Patent US3033582A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3826094A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3826094A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for operating a steam turbine with independent overspeed protection especially adapted for a nuclear reactor powered steam turbine
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1971-10-14
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Granted: 1974-07-30
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Expires: 1991-10-14
Abstract
Abstract In a steam turbine an overspeed protection system and method is provided which operates completely independently of the conventional steam valve controller or governor. Existing hydraulically actuated valves such as stop valves, governor valves, interceptor valves, etc., are deactivated by draining hydraulic control fluid from the aforementioned through the action of specially provided dump valves. A pair of dump valves is provided for each of the steam flow valves. Three turbine speed sensing transducers operating independently provide signals which are translated through three corresponding check circuits into related overspeed check signals. The three resulting check signals relating to overspeed are translated through majority switching logic into two dump valve trip signals. Each set of such trip signals operates one of the pair of dump valves on each steam control valve.
Inventors
- 👤 J Conrad
- 👤 W Gangloff
- 👤 M Luongo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:29
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21D; G21D3/00; F; F01; F01D; F01D21/00; F01D21/02; F01K; F01K3/00; F01K3/18; F01K3/26; F01K3/262; F01K3/265; G21D1/00; G21D1/02; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
196 words
An electric power generation system comprising: a steam turbine system having means for generating steam, at least one high pressure and at least one low pressure turbine, a generator rotated by said turbine, means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine system, means for actuating said valving means, means for controlling said actuating means whereby position of said valving means is controlled, first means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, said first sensing means feeding signals to said controlling means, second means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, said second sensing means including a plurality of channel means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of turbine syStem conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, and means for deactivating one or more of said actuating means upon the determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said actuating means and said actuating means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
196 words
An electric power generation system comprising: a steam turbine system having means for generating steam, at least one high pressure and at least one low pressure turbine, a generator rotated by said turbine, means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine system, means for actuating said valving means, means for controlling said actuating means whereby position of said valving means is controlled, first means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, said first sensing means feeding signals to said controlling means, second means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, said second sensing means including a plurality of channel means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of turbine syStem conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, and means for deactivating one or more of said actuating means upon the determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said actuating means and said actuating means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for determining including second means for determining whether a predetermined number of channel means have representations of rotational velocity exceeding a predetermined rotational velocity limit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said actuating means includes at least two independent means for rapidly closing said valving means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said determining means including number determining means which determines whether a predetermined number of channel means have representations of turbine conditions not corresponding to said predetermined conditions, whereby determination of said representations not corresponding to said predetermined conditions in any two of said measuring channel means causes deactivating means to deactivate said actuating means thereby closing said valving means and stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said number determining means including means for generating said representations correspond to the turbine velocity and said predetermined conditions correspond to a predetermined rotational velocity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said deactivating means including at least two independent means for rapidly closing said valving means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
125 words
An overspeed protection system for a steam turbine comprising: means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine, means for actuating said valving means, means for sensing the rotational velocity at said steam turbine system, said sensing means including sensing channel means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of turbine system conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, and means for activating one or more of said actuating means upon the determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said actuating means and said actuating means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
125 words
An overspeed protection system for a steam turbine comprising: means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine, means for actuating said valving means, means for sensing the rotational velocity at said steam turbine system, said sensing means including sensing channel means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of turbine system conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, and means for activating one or more of said actuating means upon the determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said channel means have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said actuating means and said actuating means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said means for determining includes second means for determining whether a predetermined number of channel means have representations of rotational velocity exceeding a predetermined rotational velocity limit.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of preventing overspeeds in a steam turbine system resulting from partial or total load losses, said steam turbine system comprising governor valves for regulating a flow of steam through said turbine, actuators for actuating said valves, a first transducer for transducing the rotational velocity of said steam turbine into an electrical signal, a second transducer for transducing the rotational velocity of said steam turbine into electrical signals, said second transducer providing independent speed signals, two dumping signal channels including two separate dump valves connected to at least one of said actuators independently actuated and connected for dumping hydraulic fluid contained therein, including the steps of: transducing the speed of said turbine into independent electrical signals; checking said signals against predetermined conditions; determining whether said signals check against said predetermined conditions of the immediately preceding step.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of preventing overspeeds in a steam turbine system resulting from partial or total load losses, said steam turbine system comprising governor valves for regulating a flow of steam through said turbine, actuators for actuating said valves, a first transducer for transducing the rotational velocity of said steam turbine into an electrical signal, a second transducer for transducing the rotational velocity of said steam turbine into electrical signals, said second transducer providing independent speed signals, two dumping signal channels including two separate dump valves connected to at least one of said actuators independently actuated and connected for dumping hydraulic fluid contained therein, including the steps of: transducing the speed of said turbine into independent electrical signals; checking said signals against predetermined conditions; determining whether said signals check against said predetermined conditions of the immediately preceding step.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 9 including the additional step of: activatIng each of said dump valves upon determining whether said signals do not correspond to said predetermined conditions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 10 including the additional step of: dumping the hydraulic fluid from each of said hydraulic actuators.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as defined in claim 11 including the additional step of: actuating each of said separate dump valves on each of said actuators.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
