# US 10,309,261 B2 · Method for coupling a steam turbine and a gas turbine at a desired differential angle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,261 B2 - Document ID: US10309261B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/896,377 - Filed: 2014-06-06 - Published: 2016-05-12 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-14 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Gerta Zimmer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309261B2 ## CPC - F01K 23/16: all the engines being turbines (F01K23/14 takes precedence) - 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) - F02C 7/26: Starting; Ignition - F16D 48/00: External control of clutches - F16D 48/06: Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure - F02C 6/18: using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants (using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10) - F05D 2220/72: a steam turbine - F05D 2250/311: the axes being in line - F05D 2260/40: Transmission of power - F05D 2260/4023: through a friction clutch - F05D 2270/023: of different spools or shafts - F05D 2270/304: Spool rotational speed - F16D 2300/22: Vibration damping - F16D 2500/30816: Speed of the input shaft - F16D 2500/30818: Speed change rate of the input shaft - F16D 2500/30825: Speed of the output shaft - Y02E 20/16: Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT] - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method and an associated arrangement for coupling a rotational device, particularly a steam turbine, and a shaft device, particularly a gas turbine, includes the following steps: 1) accelerating the rotational device up to an output rotational speed that is below the rotational speed of the shaft device; 2) detecting a differential angle between the shaft device and the rotational device; and 3) accelerating the rotational device with an acceleration value that is derived from the target rotational speed difference, which is formed as a function of the detected differential angle, the acceleration and a desired target coupling angle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for coupling a rotational device and a shaft device comprising: accelerating the rotational device at an initial acceleration value up to an initial rotational speed which lies below a rotational speed of the shaft device; detecting a differential angle between the shaft device and the rotational device upon reaching the initial rotational speed; selecting a setpoint rotational speed difference which is a difference between a setpoint rotational speed of the rotational device and a rotational speed of the shaft device when the coupling is to initiate; accelerating the rotational device to the setpoint rotational speed with a second acceleration value, wherein the second acceleration value is formed depending on the detected differential angle, a rotational speed difference between the initial rotational speed and the setpoint rotational speed, and a desired target coupling angle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial acceleration value is selected as the second acceleration value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial rotational speed lies approximately 1 Hz below the rotational speed of the shaft device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second acceleration value is approximately 0.025 Hz/s to approximately 0.075 Hz/s. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fact that the differential angle is modified by a coupling twist angle during coupling is noted when setting the second acceleration value from the setpoint rotational speed difference. ### Claim 6 An arrangement comprising a shaft device, a rotational device, a coupling for coupling the shaft device and the rotational device, a detection device for detecting a differential angle between the shaft device and the rotational device; an accelerating device for accelerating the rotational device by an acceleration value; and a controller adapted to: accelerate the rotational device at an initial acceleration value up to an initial rotational speed which lies below a rotational speed of the shaft device; detect the differential angle at the initial rotational speed; select a setpoint rotational speed difference, which is a difference between a setpoint rotational speed of the rotational device and a rotational speed of the shaft device when the coupling is to initiate; and achieve a desired target coupling angle between the shaft device and the rotational device by accelerating the rotational device to the setpoint rotational speed with a second acceleration value formed as a function of the detected differential angle, a rotational speed difference between the initial rotational speed and the setpoint rotational speed, and the desired target coupling angle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the detection of the differential angle can be determined with clocking of approximately 4 ms to approximately 20 ms or less. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the rotational device comprises a steam turbine, and the shaft device comprises a gas turbine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial rotational speed lies approximately 0.5 Hz to approximately 1.5 Hz below the rotational speed of the shaft device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initial rotational speed lies approximately 0.9 Hz and approximately 1.1 Hz below the rotational speed of the shaft device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second acceleration value is approximately 0.05 Hz/s. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rotational device comprises a steam turbine, and the shaft device comprises a gas turbine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the setpoint rotational speed of the rotational device is greater than the rotational speed of the shaft device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second acceleration value is formed depending further on the initial acceleration value, and wherein the second acceleration value is different from the initial acceleration value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second acceleration value is greater than the initial acceleration value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the second acceleration value is formed depending further on the initial acceleration value, and wherein the initial acceleration value and the second acceleration value are different from each other. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the second acceleration value is greater than the initial acceleration value.