METHOD FOR CONNECTING A STARTING MEANS TO A TURBOMACHINE

• US 20110146293A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Post, Eugene A., Snider, David A., Shartzer, Samuel B., Fuller, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US12/646,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20110146293A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/778
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 19/00 Starting of machines or engines; Regulating, controlling, or safety means in connection therewith warming-up before starting F01D25/10; turning or inching gear F01D25/34
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/02 Controlling, e.g. stopping or starting
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a method of starting a powerplant machine, such as, but not limiting of, a turbomachine set to operate in a Fast Start mode. The turbomachine may include, but is not limited to, a steam turbine, a heavy-duty gas turbine, an aero-derivative gas turbine, and the like. An embodiment of the method of the present invention provides a new philosophy for controlling a starting system associated with the turbomachine. An embodiment of the present invention may be applied to a powerplant having multiple turbomachines and a starting system having multiple starting means, which may include at least one LCI system. Here, an embodiment of the present invention may eliminate the manual process of preparing and integrating a desired turbomachine with a desired starting means.

Claims

1. A method of starting a powerplant machine in a Fast Start operating mode, the method comprising:

providing a starting system configured for starting a powerplant machine;

determining whether a Fast Start of the powerplant machine is desired;

determining whether the starting system is ready for operating in a Fast Start mode;

selecting a pre-connect mode of the starting system;

determining whether a starting system operational sequence is complete; and

determining whether the starting system is in the pre-connect mode;

wherein the Fast Start mode prepares the starting system for operation before a request to start the powerplant machine is received, reducing an overall start-up time of the powerplant machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the powerplant machine comprises at least one turbomachine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the starting system comprises multiple starting components, and wherein at least one of the multiple starting components comprises a Load Commutated Inverter (LCI).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of disabling the Fast Start mode if the starting system operational sequence is not complete.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether at least one fault occurs after the step of the starting system enters the pre-connect mode.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of disabling the Fast Start mode if at least one fault occurs.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the powerplant machine comprises multiple turbomachines.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of selecting a desired starting component and a desired turbomachine of the multiple turbomachines for a Fast Start operation.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of selecting a Fast Start operation of the desired turbomachine.

10. A method of using a starting system to perform a Fast Start on at least one component of a powerplant, the method comprising:

providing a powerplant, wherein the powerplant comprises multiple turbomachines and a starting system adapted for starting each of the turbomachines;

providing an interconnection bus comprising a plurality of disconnects switches, wherein the interconnection bus electrically integrates one of the multiple turbomachines with the starting system;

determining whether a Fast Start is desired;

determining whether the starting system is prepared for a Fast Start mode of operation;

selecting a pre-connect mode of the starting system;

determining whether a starting system operational sequence finishes;

wherein the starting system operational sequence electrically connects the starting system to the interconnection bus; and

determining whether the starting system is in the pre-connect mode;

wherein the Fast Start mode prepares the starting system for operation before a request to start the powerplant machine is received, reducing an overall start-up time of the powerplant machine.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the starting system comprises multiple starting components, and wherein at least one of the multiple starting components comprises a Load Commutated Inverter (LCI).

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of disabling the Fast Start mode if the starting system operational sequence is in a fault state.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining whether at least one fault occurs after the starting system enters the pre-connect mode.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of disabling the Fast Start mode if at least one fault occurs.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of selecting a desired starting components and a desired turbomachine for a Fast Start operation.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of selecting a Fast Start operation of the desired turbomachine.

19. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of disabling the Fast Start mode if the starting system operational sequence experiences a fault.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining whether at least one fault occurs after the starting system enters the pre-connect mode.

17. A system configured for performing a Fast Start on at least one component of a powerplant, the system comprising:

a powerplant, wherein the powerplant comprises multiple turbomachines and a starting system capable of starting each of the multiple turbomachines;

an interconnection bus comprising a plurality of disconnects switches, wherein the interconnection bus electrically connects each of the multiple turbomachines to the starting system; and

a

control system configured for performing the steps of;

a) determining whether a Fast Start is desired;

b) determining whether the starting system is prepared for a Fast Start mode of operation;

c) selecting a pre-connect mode of the starting system;

d) determining whether a starting system operational sequence finishes;

wherein the starting system operational sequence electrically connects the starting system to the interconnection bus; and

e) determining whether the starting system is in the pre-connect mode;

wherein the Fast Start mode prepares the starting system for operation before a request to start the desired turbomachine is received, reducing an overall start-up time of the turbomachine machine.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the starting system comprises multiple starting components, and wherein at least one of the multiple starting components comprises a Load Commutated Inverter (LCI).