Method of and system for controlling hydraulic turbine

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1, wherein said throttling is conducted between the upper reservoir and the turbine.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 2, wherein said throttling is conducted adjacent the upper reservoir.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1, wherein said throttling is conducted between the turbine and the lower reservoir.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 4 wherein said throttling is conducted adjacent to the lower reservoir.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of throttling is conducted during closing of the guide vanes.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of throttling is conducted during opening of the guide vanes.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of discontinuing is conducted at a rate less than that which would by itself produce a control signal greater than the throttling reference signal.

Claim 10

The method according to claim 8 wherein said step of throttling produces a pressure drop at least as great as the pressure drop produced by said step of adjusting.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 9 wherein said throttling reference signal is sufficient to prevent throttling during steady state adjusting of said guide vanes.

Claim 12

The method according to claim 8 wherein said throttling reference signal is sufficient to prevent throttling during steady state adjusting of said guide vanes.

Claim 13

The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of throttling is conducted simultaneously at serially spaced locations within the water channel on the same side of the turbine.

Claim 14

The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of throttling produces a pressure drop at least as great as the pressure drop produced by said step of adjusting.

Claim 15

The method according to claim 13 wherein said throttling reference signal is sufficient to prevent throttling during steady state adjusting of said guide vanes.

Claim 16

The method according to claim 1 wherein said throttling reference signal is sufficient to prevent throttling during steady state adjusting of said guide vanes.

Claim 17

A control apparatus for controlling a hydraulic turbine during its operation in a system including an upper water reservoir, a lower water reservoir, a water channel connecting the upper reservoir and the lower reservoir together, a hydraulic turbine connected in the water channel to be operated by the water passing through the channel and the turbine including guide vanes to control the quantity of water passing through the turbine to thereby control the operation of the turbine, and a load to be powered by the turbine wherein such apparatus comprises: means drivingly connecting the turbine to the load; means passing water through the turbine under the control of the guide vanes to operate the turbine and thereby drive the connected load; means sensing a change in the load while the operating turbine is driving the load; means adjusting the guide vanes in response to the sensed change in load to thereby correspondingly adjust the flow of the water through the turbine in accordance with the change in the load, which adjusting the guide vanes produces a corresponding change in pressure on the upstream side of the turbine in the water channel and on the downstream side of the turbine in the water channel; means providing a control signal correlated to the adjusting rate of the guide vanes and rate of pressure changes in the water channel caused thereby; means throttling the water flowing in the water channel at a distance spaced serially in the water channel from the turbine and at a rate correlated to the rate of the guide vanes, only when the control signal indicates an adjusting rate of the guide vanes that is higher than a reference rate, so that said throttling is automatic and simultaneous with said adjusting, and said throttling will reduce the severity of the pressure change within the water channel on the side of the turbine in common with the throttling; and means discontinuing said throttling in response to the signal indicating an adjusting rate of the guide vanes lower than a reference rate.

Claim 18

A control apparatus for controlling a hydraulic turbine during its operation in a system including an upper water reservoir, a lower water reservoir, a water channel connecting the upper reservoir and the lower reservoir together, a hydraulic turbine connected in the water channel to be operated by the water passing through the channel and the turbine including guide vanes to control the quantity of water passing through the turbine to thereby control the operation of the turbine, and a load to be powered by the turbine wherein such apparatus comprises: means drivingly connecting the turbine to the load; means passing water through the turbine under the control of the guide vanes to operate the turbine and thereby drive the connected load; means sensing a change in the load while the operating turbine is driving the load; means adjusting the guide vanes in response to the sensed change in load to thereby correspondingly adjust the flow of the water through the turbine in accordance with the change in the load, which adjusting the guide vanes produces a corresponding change in pressure on the upstream side of the turbine in the water channel and on the downstream side of the turbine in the water channel; means providing a control signal correlated to the adjusting rate of the guide vanes and rate of pressure changes in the water channel caused thereby; means throttling the water flowing in the water channel at a distance spaced serially in the water channel from the turbine and at a rate correlated to the rate of the guide vanes, only when the control signal indicates an adjusting rate of the guide vanes that is higher than a reference rate, so that said throttling is automatic and simultaneous with said adjusting, and said throttling will reduce the severity of the pressure change within the water channel on the side of the turbine in common with the throttling; and means discontinuing said throttling in response to the signal indicating an adjusting rate of the guide vanes lower than a reference rate.

Claim 19

The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said throttling means is between the upper reservoir and the turbine.

Claim 20

The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said throttling means is adjacent to the upper reservoir.

Claim 21

The appoaratus according to claim 16, wherein said throttling means is between the turbine and the lower reservoir.

Claim 22

The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said throttling means is adjacent to the lower reservoir.

Claim 23

The apparatus according to claim 16, including a plurality of said throttling means at serially spaced locations within the water channel on the same side of the turbine.

Claim 24

The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said throttling means produces a pressure drop at least as great as the pressure drop produced simultaneously by said adjusting means.

Claim 25

The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said throttling means reference signal is sufficient to prevent throttling by said throttling means during steady state adjusting of said guide vanes.

Claim 26

The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said throttling means produces a pressure drop at least as great as the pressure drop produced simultaneously by said adjusting means.

Claim 27

The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said throttling means reference signal is sufficient to prevent throttling by said throttling means during steady adjusting of said guide vanes.

Claim 28

The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said throttling means reference signal is sufficient to prevent throttling by said throttling means during steady adjusting of said guide vanes.