 244, the generator heat exchanger 250 may absorb more heat from the generator 202. By reducing the flow through the flow regulator 244, the generator heat exchanger 250 may absorb less heat from the generator 202. As the first cooling fluid passes through the intermediate heat exchanger 254, the first cooling fluid is maintained at a desired low temperature by transferring heat to the second cooling fluid. The first cooling fluid absorbs heat from the generator 202 and then transfers the absorbed heat to the second cooling fluid via the intermediate heat exchanger 254. The second pipeline 256 itself may also include a flow regulator 244 for controlling the flow of the second cooling fluid therethrough.

[0057] exist Figure 5In the example of , the flow regulator 244 includes a "constant flow pump" that is used to maintain a single continuous flow rate between the cooling fluid supplier 230 and the intermediate heat exchanger 254. The flow regulator 244 of the second pipeline 256 does not necessarily need to be connected to the controller 240. In another specific implementation, all flow regulators 244 of the assembly 200 may be connected to the controller 240. Here, the flow regulator 244 maintains a constant flow of the second cooling fluid in the second pipeline 256, while the flow regulator 244 allows variable flow control of the first cooling fluid in the first pipeline 252. Therefore, the flow regulator 244 in the first pipeline 252 controls the amount of heat exchange between the first cooling fluid and the second cooling fluid. As discussed herein, the controller 240 can monitor the temperature within the generator 202, calculate the target temperature of the generator 202 based on the target thrust bearing parameter or target vibration parameter of the assembly 200, and adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid to the generator heat exchanger 250 via the flow regulator 244 based on the difference between the monitored temperature within the generator 202 and their target values. In other specific embodiments discussed herein, other types of flow regulators 244 (e.g., pressure / flow control valves) and / or additional cooling components may be used to control the flow rate of a cooling fluid in thermal communication with the generator 202, thereby adjusting the temperature within the generator 202 to affect thermal expansion, vibration parameters, and / or related variables such as mechanical stresses.

[0058] Figure 6 Another example of the assembly 200 is depicted in which the second cooling fluid in the second line 256 is circulated via one or more flow regulators 244 operably coupled to the controller 240, but the one or more flow regulators 244 in the first line 252 are not operably coupled to the controller 240. In this example, the flow regulator 244 of the first line 252 may be a constant flow pump or a similar mechanism for providing a constant fluid flow, but the flow regulator 244 of the second line 256 may be a variable flow pump or a similar adjustable fluid flow mechanism. In other words, this implementation of the assembly 200 allows the flow of the cooling fluid in the second line 256 to be controllable, but the flow of the cooling fluid in the first line 252 is not controllable. Here, the controller 240 may adjust the flow of the second cooling fluid to control the amount of unsealed cooling fluid extracted from and / or returned to the cooling fluid supply 230. This in turn allows the second cooling fluid to absorb a variable amount of heat from the first cooling fluid in the intermediate heat exchanger 254, even while the first cooling fluid is substantially continuously flowing through the generator heat exchanger 250. Here, the controller 240 remains operable to actively control the cooling fluid in thermal communication with the generator 202 to affect the thrust bearing 214 ( Figure 2 , Figure 3 ), vibrations, and / or other physical properties.

[0059] Figures 7 to 9 An additional example of the assembly 200 and heat exchanger circuit 232 is depicted in which the first line 252 and the second line 256 each include a flow regulator 244 in the form of a constant flow pump, for example to maintain at least a minimum flow rate of each cooling fluid for heat absorption within the generator heat exchanger 250 and the intermediate heat exchanger 254. The first line 252 may include the flow regulator 244 ( Figure 7 ), and / or the second pipeline 256 may include a flow regulator 244 ( Figure 8 , Fig. 9 ), the flow regulator is used to actively control the flow of cooling fluid within the first pipeline 252 and / or the second pipeline 256. Here, the flow regulator 244 coupled to the controller 240 may include a variable flow valve, which is used to selectively reduce the flow of cooling fluid in the pipelines 252, 256, regardless of the flow provided by the pump elsewhere in the pipeline. The adjustable flow regulator 244 is operable to recirculate, redirect or otherwise control the flow rate of the cooling fluid in the pipeline 256 to affect the cooling fluid temperature. In the case of a variable flow valve, the flow regulator 244 may be capable of being operably coupled to the controller 240 so that the controller 240 adjusts the variable flow valve based on the difference between the target temperature of the generator 202 and the temperature monitored via the temperature sensor 242.

