Patent ID: 11873789
Assignee: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A method for starting a hydroelectric turbine in a pumping mode, said turbine being provided with a runner mechanically coupled to a shaft line and a variable speed electric motor connected to a grid, a distributor comprising guide vanes to control a flow of water to said runner, the method comprising:
a step (a) at start-up in the pumping mode of operating the variable speed motor at least partly at fixed speed in a non-optimal mode, said guide vanes being only partially opened during step (a);
a step (b) subsequent to step (a) wherein the turbine is operated in an optimal power control mode;
wherein before or during step (a), and of defining or calculating:
data of a plurality of hydraulic characteristics of the turbine for an operation without cavitation;
data of an operation range of the electric motor, giving the speed of the motor as a function of its power;

wherein the fixed speed of step (a) is maintained until a hydraulic head on the turbine reaches a minimum value for operation of the turbine in the optimal power control mode.