347 words
An electric power generating system comprising: a steam turbine system having means for generating steam, at least one high pressure and at least one low pressure turbine, a generator rotated by said turbine, an electric load connected to said generator, means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine including at least one throttle-stop valve, at least one governor valve and at least one interceptor valve, means for moving said valving means from one position to another, first means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said turbine system, means for measuring the magnitude of a flow of electric energy from said generator to said electric load, means for measuring a pressure of said steam in said steam turbine system, means for determining a position for said valving means including means for computing a desired valve position, said computing means connected to and receiving signals from said first rotational velocity sensing means, said energy flow measuring means and said pressure measuring means whereby said computing means upon receipt of said signals determines a direction of motion, and a position for said throttle-stop valve, said governor valve and said interceptor valve during the start-up phase, the synchronization and the power generation phases of operation of said electric power generating system, said moving means moving said throttle-stop valve, said governor valve, and said interceptor valve in a direction and to a position determined by said computing means, second means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, said second sensing means including a plurality of signal path means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said signal path means have representations of turbine system conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, means for deactivating one or more of said moving means upon determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said signal path means have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said moving means and said moving means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said steam turbine system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
347 words
An electric power generating system comprising: a steam turbine system having means for generating steam, at least one high pressure and at least one low pressure turbine, a generator rotated by said turbine, an electric load connected to said generator, means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine including at least one throttle-stop valve, at least one governor valve and at least one interceptor valve, means for moving said valving means from one position to another, first means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said turbine system, means for measuring the magnitude of a flow of electric energy from said generator to said electric load, means for measuring a pressure of said steam in said steam turbine system, means for determining a position for said valving means including means for computing a desired valve position, said computing means connected to and receiving signals from said first rotational velocity sensing means, said energy flow measuring means and said pressure measuring means whereby said computing means upon receipt of said signals determines a direction of motion, and a position for said throttle-stop valve, said governor valve and said interceptor valve during the start-up phase, the synchronization and the power generation phases of operation of said electric power generating system, said moving means moving said throttle-stop valve, said governor valve, and said interceptor valve in a direction and to a position determined by said computing means, second means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, said second sensing means including a plurality of signal path means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said signal path means have representations of turbine system conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, means for deactivating one or more of said moving means upon determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said signal path means have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said moving means and said moving means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said steam turbine system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said means for determining including second means for determining whether a predetermined number of said signal path means have representations of rotational velocity exceeding a predetermined rotational velocity limit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said deactivating means includes at least two independent means for rapidly closing said valving means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 15, wherein said determining means including number determining means which determines whether a predetermined number of said signal path means have representations of turbine conditions, whereby determination of said representations not corresponding to said predetermined conditions in any two of said measuring signal path means causes deactivating means to deactivate said moving means thereby closing said valving means and stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 16, wherein said number determining means including means for generating said representations correspond to the turbine velocity and said predetermined conditions correspond to a predetermined rotational velocity.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 17, wherein said deactivating means includes at least two independent means for rapidly closinG said valving means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
186 words
An independent overspeed protection system for a steam turbine system having speed control including independent overspeed protection, said independent overspeed protection system comprising: means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine, means for sensing the rotational velocity of said steam turbine, means for actuating said valving means, means connecting said sensing means and said actuating means, means for independently sensing the rotational velocity at said steam turbine system, means including sensing signal path means having a plurality of signal paths, means connecting said independent sensing means and said signal path means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said signal paths of said signal path means have representations of turbine system conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, means connecting said signal path means and said determining means, and means for deactivating said actuating means upon the determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said signal paths have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said actuating means and said actuating means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
186 words
