Gas turbines having different frequency applications with hardware commonality
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAlan Walker, Terrill K. Staley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Power generation turbines having different power outputs for different power grid frequency applications have modular second and third stages, rotors, bucket wheels for all stages and other ancillary parts. The first and second turbines have sizes not geometrically scaled according to speed. Four-stage turbines having different outputs for different power grid frequencies not geometrically scaled have an identical annulus through the first, second and third stages, different geometry in the first and fourth stages, and identical geometry in the second and third stages.
Claims22
Respective identical modular components for corresponding turbine stages in first and second turbines having different power outputs and rotational speeds for power grids of different respective first and second frequencies wherein the respective rotational speeds are proportional to the respective power grid frequencies and wherein the power outputs of the turbines are not proportional to the square of the inverse of their respective power grid frequencies, said modular components comprising stationary partitions and rotatable buckets.
A turbine having a first power output and rotational speed for use in an electrical power system having a first power grid frequency and including first, intermediate and final stages, each stage comprising a fixed diaphragm having stationary partitions and a rotatable turbine wheel having buckets, at least one intermediate stage of said turbine having an identical geometry to a corresponding intermediate stage of a second turbine having a second power output and rotational speed for a second power grid frequency different from said first power output and grid frequency wherein the respective rotational speeds are proportional to the respective power grid frequencies.
Power generating apparatus comprising:
- a first turbine having a first power output for connection with a power grid of a first frequency, said first turbine having a plurality of stages, with each stage including partitions and buckets, and wherein at least one stage of said first turbine is identical to one stage of a second turbine with a similar number of stages of partitions and buckets and having a second power output different from said first power output for connection with a power grid of a second frequency.
Power generating apparatus comprising:
- a first turbine operable at a first rated speed;
- a second turbine operable at a second rated speed different from said first speed;
- each said first and second turbines having a plurality of stages, with each stage including partitions and buckets;
- at least one stage in said first turbine and one stage of said second turbine having identically sized and configured partitions and buckets;
- said first and second turbines having sizes not geometrically scaled according to speed.
A method of manufacturing turbines for use at different power outputs comprising the steps of:
- selecting a desired power output for a first turbine having first, intermediate and final stages, each stage having partitions and buckets;
- establishing the geometry for the partitions and buckets of each stage for said first turbine;
- selecting a desired power output for a second turbine having first, intermediate and final stages, each stage of said second turbine having partitions and buckets;
- and
- said selected power outputs being unrelated to geometric scaling of said first and second turbines;
- establishing the geometry for the partitions and buckets of each stage for said second turbine including providing an intermediate stage of said second turbine with a geometry identical to the geometry of the intermediate stage of said first turbine.
A method of manufacturing first and second turbines having substantially identical firing temperatures and pressure ratios for use with gas flows having substantially identical properties wherein each turbine has first, intermediate and final stages with each stage including partitions and buckets, comprising the steps of:
- forming a pair of first stages for installation in said first and second turbines, respectively, wherein said first stages have geometries different from one another;
- forming a pair of last stages for installation in said first and second turbines, respectively, wherein said last stages have geometries different from one another;
- forming a pair of intermediate stages having geometric characteristics identical to one another for installation in said first and second turbines, respectively;
- and
- installing the stages in said first and second turbines, respectively.
In a gas turbine for use in electrical power generation applications having first, intermediate and last turbine stages and rated at a first power output at a first rotational speed which is proportional to the frequency of a power grid with which it is intended to be operated, the improvement comprising said intermediate turbine stage which is interchangeable with the same stage of another gas turbine of like number of turbine stages rated at a second power output at a second rotational speed similarly proportional to the frequency of a power grid with which it is intended to be operated.
In a method of designing a family of gas turbines for use in electrical power generation applications including a first gas turbine rated for a first power output when operated at a first rotational speed which is proportional to the 60 Hz frequency of an electrical power grid with which it is intended to be operated, and a second gas turbine rated for a second power output when operated at a second rotational speed which is similarly proportional to the 50 Hz frequency of an electrical power grid with which it is intended to be operated, each of said gas turbines having an equal number of turbine stages of three or more comprising alternating rows of stationary partitions and rotatable buckets affixed to a common rotor, the step of providing at least one intermediate stage of partitions and buckets which are interchangeable between said two gas turbines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.