# US 8,770,912 B2 · Systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling turbine guide vane positions

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- Number: US 8,770,912 B2
- Document ID: US8770912B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/768,829
- Filed: 2010-04-28
- Published: 2011-11-03
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-04-28
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: Karl Dean Minto; Dwight Eric Davidson; William E. Dixon
- Inventors: Karl Dean Minto; Dwight Eric Davidson; William E. Dixon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770912B2

## CPC

- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F01D 17/16: by means of nozzle vanes
- F02C 9/20: by throttling; by adjusting vanes
- F04D 27/0246: {by varying geometry within the pumps, e.g. by adjusting vanes}
- F05D 2260/70: Adjusting of angle of incidence or attack of rotating blades
- F05D 2270/20: to optimize the performance of a machine
- 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)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling turbine guide vane positions. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for controlling at least one turbine guide vane. The method includes receiving a reference signal associated with the at least one turbine guide vane, measuring an actuator position and an angular position associated with the at least one turbine guide vane, generating a deadband signal based at least in part on the angular position, and manipulating the at least one turbine guide vane based at least in part on the deadband signal and the reference signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling at least one turbine guide vane comprising:
receiving a nominal reference guide signal;
receiving a deadband signal;
generating a reference signal associated with the at least one turbine guide vane, wherein the reference signal is a sum of the nominal reference guide signal and the deadband signal;
receiving a measured guide vane actuator position feedback signal;
generating an error signal based on a difference between the reference signal and the measured guide vane actuator position feedback signal, wherein the error signal is used at least to improve position accuracy of the at least one turbine guide vane;
measuring an actuator position and an angular position associated with the at least one turbine guide vane, wherein the actuator position is based at least in part on the error signal;
receiving a measured guide vane angular position feedback signal based at least in part on the angular position;
generating an input signal, wherein the input signal is a difference between the measured guide vane actuator position feedback signal and the measured guide vane angular position feedback signal;
generating an updated deadband signal based at least in part on the input signal; and
manipulating the at least one turbine guide vane based at least in part on the updated deadband signal and the reference signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein generating the updated deadband signal is further based on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein generating the updated deadband signal comprises generating an output signal of about zero unless an associated input signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude that comprises a percentage, and wherein the output signal is linearly related to the input signal when the input signal exceeds the predetermined magnitude, and wherein the associated input signal is based at least in part on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein generating the updated deadband signal comprises generating the output signal of about zero unless an associated input signal exceeds about 0.05 percent of full scale, wherein the output signal is continuous and linearly related to the input signal when the input signal exceeds about 0.05 percent of full scale, and wherein the associated input signal is based at least in part on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating the at least one turbine guide vane is further based on the actuator position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating the at least one turbine guide vane is further based on an inner feedback loop comprising feedback based at least in part on the actuator position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein manipulating the at least one turbine guide vane is further based on an outer feedback loop comprising the angular position.

### Claim 8

A system for controlling air flow in a turbine comprising:
a gas turbine;
at least one guide vane operable to control turbine axial air flow; and
a controller configured to:
receive a nominal reference guide signal;
receive a deadband signal;
generate a reference signal associated with the at least one guide vane, wherein the reference signal is a sum of the nominal reference signal and the deadband signal;
receive a measured guide vane actuator position feedback signal;
generate an error signal based on a difference between the reference signal and the actuator position feedback signal, wherein the error signal is used at least to improve position accuracy of the at least one guide vane;
measure an actuator position and an angular position associated with the at least one guide vane, wherein the actuator position is based at least in part on the error signal;
receive a measured guide vane angular position feedback signal based at least in part on the angular position;
generate an input signal, wherein the input signal is a difference between the measured guide vane actuator position feedback signal and the measured guide vane angular position feedback signal;
generate an updated deadband signal based at least in part on the input signal; and
manipulate the at least one guide vane based at least in part on the updated deadband signal and the reference signal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the updated deadband signal is further based on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the updated deadband signal comprises an output signal of about zero unless an associated input signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude that comprises a percentage, and wherein the output signal is linearly related to the input signal when the input signal exceeds the predetermined magnitude, and wherein the associated input signal is based at least in part on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the updated deadband signal comprises an output signal of about zero unless an associated input signal exceeds about 0.05 percent of full scale, wherein the output signal is continuous and linearly related to the input signal when the input signal exceeds about 0.05 percent of full scale, and wherein the associated input signal is based at least in part on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one guide vane is further manipulated based on the actuator position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one guide vane is further manipulated based on an inner feedback loop comprising the actuator position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one guide vane is further manipulated based on an outer feedback loop comprising the angular position.

### Claim 15

An apparatus for controlling air flow in a gas turbine comprising:
at least one guide vane operable to control turbine axial air flow; and
a controller configured to:
receive a nominal reference guide signal;
receive a deadband signal;
generate a reference signal associated with the at least one guide vane, wherein the reference signal is a sum of the nominal reference signal and the deadband signal;
receive a measured guide vane actuator position feedback signal;
generate an error signal based on a difference between the reference signal and the actuator position feedback signal, wherein the error signal is used at least to improve position accuracy of the at least one guide vane;
measure an actuator position and an angular position associated with the at least one guide vane, wherein the actuator position is based at least in part on the error signal;
receive a measured guide vane angular position feedback signal based at least in part on the angular position;
generate an input signal, wherein the input signal is a difference between the measured guide vane actuator position feedback signal and the measured guide vane angular position feedback signal;
generate an updated deadband signal based at least in part on the input signal; and
manipulate the at least one guide vane based at least in part on the updated deadband signal and the reference signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the updated deadband signal is further based on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the updated deadband signal comprises an output signal of about zero unless an associated input signal exceeds a predetermined magnitude that comprises a percentage, and wherein the output signal is linearly related to the input signal when the input signal exceeds the predetermined magnitude, and wherein the associated input signal is based at least in part on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the updated deadband signal comprises an output signal of about zero unless an associated input signal exceeds about 0.05 percent of full scale, wherein the output signal is continuous and linearly related to the input signal when the input signal exceeds about 0.05 percent of full scale, and wherein the associated input signal is based at least in part on a difference between the actuator position and the angular position.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one guide vane is further manipulated based on the actuator position.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one guide vane is further manipulated based on an inner feedback loop comprising the actuator position, and on an outer feedback loop comprising the angular position.