[0060] exist Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the example of , the adjustable flow regulator 244 (e.g., a variable flow valve) is operable to adjust the minimum flow rate therethrough and thereby increase or decrease the flow rate of the cooling fluid in the return conduits (also referred to as “return lines,” “outlet conduits,” etc.) of lines 252, 256 for providing the heated flow to the cooling fluid supplier 230 or the intermediate heat exchanger 254. Fig. 9 In another alternative shown in FIG. 2 , an adjustable flow regulator 244 (e.g., a variable flow valve) can divert at least a portion of the heated cooling fluid in the return conduit of the second line 256 to the inlet conduit of the second line 256 to mix with (and heat) the lower temperature flow from the cooling fluid supplier 230 (i.e., cooling fluid that has not yet exchanged heat with the generator 202 and / or another cooling fluid via the intermediate heat exchanger 254). Thus, an adjustable flow regulator 244 (e.g., a variable flow valve) can be used with a non-adjustable flow regulator 244 (e.g., a constant flow pump) to provide at least a minimum amount of cooling in the generator 202 while also allowing active temperature control by the controller 240.

[0061] Fig.10Yet another example of the assembly 200 is provided, in which an adjustable flow regulator 244 and a non-adjustable flow regulator 244 can be used together to affect the temperature of the cooling fluid transmitted to the generator heat exchanger 250 via the first pipeline 252. As with other specific implementations, each pipeline 252, 256 can include a non-adjustable flow regulator 244 in the form of a constant flow pump so that each pipeline 252, 256 transmits at least a minimum flow of cooling fluid therethrough. In addition, the first pipeline 252 can include one or more adjustable flow regulators 244 in the form of a flow mixing valve operably coupled to the controller 240. The flow mixing valve in the first pipeline 252 can divert a portion of the heated cooling fluid leaving the generator heat exchanger 250 back to the inlet conduit of the first pipeline 252 before it is cooled in the intermediate heat exchanger 254. The diverted fluid mixes with the cooling fluid leaving the intermediate heat exchanger 254, thereby providing a higher temperature cooling fluid to the generator heat exchanger 250. The flow conditioner 244 in the form of a flow mixing valve is thus operable to mix a higher temperature cooling fluid into the lower temperature flow being delivered to the generator heat exchanger 250. This particular implementation may be suitable for maintaining a target temperature in the form of a minimum operating temperature, but may be less preferred for situations where lower temperatures are desired (e.g., those temperatures that are less than or lower than the temperature of the ambient fluid supplied to the heat exchange circuit 232).

[0062] Fig.11Yet another example of the assembly 200 is provided in which the controller 240 can adjust the temperature of one or more cooling fluids of the heat exchange circuit 232 without the aid of the flow conditioner 244. In this case, the first line 252 (additionally or alternatively, the second line 256) can include or be in thermal communication with an auxiliary heat exchanger ("auxiliary exchanger") 260, such as another heat exchanger, heat source, and / or heat sink for changing the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first line 252. The auxiliary heat exchanger 260 can include, for example, a low temperature reservoir or a high temperature heat source that can be selectively placed in thermal communication with the cooling fluid in the first line 252. In other specific implementations, the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 can simply be another heat exchanger that carries another cooling fluid (whether sealed or unsealed). However, in implementation, the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 may be placed in thermal communication with or removed from the lines 252, 256 via mechanically adjustable components (e.g., opening or closing a thermal barrier between the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 and the lines 252, 256) to affect the temperature of the cooling fluid before it enters the generator heat exchanger 250 and / or the intermediate heat exchanger 254. In the event that the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 includes different heat exchange fluids, the amount of heating or cooling may be controlled by changing the temperature of the fluid therein and / or any heat exchange fluid within the auxiliary heat exchanger 260. The auxiliary heat exchanger 260 may be particularly suitable for achieving a target temperature that is below the ambient temperature of the cooling fluid within the cooling fluid supplier 230, for example, water, air and / or other fluids obtained from the environment in which the drive train components operate may be cooled to below ambient temperature via the auxiliary heat exchanger 260. The auxiliary heat exchanger 260 may also be particularly helpful in reducing or eliminating higher temperature peaks, i.e., flattening the temperature distribution of the generator 202 over time. In some cases, Fig.11 Particular implementations may selectively cause (via controller 240 ) a step change in the temperature of generator 202 to intentionally induce a mechanical reaction in generator 202 in response to a sudden temperature swing.

