Development, Testing, and Implementation of a Gas Turbine Starting Clutch With Manual Turning Feature for U.S. Navy Ships

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 785-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan L. Hendry ◽  
Matthew G. Hoffman

Most gas turbine generators rely on an automatic-engaging, free-wheel clutch to connect a starting motor to accelerate the gas turbine generator from zero to some intermediate speed to enable ignition and then provide torque assistance to a higher speed until the gas turbine is self-sustaining. The U.S. Navy has used various designs of starter motors and clutches for its gas turbine fleet. In addition, there has been a requirement to periodically borescope each gas turbine, which has necessitated removal of the starting system and clutch assembly in each instance. This paper examines the U.S. Navy experience with starting clutches and provides details of the development and testing of a synchronous-self-shifting clutch with an additional, stationary, manual turning feature to provide very slow and precise gas turbine rotor rotation for borescope purposes. This paper also gives details of the installation of the first two prototype clutches on the USS Ramage, DDG 61, operating experience for approximately four years, and possible future installations of this type of clutch in U.S. Navy gas turbine generator sets.

Author(s):  
Morgan L. Hendry ◽  
Matthew G. Hoffman

Most gas turbine generators rely on an automatic-engaging, free-wheel clutch to connect a starting motor to accelerate the gas turbine generator from zero to some intermediate speed to enable ignition and then provide torque assistance to a higher speed until the gas turbine is self-sustaining. The U.S. Navy has used various designs of starter motors and clutches for its gas turbine fleet. In addition, there has been a requirement to periodically borescope each gas turbine and this has necessitated removal of the starting system and clutch assembly in each instance. This paper examines the U.S. Navy experience with starting clutches and provides details of the development and testing of a synchronous-self-shifting clutch with an additional, stationary, manual turning feature to provide very slow and precise gas turbine rotor rotation for borescope purposes. This paper also gives details of the installation of the first two prototype clutches on the USS Ramage, DDG 61, operating experience for approximately four years, and possible future installations of this type of clutch in U.S Navy gas turbine generator sets.


Author(s):  
Dennis M. Russom ◽  
Russell A. Leinbach ◽  
Helen J. Kozuhowski ◽  
Dana D. Golden

Operational availability of Gas Turbine Generator Sets (GTGs) aboard the U.S. Navy’s DDG 51 Class ships is being enhanced through the combined capabilities of the ship’s Integrated Condition Assessment System (ICAS) and the GTG’s Full Authority Digital Control (FADC). This paper describes the ICAS and FADC systems; their current capabilities and the vision of how those capabilities will evolve in order to improve equipment readiness and reduce life cycle costs.


Author(s):  
Dennis M. Russom ◽  
Robert L. Jernoske

The Rolls-Royce Allison (RRA) 501-K34 serves as the prime mover for the Ship Service Gas Turbine Generator sets (SSGTGs) of the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 Class ships. Navy experience with the 501-K34 began in 1988 with the testing of the first prototype. Experience to date includes over 700,000 fired hours on a growing fleet of engines. This paper explores that operating experience and discusses future plans to improve the engine’s operational availability while lowering life cycle costs.


Author(s):  
Dennis M. Russom ◽  
William E. Masincup ◽  
John Eghtessad

The Redundant Independent Mechanical Start System (RIMSS) is a gas turbine powered, mechanically coupled start system for the Allison AG9140 Ship Service Gas Turbine Generator Sets (SSGTGs) of the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 Class ships. The system will be original equipment on DDG-86 and follow. It will also be a candidate for backfit onto earlier DDG-51 Class ships. This paper describes RIMSS and details a very successful phase of the RIMSS program. All U.S. Navy testing was conducted on an Allison AG9140 located at the Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Ship Systems Engineering Station, DDG-51 Gas Turbine Ship Land Based Engineering Site (NSWCCD-SSES LBES), Figure 1. The test agenda included 516 SSGTG starts and 75 SSGTG motoring cycles. The primary goal was to validate engine life predictions for the Allison 250-C20B gas turbine engine in the RIMSS application. A secondary goal was to evaluate the overall RIMSS system during an extended period of operation.


Author(s):  
F. K. Konig

The author states the basic philosophy for the installation of gas turbines burning blast-furnace gas in the power-generating systems of an iron and steel works. A description is given of the two gas-turbine generators at the Huttenwerk Rheinhausen, A.G. and their operating experience.


Author(s):  
Dennis M. Russom ◽  
Ivan Pin˜eiro

This paper looks back at the evolution of the Gas Turbine Generator sets (GTGs) in the U.S. Navy’s DDG 51 Class, reviewing lessons learned, successes and areas where work is still required. Topics are discussed in the context of Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) Total Ownership Cost (TOC) and maintainability. It reviews changes that resulted in MTBF increasing by a factor of five and TOC dropping by a factor of four. It also looks to the future, identifying potential areas of further improvement.


Author(s):  
Dennis M. Russom

The Ship Service Gas Turbine Generator sets (SSGTGs) on the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 Class ships have experienced several gas turbine engine failures resulting from seawater contamination of the lube oil. The seawater enters the turbine lube oil system after a corrosion related failure of the lube oil cooler. This paper examines the system design, failure mechanism, and consequence of the failure. It also discusses maintenance actions intended to minimize the possibility of cooler failures, methods that have been used to clean up contaminated systems and alternate cooler designs that are being considered for backfit.


Author(s):  
Kim Y. Lau

This paper describes two gas turbine power plants in Libya which use multiple units of the Westinghouse W191G ECONO-PAC as turbine-generator sets. Special design considerations in the crude and residual fuel burning capability and system performance on instant electrical load pick-up are described in detail. The field test results of the turbine control system are also summarized in this paper. In addition, some of the operating experience in the fuel system and gas turbine combustion system is discussed briefly.


Author(s):  
John J. McGroarty

The Design Development and Implementation Program (DDIP) evolved as a result of an organized progression of In-Service Engineering (ISE) responsibilities required to implement improvements to Gas Turbine Generator Sets (GTGS) in the U.S. Navy. The DDIP was established to bring a design concept, whether it be to correct a problem or to make a design improvement, from the drawing board through testing and development to the implementation of a Technical Directive as quickly as possible. Presently all engineering improvements on U.S. Navy Gas Turbine Generator Sets are implemented through the DDIP. Providing this central point of engineering has helped the Naval Sea Systems Command implement improvements in a well tested and timely manner. This paper describes the sequential processes in the DDIP methodology and further discusses specific engineering problems and solutions using the DDIP process.


Author(s):  
Dennis M. Russom ◽  
Keith Mummaw ◽  
Ivan Pineiro

Gas Turbine Generator Sets (GTGs) provide electrical power for the U.S. Navy’s DDG-51 Class ships. These GTGs, packaged by Rolls Royce and powered by the Rolls Royce 501-K34, have been the subject of substantial, well-documented improvement efforts. This paper discusses the processes used to evaluate reliability and identify problematic components. It describes corrective actions that have been made to date and lays out a plan for the future. It goes on to discuss the impact that each improvement has made to GTG reliability and life cycle costs while attempting to project future impact.


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