Method and system for testing an overspeed protection system of a powerplant machine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsFrederick William Block, Richard Lee Nichols, Joseph Robert Law, Bret Stephen Dalton, George Allen Ellis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention have the technical effect of automatically testing an overspeed protection system of a powerplant machine comprising at least one shaft. An embodiment of the present invention may automatically test the overspeed protection system while the powerplant machine is decelerating from full-speed-no-load (FSNL). Another embodiment of the present invention may automatically test the overspeed protection system of the powerplant machine while the powerplant machine is accelerating to FSNL.
Claims20
A method of testing an overspeed protection system of a powerplant, the method comprising:
- providing a powerplant comprising a powerplant machine, a shaft, and an operational control system, wherein the operational control system is configured for operating the powerplant machine and comprises an overspeed protection system configured for detecting an overspeed event associated with the shaft;
- determining whether the speed of the shaft is within a testing range;
- changing an overspeed trip value to a value within the testing range;
- and
- determining whether the overspeed protection system would operate to trip the powerplant machine;
- wherein the method reduces the possibility of a trip occurring during testing of the overspeed protection system.
A method of testing an overspeed protection system of a powerplant, the method comprising:
- providing a powerplant comprising a gas turbine and a steam turbine, and wherein a shaft integrates the gas turbine and the steam turbine forming a steam and gas powertrain (STAG);
- providing an operational control system, wherein the operational control system is configured for operating the STAG and comprises an overspeed protection system configured for detecting an overspeed event associated with the shaft;
- selecting a methodology for testing the overspeed protection system, wherein the methodology comprises a shutdown mode procedure adapted for use when the STAG is operating in a shutdown mode, and a start-up mode procedure adapted for use when STAG is operating in a start-up mode;
- determining whether the speed of the shaft is within a testing range;
- changing an overspeed trip value to a value within the testing range;
- and
- determining whether the overspeed protection system would operate to trip the STAG;
- wherein the method reduces the possibility of a STAG trip during testing of the overspeed protection system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.