Trip manifold assembly for turbine systems

A system includes a trip manifold assembly (TMA). The TMA includes a plurality of block valves configured to receive a flow of fluid from a hydraulic power unit (HPU), and a plurality of solenoid valves configured to admit the flow of fluid to actuate the plurality of block valves, a plurality of dump valves, and a plurality of relay valves of the TMA. The plurality of solenoid valves is configured to admit a respective portion of the flow of fluid. The plurality of dump valves is configured to depressurize a trip header of the TMA as an output to operate a plurality of stop valves coupled to a turbine system. The TMA is configured to regulate the flow of fluid to control the operation of the plurality of stop valves as a mechanism to interrupt an operation of the turbine system.

BACKGROUND

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to turbine systems, and more specifically, to trip manifold assemblies for the turbine systems.

Certain turbine systems may include overspeed protection systems (EOPS) that may be used to temporarily shut down the turbine system under certain operation conditions. The turbine and EOPS systems may use hydraulic systems to control and actuate the shutdown of the turbine systems. However, some EOPS systems may be subject to slow response times, contaminations that may become present within the hydraulic systems, and may be operational only within limited pressure ranges. It may be useful to provide systems to improve hydraulic EOPS systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In accordance with a first embodiment, a system includes a trip manifold assembly (TMA). The TMA includes a plurality of block valves configured to receive a flow of fluid from a hydraulic power unit (HPU), and a plurality of solenoid valves configured to admit the flow of fluid to actuate the plurality of block valves, a plurality of dump valves, and a plurality of relay valves of the TMA. The plurality of solenoid valves is configured to admit a respective portion of the flow of fluid. The plurality of dump valves is configured to depressurize a trip header of the TMA as an output to operate a plurality of stop valves coupled to a turbine system. The TMA is configured to regulate the flow of fluid to control the operation of the plurality of stop valves as a mechanism to interrupt the operation of the turbine system.

In accordance with a second embodiment, a system includes a plurality of stop valves coupled to a turbine system, a hydraulic power unit (HPU) configured to deliver a flow of fluid to the plurality of stop valves to regulate the turbine system, and a trip manifold assembly (TMA) communicatively coupled to the plurality of stop valves and the HPU. The TMA includes a plurality of block valves configured to receive the flow of fluid from the HPU, and a plurality of solenoid valves configured to admit the flow of fluid to actuate a plurality of block valves, a plurality of dump valves, and a plurality of relay valves of the TMA. The plurality of relay valves is respectively coupled to each of the plurality of solenoid valves. The plurality of dump valves is respectively coupled to each of the plurality of solenoid valves and each of the plurality of relay valves. The plurality of dump valves is configured to depressurize a trip header of the TMA as an output to operate the plurality of stop valves to interrupt an operation of the turbine system.

In accordance with a third embodiment, a system includes an emergency overspeed protection system (EOPS). The EOPS includes a trip manifold assembly (TMA). The TMA includes a first flow path, a second flow path, and a third flow path. The first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path are parallel to each other. The TMA is configured to operate according to a triple modular redundant (TMR) functionality to regulate a flow of fluid by way of a subset of the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path to control an operation of a turbine system or a generator system. The TMA is configured to interrupt the operation of the turbine system or the generator system based on a characteristic of the flow of fluid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Present embodiments relate to an advanced electro-hydraulic trip manifold assembly (TMA) suitable for use with turbine emergency shutdown systems and/or emergency overspeed protection system (EOPS). Specifically, the TMA may include an interface between an electronic control system and hydraulically powered final control elements (e.g., stop valves) of the turbine control and emergency shutdown system. In certain embodiments, the TMA may be contamination resistant and fault tolerant, exhibit a triple modular redundant (TMR) design, and may also be configurable to a block-and-bleed (BB) configuration, a remote pilot (RP) configuration, and a local pilot (LP) to allow application to substantially all commercially available (or those that may become available in the future) turbine and EOPS system configurations and/or operating conditions. The TMA may also include parallel arrangements of solenoid valves, block valves, instrumented dump valves, relay valves, orifices36, filter, and check valves, packaged as a single integrated hydraulic circuit with defined configurable flow passages. In this way, the TMA may provide for large flow capacity, extremely fast response times (e.g., the time between which an adverse condition is detected and the TMA operates), and increased tolerance to contamination that may become present in hydraulic flow control systems, and reduced system complexity, and so forth. Moreover, due to TMR characteristics of the TMA, the TMA may also provide for full on-line (e.g., during operation) testing of the TMA, as well as other on-line maintenance capabilities.