[0063] Fig.12 Another example of a heat exchange circuit 232 in the assembly 200 is provided, where a wet surface cooler 262 (also referred to as an "evaporative cooler," i.e., a device that cools air by evaporation of water) is included in the heat exchange circuit 232 by being in fluid communication and / or thermal communication with the first line 252. The wet surface cooler 262 can be configured to absorb heat from the cooling fluid in the first line 252 before or after the cooling fluid is used to cool the generator 202 via the generator heat exchanger 250. Similar to the use of the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 ( Fig.11), the wet surface cooler 262 may control the temperature of the cooling fluid to a desired level, and in particular may reduce the cooling fluid temperature to below the temperature of the cooling fluid supplier 230 (e.g., below the temperature of the power plant cooling water, generator fluid, and / or ambient-based cooling source). Adjusting the temperature of the cooling fluid passing through the wet surface cooler 262 may include, for example: adjusting one or more fans within the wet surface cooler 262 between "on" and "off" states; and / or adjusting fan speeds; and / or modifying other subcomponents of the wet surface cooler 262, or potentially other components of the GT engine 100, the generator 202, the steam turbine 210, and / or other mechanisms of the assembly 200. The wet surface cooler 262 may be particularly desirable for an assembly 200 operating in a dry environment, for example, where the cooling fluid supplier 230 has a relatively high temperature and / or where other types of cooling are not feasible.

[0064] Other embodiments of the assembly 200 and heat exchanger circuit 232 are operable for use with only one cooling fluid. For example, Fig.13 A specific implementation of assembly 200 is depicted that is operable to control the temperature of generator 202 using only one cooling fluid and / or thermal expansion circuit. Fig.13 An example is depicted in which a flow regulator 244 in the form of a bypass valve connects a portion of a first line 252 that delivers cooling fluid to a generator heat exchanger to another portion of the first line 252 that collects higher temperature cooling fluid from the generator heat exchanger 250. The flow regulator 244 in the form of a bypass valve may be coupled to a controller 240, thereby enabling active control of how much cooling fluid passes through the flow regulator 244. Another flow regulator 244 in the form of a constant flow pump may be located within the first line 252 to maintain at least a minimum fluid flow between a cooling fluid supplier 230 (e.g., a power plant air cooling heat exchanger) and the generator heat exchanger 250. During operation, the bypass valve may divert a portion of the cooling fluid from one portion of the first line 252 to another portion, thereby bypassing the generator heat exchanger 250 and thereby preventing heat exchange between the diverted fluid and the generator 202. The controller 240 may adjust the position of any bypass valve to control what percentage of the cooling fluid bypasses the generator heat exchanger 250 and is therefore not placed in communication with the generator 202. A greater percentage of bypass cooling fluid will maintain a higher temperature in the generator 202, and a lower percentage of bypass cooling fluid will provide more cooling to the generator 202. Through this approach, the controller 240 can calculate the difference between the monitored temperatures from the temperature sensor 242 and open or close the bypass valve to affect the temperature of the generator 202 via the cooling fluid in the first line 252.