An independent overspeed protection system for a steam turbine system having speed control including independent overspeed protection, said independent overspeed protection system comprising: means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine, means for sensing the rotational velocity of said steam turbine, means for actuating said valving means, means connecting said sensing means and said actuating means, means for independently sensing the rotational velocity at said steam turbine system, means including sensing signal path means having a plurality of signal paths, means connecting said independent sensing means and said signal path means, means for determining whether a predetermined number of said signal paths of said signal path means have representations of turbine system conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions, means connecting said signal path means and said determining means, and means for deactivating said actuating means upon the determination by said determining means whether a predetermined number of said signal paths have representations of conditions corresponding to predetermined conditions whereby said deactivating means deactivates said actuating means and said actuating means closes said valving means thereby stopping the flow of steam through said turbine system.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 19 wherein said determining means include second means for determining, said second determining means determines whether a predetermined number of said signal paths have representations of signal exceeding a predetermined rotational velocity limit.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
399 words
A method of preventing overspeeds in an electric power generating system, a steam turbine system having means for generating steam, at least one high pressure and at least one low pressure steam turbine, a generator rotated by said turbine, an electric load connected to said generator, means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine including at least one throttle-stop valve, at least one governor valve, and at least one interceptor valve, means for moving said valving means, first means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, means for measuring the magnitude of the flow of energy from said generator to said electric load, means for measuring the pressure of said steam in said steam turbine system, independent second means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, two dumping signal channels including two separate dump valves connected to at least one of said actuators moving means independently actuated and connected for dumping hydraulic fluid contained therein, including the steps of: a generating steam in a suitable steam generator; b controlling the flow of said steam through said steam turbine generating system; c rotating said steam turbine in said steam turbine generating system; d measuring the rotational velocity of said steam turbine generating system; e measuring the flow of electric energy from said steam turbine generating system to said electric load; f measuring the pressure of said steam in said steam turbine generating system; g determining the rate of flow of said steam through said steam turbine during the startup of said steam turbine generating system; h computing the position of said valve in said steam turbine generating system utilizing a value of desired rate of flow of said steam, said steam pressure and said measured magnitude of electric load and said rotational velocity; i computing a desired rate of flow of said steam in said generating system; j controlling the rate of flow in said generated steam through said steam turbine generating system utilizing the values computed in the previous steps; k independently measuring the rotational velocity of said generating system; l determining by the use of the independent measureMent of rotational velocity whether a predetermined condition associated with said velocity of said steam turbine system has been exceeded; m activating each of said dump valves upon determination whether said predetermined condition has been exceeded.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
399 words
A method of preventing overspeeds in an electric power generating system, a steam turbine system having means for generating steam, at least one high pressure and at least one low pressure steam turbine, a generator rotated by said turbine, an electric load connected to said generator, means for valving a flow of steam through said steam turbine including at least one throttle-stop valve, at least one governor valve, and at least one interceptor valve, means for moving said valving means, first means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, means for measuring the magnitude of the flow of energy from said generator to said electric load, means for measuring the pressure of said steam in said steam turbine system, independent second means for sensing the magnitude of the rotational velocity of said steam turbine system, two dumping signal channels including two separate dump valves connected to at least one of said actuators moving means independently actuated and connected for dumping hydraulic fluid contained therein, including the steps of: a generating steam in a suitable steam generator; b controlling the flow of said steam through said steam turbine generating system; c rotating said steam turbine in said steam turbine generating system; d measuring the rotational velocity of said steam turbine generating system; e measuring the flow of electric energy from said steam turbine generating system to said electric load; f measuring the pressure of said steam in said steam turbine generating system; g determining the rate of flow of said steam through said steam turbine during the startup of said steam turbine generating system; h computing the position of said valve in said steam turbine generating system utilizing a value of desired rate of flow of said steam, said steam pressure and said measured magnitude of electric load and said rotational velocity; i computing a desired rate of flow of said steam in said generating system; j controlling the rate of flow in said generated steam through said steam turbine generating system utilizing the values computed in the previous steps; k independently measuring the rotational velocity of said generating system; l determining by the use of the independent measureMent of rotational velocity whether a predetermined condition associated with said velocity of said steam turbine system has been exceeded; m activating each of said dump valves upon determination whether said predetermined condition has been exceeded.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 21 including the additional step of: dumping the hydraulic fluid from each of said hydraulic actuators.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as defined in claim 22 including the additional step of: leading the hydraulic fluid into a container.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as claimed in claim 23 including the additional step of: calculating the position of the throttle-stop valve in said steam turbine generating system utilizing a desired rate of flow of said steam and the steam pressure during the startup of said turbine.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 24 including the additional step of: computing the direction of travel and a displacement for said throttle-stop valve, said governor valve and said interceptor valve.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 including the additional step of: moving said throttle-stop valve, said governor valve and said interceptor valve in the direction and to the displacement computed previously.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 20 wherein said determining means includes third means for determining, said third means determining whether a predetermined number of said signal paths have an interruption of any of said signals.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-29 | 1978-01-28 | 1978-07-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-29 | 1982-01-28 | 1982-07-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-29 | 1986-01-28 | 1986-07-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |