Segmented Turbine Casing Mold for Grid Frequency Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing bespoke design and manufacturing approach for large turbines, particularly steam turbines, is costly and inefficient due to the need for extensive modifications when adapting to different power grid frequencies and rotational speeds, leading to high costs and time consumption in changing turbine specifications.
Innovation Solution
A turbine casing design divided into a front section, a middle section, and an end section, where changes to adapt to different power grid frequencies are limited to the middle section's mold, allowing for reuse of the front and end sections and reducing the complexity of the casting process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a bespoke design approach is used for each turbine, then the turbine can be customized for specific power plant specifications, but the costs and time consumption for adapting to different power grid frequencies increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine casing is divided into three separate mold sections (front section, middle section, end section) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows the front and end sections to be reused across different turbine variants while only the middle section needs to be modified for different power grid frequencies, significantly reducing adaptation time and costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If a standardized casing design is used, then the manufacturing costs are reduced, but the ability to adapt to different rotational speeds and power grid frequencies is limited
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the casing into modular sections, the design achieves standardization in the front and end sections (reducing manufacturing costs through reuse) while maintaining adaptability in the middle section (which can be customized for different frequencies). This resolves the contradiction between standardization and customization.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows dynamic reconfiguration of the middle section mold based on different power grid frequency requirements, while the front and end sections remain static and reusable. This enables cost-effective adaptation to different operational parameters.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the entire casing mold is modified for different frequencies, then the turbine can be adapted to different power grid standards, but the complexity and cost of the casting process increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is segmented into three independent sections, allowing modifications to be confined to only the middle section for different frequency adaptations. This reduces mold complexity compared to modifying the entire casing mold, as the front and end sections can be reused without modification.
4Strength
If a single-piece casing is manufactured, then structural integrity is maximized, but the ability to reuse mold sections across different turbine variants is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The casing is divided into multiple sections that are cast separately and then assembled together. This segmentation enables the front and end section molds to be reused across different turbine variants, while the sections are joined using connection elements that maintain structural integrity comparable to or exceeding that of a single-piece casting.
Data Source
AI summary
A design for a casing of a large turbine is described with the casing including at least a front section, a middle section and an end section designed such that changes to the mold of the casing required to provide for a change in rotational speed to adapt the turbine to a different power grid frequency are limited to the mold for the middle section of the casing.