[0065] Fig.14 Another example of an assembly 200 is depicted, similar to Fig.13 In a specific implementation, however, a flow regulator 244 in the form of a flow mixing valve diverts the cooling fluid back to the first line 252 before the cooling fluid returns to the cooling fluid supply 230. In this case, the flow mixing valve diverts a portion of the heated cooling fluid leaving the generator heat exchanger 250 back to the portion of the line 252 where the cooling fluid has not yet entered the generator heat exchanger 250. The controller 240 may be operably coupled to the flow mixing valve, thereby allowing an operator of the assembly 200 to intentionally increase the temperature of the cooling fluid before the cooling fluid reaches the generator heat exchanger 250. The flow regulator 244 in the form of a flow mixing valve may be located downstream of other uncontrollable flow regulators (e.g., a constant flow pump) in the first line 252. The controller 240 may operate by adjusting the percentage of the cooling fluid recirculated back to the generator heat exchanger 250 via the flow mixing valve. As with other implementations, controller 240 may be coupled to temperature sensor 242 for monitoring temperature in generator 202 and adjusting the flow mixing valve to achieve target thrust bearing loads, vibration parameters, and / or other desired mechanical conditions within assembly 200 .

[0066] Fig.15 Another embodiment of the assembly 200 is illustrated in which the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first pipeline 252 is controlled without the flow conditioner 244. Here, the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 may be in thermal and / or fluid communication with the first pipeline 252. Although the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 is specifically shown as being coupled to a portion of the first pipeline 252 for transferring the cooling fluid to the generator heat exchanger 250, the auxiliary heat exchanger may additionally or alternatively be coupled to a portion of the first pipeline 252 downstream of the generator heat exchanger 250. Thus, Fig.15 The embodiment of the assembly 200 shown in FIG. 1 is similar to that discussed elsewhere herein. Fig.11In an embodiment, the controller 240 may adjust the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid in the first line 252 below the temperature of the cooling fluid supplier 230, or to increase the temperature of the cooling fluid above the temperature of the cooling fluid supplier 230. The controller 240 may be in communication with the temperature sensor 242 to monitor the temperature within the generator 202, and may control the amount of heating or cooling provided via the auxiliary heat exchanger 260, for example, by increasing or decreasing the amount of auxiliary heat exchange fluid in thermal communication with the incoming cooling fluid, selectively bringing the auxiliary heat exchanger 260 into or out of thermal communication with the first line 252 as discussed in other examples, and so on. In this scenario, the cooling fluid in the first line 252 does not necessarily need to be recirculated to other portions of the first line 252. However, it is emphasized that each of the various embodiments discussed herein may be combined or modified as needed to control the temperature of the generator 202 within a specific range and / or to accommodate various deployment settings.

[0067] although Figures 5 to 15 Several example components for actively controlling the temperature of the cooling fluid in the heat exchange circuit 232 are provided, but it should be understood that the controller 240 can affect the temperature of the cooling fluid and the generator 202 via any currently known or later developed mechanism or combination of mechanisms for changing the temperature of the cooling fluid. In addition, it should be understood that any or all of the various embodiments described herein can be used together in any conceivable combination to more accurately and robustly control the cooling fluid temperature to accommodate a wide variety of operating environments and / or situational requirements.

[0068] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide various technical and commercial advantages, examples of which are discussed herein. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be particularly helpful in managing temperature, mechanical stress, and thermal expansion of assembly 200 and / or other drive train systems that rely on only a single shaft, such as for GT engines 100 ( Figure 2 , Figure 3) and a shaft 111 of a power plant having a steam turbine 210. Embodiments of the present disclosure may also benefit the operation of a multi-shaft drive train assembly with little or no modification from the various examples discussed herein. Actively controlling the temperature of the generator 202 by cooling fluid management and with reference to thrust bearing 214 parameters, vibration of the assembly 200, and / or other mechanical parameters may provide mechanical benefits, such as, for example, reducing axial expansion of the shaft 111 and / or loads on the clutch 212 and thrust bearing 214 as they operate. Additional benefits may include, for example, reduced variation in axial loads under different types of operating conditions, reduced occurrence of clutch 212 slip, and reduced variation in the position of one or more axial ends of the shaft 111 within the assembly 200 (i.e., the distance of the axial ends of the shaft 111 relative to one or more thrust bearings 214). The teachings of the present disclosure may in turn reduce uncertainty in the position of any component, equipment, etc. driven by the shaft 111 (e.g., monitoring strips, indicator wheels, interface points such as collector rings, fans, seals, etc.). Embodiments of the present disclosure also increase the ability for controller 240 and / or an interconnected control system (e.g., power plant management software) to respond to changing conditions and / or other variables that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to control via other adjustable components.

[0069] The apparatus and devices of the present disclosure are not limited to any one particular turbomachine, engine, turbine, jet engine, generator, power generation system, or other system, and may be used with other turbomachines such as aircraft systems, power generation systems, and / or related systems (e.g., combined cycle, simple cycle, nuclear reactors, etc.). In addition, the apparatus of the present disclosure may be used with other systems not described herein that may benefit from the increased efficiency of the apparatus and devices described herein.

[0070] As used throughout the specification and claims, approximate language may be used to modify any quantitative representation that may be permissibly varied without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Therefore, values ​​modified by one or more terms, such as "about," "approximately," and "substantially," are not limited to the precise values ​​specified. In at least some cases, approximate language may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value. Here and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined and / or interchanged; unless the context or language indicates otherwise, these ranges are identified and include all subranges contained therein. "Approximately" applied to a particular value of a range applies to both end values ​​and may indicate + / -10% of the value unless otherwise dependent on the precision of the instrument for measuring the value.

[0071] The corresponding structures, materials, actions and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the following claims are intended to include any structure, material or action for performing functions in conjunction with other claimed elements specifically claimed. A description of the present disclosure has been given for the purpose of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the disclosed form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and essence of the present disclosure. Embodiments have been selected and described in order to best explain the principles and practical applications of the present disclosure, and to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the various embodiments of the present disclosure with various modifications suitable for the intended specific use.

Claims

1. A device, the device include: a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of a generator component of a power train assembly, wherein the power train assembly includes a power train component in thermal communication with a cooling fluid and mounted on the same shaft as the generator component; and a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and to the heat exchange circuit for adjusting the temperature of the cooling fluid, wherein the controller is configured to: calculating a target temperature of the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter of the drive train component, and Delivery of the cooling fluid to the powertrain component is adjusted based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing the amount of cooling fluid provided to or extracted from the generator component via a variable flow pump. 3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing an amount of cooling fluid transferred from a return conduit to an inlet conduit via a variable flow valve.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a mixing valve for diverting a portion of the cooling fluid exiting the heat exchange circuit into the generator component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a temperature of a wetted surface cooler within the heat exchange circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the delivery of the cooling fluid via an auxiliary heat exchanger within the heat exchange circuit. 7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the target temperature based on a target axial length or a target thermal expansion of the shaft.

8. A system, wherein the system include: a drive train assembly having a generator component and a drive train component mounted on the same shaft; a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of a component of the generator; a heat exchange circuit in thermal communication with the generator component, wherein the heat exchange circuit is configured to cool the generator component with a cooling fluid; and a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the heat exchange circuit, wherein the controller is configured to: calculating a target temperature of the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter of the drive train component, and Delivery of the cooling fluid to the powertrain component is adjusted based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing the amount of cooling fluid provided to or extracted from the generator component via a variable flow pump.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by increasing or decreasing an amount of cooling fluid transferred from a return conduit to an inlet conduit via a variable flow valve.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a mixing valve for diverting a portion of the cooling fluid exiting the heat exchange circuit into the generator component.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the delivery of the cooling fluid by adjusting a temperature of a wetted surface cooler within the heat exchange circuit.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to regulate the delivery of the cooling fluid via an auxiliary heat exchanger within the heat exchange circuit.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate the target temperature based on a target axial length or a target thermal expansion of the shaft.

15. A method, the method comprising: include: monitoring a temperature of a generator component of a power train assembly, wherein the power train assembly includes a power train component in thermal communication with a cooling fluid of a heat exchange circuit and mounted on a same shaft as the generator component; calculating a target temperature of the generator component based on a target thrust bearing parameter or a target vibration parameter of the drive train component; as well as Delivery of the cooling fluid to the powertrain component is adjusted based on a difference between the monitored temperature and the target temperature.

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