During non-heating and transition period, most of cogeneration turbines operate with a lower heat extraction section actuated only due to a number of restrictions on the maximum and minimum pressure levels in the upper and lower heat extraction sections at operation of the turbine. For turbines of model T-250/300-240, the minimum permissible level of steam pressure in the upper heat extraction section, according to manufacturer data, is set to 0.06 MPa. During the non-heating and transition period, the supply water temperature is usually set in the range of 70–75°С. In order to maintain that temperature of supply water, the steam pressure in the upper heat extraction section should be below the minimum permissible level. As a result, the turbine operates with only the low-pressure heat extraction section actuated, which ensures operation without restrictions, but with a lower efficiency. The authors have introduced a set of measures, which enable to avoid those restrictions and implement two-stage heating of supply water. In this case, on connection of the upper heating extraction section, the pressure in the same is maintained at the minimum permissible level. Heat output characteristics are provided by having some of supply water delivered bypassing the group of network heaters. This operational mode enables to increase the turbine actual heat drop, to reduce the cooling steam flow into the low-pressure section and, accordingly, into the condenser, and to reduce temperature drops in network water heaters. Results of the research of operational modes for turbines of type T-250/300-240 in the non-heating and transition period with one and two-stage heating are provided. The economic efficiency of proposed operational modes was researched, which shows the effectiveness of those modes during non-heating and transition period. The limits of the efficiency of using these modes are determined.