With the foregoing in mind, it may be useful to describe a turbine-generator system, such as an example turbine-generator system10illustrated inFIG. 1. As depicted, the system10may include a steam turbine12(or gas turbine12) and a generator14coupled to a load16, all of which may be communicatively coupled to a control system18. The turbine12may be further coupled to one or more valves20and one or more trip manifold assemblies (TMA)22, which may control the fluid intake to the turbine12. The turbine12may use the fluid (e.g., steam, fuel, and so forth) to deliver an output (e.g., mechanical power output) via a shaft23to the generator14. In certain embodiments, the valves20may include a number of parallel valves (e.g., 2, 3, 4, or more valves), which may regulate the intake of the turbine12according to any of a number of fluid admission techniques (e.g., full arc admission and/or partial arc admission). For example, the one or more valves20may be actuated and/or positioned (e.g., controlled by the control system18) concurrently, allowing equal intake to the turbine12. As will be further appreciated, in certain embodiments, the valves20may include a number of hydraulic powered stop valves and/or safety valves that may be controlled by the TMA22during, for example, an emergency trip (e.g., temporary interruption) of the turbine12. For example, as further illustrated, a hydraulic power unit (HPU)24may be provided to convert a primary source (e.g., mechanical power and/or electrical power) into a hydraulic fluid flow that may be used to operate the TMA22, and by extension, the valves20to trip and/or temporarily shut down the turbine12.

In certain embodiments, the TMA22may include an interface between the HPU24, the valves20(e.g., stop valves and/or safety valves), and the control system18used, for example, to control the turbine12to complete an emergency system trip and/or shutdown. For example, the TMA22may include any contamination resistant electro-hydraulic trip manifold assembly suitable for use with turbine and EOPS systems and other similar industrial systems. For example, as will be further appreciated, in certain embodiments, the TMA22may include parallel arrangements of solenoid valves, hydraulic block valves, instrumented dump valves, relay valves orifices, filters, check valves, or other similar valves that may be assembled as a single, integrated hydraulic circuit. The TMA22may also include defined and/or configurable flow passages for improved flow and pressure control during, for example, an emergency trip or shutdown of the turbine12. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the TMA22may be configured in three discrete hydraulic configurations. For example, the trip manifold assembly22may include a block-and-bleed (BB) configuration, a remote pilot (RP) configuration, or a local pilot (LP) configuration to allow application to substantially all commercially available (or those that may become available in the future) steam turbine12(or gas turbine12) and EOPS system configurations.

As previously noted, the system10may also include the control system18. The control system18may be suitable for generating and implementing various control algorithms and techniques to control the valves20, the TMA22, and the HPU24, and by extension, the fluid intake and/or other operational parameters of the turbine12. The control system18may also provide an operator interface through which an engineer or technician may monitor the components of the turbine-generator system10such as, components (e.g., sensors) of the turbine12and the generator14. Accordingly, the control system18may include a processor25that may be used in processing readable and executable computer instructions, and a memory26that may be used to store the readable and executable computer instructions and other data. These instructions may be encoded in programs stored in tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium such as the memory26and/or other storage of the control system18. In certain embodiments, the control system18may also host various industrial control software, such as a human-machine interface (HMI) software, a manufacturing execution system (MES), a distributed control system (DCS), and/or a supervisor control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The control system18may further support one or more industrial communications (e.g., wired or wireless) protocols. For example, the control system18may support GE ControlST™ available from General Electric Co., of Schenectady, N.Y.

Turning now toFIG. 2, which illustrates the block-and-bleed (BB) configuration22A of the TMA22. As depicted, in the BB configuration22A, the TMA22may generally include a system of internal block valves28, a system of dump valves30, a system of internal solenoid valves31, and relay valves41, fluid supplies (FTS)32, trip header34, and open plugs42,44,46, and48. During operation, the system of internal block valves28, the system of internal dump valves30, the solenoid valves31, and the relay valves41may be used to depressurize the trip header34to close the valves20(e.g., stop valves20) for routine and/or emergency shutdowns of the turbine12. Specifically, in the BB configuration22A, the system of internal block valves28may include three parallel flow paths (e.g., of equal respective portions of the total flow). The parallel block valves28may receive fluid from the FTS supply32to be later admitted to the trip header34. The TMA22in the BB configuration22A may also include three parallel flow paths to a drain49. The parallel flow paths to the drain49may be each controlled by the system of dump valves30. As depicted, the system of block valves28may be hydraulically operated valves for each of the three flow paths extending therefrom. Similarly, the solenoid valves31may, in some embodiments, include three poppet-solenoid valves31used to control the hydraulic pilot pressure to open or close the relay valves41, the system of block valves28, and/or system of dump valves30(e.g., only one of three valves, only two of three valves, all three valves, and so forth) as part of the TMR functionality of the TMA22. In this way, if one of the solenoid valves31, relay valves41, system of block valves28, and/or system of dump valves30are decommissioned and/or fail, the TMA may continue to operate (e.g., continue to provide tripping and/or emergency shutdown functionality) with little or no disturbance to, for example, the turbine12. In such an embodiment, particularly under normal operating conditions, the solenoid valves31, relay valves41, and/or system of dump valves30may operate according to a “voting” (e.g., two-out-of-three) logic (e.g., controlled by way of the control system18) to separate two of three hydraulic fluid flow paths and maintain at least one fluid depressurization path.

In certain embodiments, when the solenoid valves31are energized, the FTS supply32may be opened, the system of block valves28may be opened, and the system of dump valves30may close to admit fluid and pressurize the trip headers34. In this way, the BB configuration22A of the TMA22may ensure that the failure of a single solenoid valve31may not affect the entire TMA22operation and/or functionality. On the other hand, when the solenoid valves31are de-energized, the FTS supply32to the trip header34may be blocked, and the trip headers34may be then depressurized through the system of dump valves30. As previously noted, in this manner, the failure of a single solenoid valve31may not affect the complete tripping function of the TMA22. That is, the TMA22may continuously provide tripping and/or emergency shutdown functionality even when one of the solenoid valves31may be decommissioned or otherwise rendered temporarily inoperable.

In certain embodiments, the TMA22(e.g., in each of the block-and-bleed (BB), remote pilot (RP), and local pilot (LP) configurations) may be useful in operating at hydraulic pressure ranges ranging from very low hydraulic pressures (e.g., less than approximately 200 pounds per square inch (psig), less than approximately 100 psig, less than approximately 90 psig, less than approximately 85 psig, less than approximately 80 psig, less than approximately 75 psig, less than approximately 70 psig, less than approximately 65 psig, less than approximately 60 psig, or lower pressures) to very high pressures (e.g., greater than approximately 800 psig, greater than approximately 1000 psig, greater than approximately 2000 psig, greater than approximately 2100 psig, greater than approximately 2200 psig, greater than approximately 2300 psig, greater than approximately 2400 psig, greater than approximately 2700 psig, or higher pressures). Specifically, by providing the BB, RP, and LP configurations, each corresponding to various configurations of turbines12, the TMA22may provide for large flow capacity, extremely fast response times (e.g., as compared to non-configurable and/or single-configuration manifolds), and increased tolerance to contamination that may become present in turbine12hydraulic flow control systems.

