Gas Turbine Load Rate Control During Startup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbines struggle to predictably achieve a desired load within a specified time due to inherent variability in start-up parameters, leading to unnecessary fast loading and thermal stress, which impacts component life and performance.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes a controller and processor to calculate a target load rate based on start duration and desired final load, with periodic recalculations and adjustments to ensure predictable load achievement, even after synchronization with the grid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a nominal load rate with a significant margin is implemented to guarantee desired load achievement, then reliability of load achievement is improved, but thermal stress and component life are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic load rate adjustment system that continuously monitors actual turbine parameters (speed, temperature, pressure) and recalculates the target load rate in real-time. This replaces the static nominal load rate with a dynamic profile that adapts to actual conditions, allowing the system to achieve desired load reliability without imposing excessive thermal stress by optimizing the loading rate based on real-time feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates continuous feedback loops where actual turbine performance parameters are measured and fed back to the control system. This feedback enables recalculation of the target load rate to account for deviations from the nominal path, ensuring that the turbine reaches the desired load at the specified time while maintaining thermal stress within acceptable limits through adaptive control.
2Measurement precision
If acceleration control is applied to correct speed errors, then speed control precision is improved, but load prediction capability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the control process into two distinct phases: an acceleration phase where speed control is prioritized, and a loading phase where load rate control is prioritized. By segmenting the control objectives, the system can achieve precise speed control during acceleration without compromising the ability to predict and achieve the desired load at the specified time, as each phase has its own optimized control strategy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary acceleration control to bring the turbine to synchronized speed before transitioning to load rate control. This preliminary action ensures that speed synchronization is achieved first, and then the load rate is controlled to meet the desired load achievement time, separating the two control objectives in time to avoid conflicts between speed precision and load prediction.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for generating a predictable load upon a completion of a start sequence of a gas turbine 110 are provided. According to one embodiment, a system 100 may include a controller 600 to control the gas turbine 110 and a processor communicatively coupled to the controller 600. The processor may be configured to receive a start duration and a desired final load, and to calculate a target load rate to substantially reach the desired final load within the start duration based on the start duration and the desired final load. Measurements of a present load may be periodically received from a measuring device and used to periodically recalculate the target load rate. A present load rate may be periodically adjusted by the controller 600 based on the recalculation.