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US 8,424,281 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for facilitating cooling of a steam turbine component
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsNestor Hernandez Sanchez, Clifford Edward Samson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a power plant is provided. The method includes channeling saturated steam at a first pressure to a pressure control device, superheating the steam by decreasing the pressure of the saturated steam from the first pressure to a second pressure using the pressure control valve, and channeling the superheated steam towards a steam turbine component to facilitate cooling the component.
Claims20
A method of operating a power plant, said method comprising:
- channeling saturated steam from an auxiliary boiler at a first pressure to a pressure control valve, wherein the pressure control valve is coupled in direct flow communication with the auxiliary boiler;
- superheating the steam by decreasing the pressure of the saturated steam from the first pressure to a second pressure using the pressure control valve;
- and
- channeling the superheated steam towards a steam turbine component to facilitate cooling the component, wherein lowering the pressure of the saturated steam from the first pressure to the second pressure using the pressure control valve maintains the steam in a superheated condition at least until the steam enters the steam turbine.
1 more element
A cooling system for use with a steam turbine, said cooling system comprising:
- an auxiliary boiler;
- and
- a pressure control valve coupled in direct flow communication with said auxiliary boiler, said pressure control valve superheats saturated steam by reducing the pressure of the saturated steam, said pressure control valve configured to couple in direct flow communication with the steam turbine for supplying superheated steam thereto, wherein said pressure control valve superheats the saturated steam such that the superheated steam remains superheated when received into the steam turbine.
A combined-cycle system comprising:
- a gas turbine;
- a steam turbine coupled to said gas turbine via a rotor shaft;
- and
- a steam turbine cooling system coupled in flow communication with said steam turbine, said cooling system comprising:
- an auxiliary boiler;
- and
- a pressure control valve coupled in direct flow communication with said auxiliary boiler and in direct flow communication with the steam turbine, said pressure control valve configured to form superheated steam by reducing the pressure of saturated steam such that the superheated steam remains superheated when received into said steam turbine.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.