For example, the arrangement (e.g., pressure-assisted arrangement) of the system of dump valves30and relay valves41may provide a significant improvement in response time as compared to non-configurable and/or single-configuration manifolds. Similarly, as previously noted, the TMA22may provide for high-capacity flow rates due to the increase in effective flow area provided by the TMA22without significantly increasing the physical size of the TMA22. Yet still, as also noted above, the TMA22may provide for an increased operating pressure range (e.g., an operating pressure range of less than approximately 75 psig to greater than approximately 2700 psig) by possibly changing or tuning the restriction orifices50using similar components and/or seals at all pressures (e.g., from very low pressures (75 psig) to very high pressures (2700 psig)) and for all typical turbine12hydraulic control fluids. It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the LP configuration22B may include the restriction orifice50, and may thus allow for the aforementioned increased operating pressure range by possibly changing or tuning the restriction orifices50. Similarly, the RP configuration22C may allow for the very low pressure applications due to having the separate remote pilot supply60coming into the TMA22.

Furthermore, due to the triple modular redundant (TMR) functionality of the TMA22, the TMA22may also provide for full on-line (e.g., during operation of the turbine12) testing capabilities, as well as other on-line maintenance capabilities. This may allow the turbine12to be quickly tripped or temporarily shut down. For example, in certain embodiments, the TMA22may include closed valve limit switches that may alarm during, for example, conditions that may lead to a turbine operation failure. Specifically, when the solenoid valves31are de-energized the FTS supply32to the trip header34is blocked and the trip header34is depressurized through the system of dump valves30. Similarly, the failure of a single solenoid valve31(e.g., failure to move to its de-energized and/or closed position) may not adversely impact the tripping function of the TMA22. In this case, the TMA22system of dump valves30may operate in the same manner in each of the block-and-bleed (BB) configuration, a remote pilot (RP) configuration, and local pilot (LP) configuration.

In certain embodiments, as illustrated inFIG. 3, the TMA22may include the local pilot (LP) configuration22B. The LP configuration22B of the TMA22may include a system of open cavity plugs52. The LP configuration22B of the TMA22may be used for turbine12configurations in which the FTS supply32and pilot pressure supply to the trip header34are provided through the FTS port32. However, in the LP configuration22B of the TMA22, it may be useful to maintain a steady state leakage flow through the turbine trip header34when in the trip (e.g., closed and/or open) position. As depicted, in the present embodiment, FTS supply32may be blanked, and any supply valves may be replaced with open flow plugs42and44and orifices50to restrict the leakage flow to the trip headers34. This may allow the LP configuration22B of the TMA22to be suitable for use with turbine12system configurations, in which a leakage flow through the TMA is desired even during a trip event, as opposed to that of the BB configuration22A of the TMA22discussed with respect toFIG. 2.

Similarly,FIG. 4illustrates the RP configuration22C of the TMA22. The RP configuration22C of the TMA22may also include a system of open cavity plugs52. As also depicted, the RP configuration22C of the TMA22may include a remote pilot fluid supply60. Specifically, the RP configuration22C of the TMA22may also include FTS ports that may be blanked. Any block valves may be replaced with open cavity plugs52and closed plugs58that are blocked to ultimately provide a pilot pressure source to the solenoid valves31from the RPS ports. This may allow the RP configuration22C of the TMA22to be used with certain turbine12system configurations, in which the pilot pressure is supplied to the solenoid valves31substantially independently.

Technical effects of the present embodiments relate to an advanced electro-hydraulic trip manifold assembly (TMA) suitable for use with turbine emergency shutdown systems and/or emergency overspeed protection systems (EOPS). Specifically, the TMA may include an interface between an electronic control system and hydraulically powered final control elements (e.g., stop valves) of the turbine control and emergency shutdown system. In certain embodiments, the TMA may be contamination resistant and fault tolerant, exhibit a triple modular redundant (TMR) design, and may also be configurable to a block-and-bleed (BB) configuration, a remote pilot (RP) configuration, and a local pilot (LP) configuration to allow application to substantially all commercially available (or those that may become available in the future) turbine and EOPS system configurations and/or operating conditions. The TMA may also include parallel arrangements of solenoid valves, block valves, instrumented dump valves, relay valves, orifices, filter, and check valves, packaged as a single integrated hydraulic circuit with defined configurable flow passages. In this way, the TMA may provide for large flow capacity, extremely fast response times (e.g., as compared to non-configurable and/or single-configuration manifolds), and increased tolerance to contamination that may become present in hydraulic flow control systems, and reduced system complexity, and other similar advantages.