# US 9,753,467 B2 · System and method for controlling turbine speed using torque converter

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- Number: US 9,753,467 B2
- Document ID: US9753467B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/220,858
- Filed: 2014-03-20
- Published: 2015-09-24
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-20
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Paige Marie Sopcic; Jason Dean Fuller; Daniel Richard Waugh; Justin Aaron Allen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753467B2

## CPC

- G05D 27/02: characterised by the use of electric means
- F02C 7/275: Mechanical drives
- F02C 7/36: Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H)
- F02C 9/20: by throttling; by adjusting vanes
- F16H 61/64: controlled by changing the amount of liquid in the working circuit
- F05D 2210/11: liquid, i.e. incompressible
- F05D 2220/76: an electrical generator
- F05D 2260/406: through hydraulic systems
- F05D 2270/02: to control rotational speed (n)
- F05D 2270/304: Spool rotational speed
- G01M 15/14: Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines
- Y02E 10/72: Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- 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)
- F16H: GEARING
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A tangible non-transitory computer readable medium may include instructions to analyze a first signal indicative of a speed of a turbine system and transform the first signal into a second signal. The tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium may also include instructions to transmit the second signal to control a speed of the turbine system by actuating a field device. Actuating the field device may include controlling a fluid level in a torque converter mechanically coupled to the turbine system, and the speed may be below a minimum setpoint of the turbine system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a turbine system configured to produce power;
a starting motor configured to rotate a first shaft included in the turbine system;
a torque converter mechanically coupled to the first shaft and mechanically coupled to the turbine system; and
a control system comprising a processor configured to
determine the power of the turbine system,
determine a fluid level in the torque converter based at least in part on the power of the turbine system; and
control a speed of the turbine system by controlling the fluid level in the torque converter to arrive at a first turbine system speed below a minimum drive line mechanical speed of the turbine system.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the torque converter comprises a plurality of guide vanes, and wherein the minimum drive line mechanical speed comprises a speed of the turbine system when the guide vanes are all closed and the torque converter is filled with a fluid, and wherein controlling the fluid level in the torque converter comprises draining substantially all of the fluid in the torque converter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein controlling the fluid level in the torque converter comprises draining a portion of a fluid in the torque converter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to control a drain rate of the fluid in the torque converter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises at least one of a bang/bang controller, a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller, a model based controller (MBC), a setpoint controller, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the turbine system comprises at least one of a gas turbine system, a steam turbine system, a hydro turbine system, a wind turbine system, a turbo expander system, or a centrifugal pump system.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the torque converter comprises guide vanes and a position sensor disposed on the guide vanes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the starting motor comprises an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein controlling the fluid level in the torque converter comprises draining a fluid in the torque converter and subsequently refilling the torque converter with the fluid.

### Claim 10

A system comprising a controller, the controller comprising a processor configured to:
receive a first signal indicative of a current speed of a turbine system;
transform the first signal into a second signal;
transmit the second signal to control a desired speed of the turbine system by actuating an actuator;
determine an output power of the turbine system; and
determine the fluid level in the torque converter based on the output power of the turbine system; wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to control a fluid level in a torque converter mechanically coupled to the turbine system to arrive at the desired speed, and wherein the desired speed comprises a first speed below a minimum drive line mechanical speed of the turbine system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to receive a third signal indicative of an output power of the torque converter and to transform the first and third signals into the second signal to control the desired speed of the turbine system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to receive a fourth signal indicative of an input torque of a starting motor mechanically coupled to the torque converter and to transform the first, third and fourth signals into the second signal to control the desired speed of the turbine system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to drain substantially all of a fluid in the torque converter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to drain a portion of a fluid in the torque converter.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to drain a fluid in the torque converter and subsequently refill the torque converter with the fluid.

### Claim 16

A tangible non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
analyze a first signal indicative of a current speed of a turbine system;
transform the first signal into a second signal;
transmit the second signal to control a desired speed of the turbine system by actuating an actuator;
determine a power output of the turbine system; and
determine the fluid level in the torque converter based on the power output of the turbine system, wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to control a fluid level in a torque converter mechanically coupled to the turbine system, and wherein the desired speed comprises a first speed below a minimum drive line mechanical speed of the turbine system.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to drain all of a fluid in the torque converter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to drain a portion of a fluid in the torque converter.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the actuation of the actuator is configured to drain a fluid in the torque converter and subsequently refill the torque converter with the fluid.