Investigation on Flow-Induced Vibrations of a Steam Turbine Inlet Valve Considering Fluid–Structure Interaction Effects

2016 ◽  
Vol 139 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens Bernhard Domnick ◽  
Friedrich-Karl Benra ◽  
Dieter Brillert ◽  
Hans Josef Dohmen ◽  
Christian Musch
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Structural Dynamics ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Feedback Mechanism ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Turbine Inlet ◽  
Flow Induced Vibrations ◽  
The One

The power output of steam turbines is controlled by steam turbine inlet valves. These valves have a large flow capacity and dissipate a huge amount of energy in throttled operation. The dissipation process generates strong pressure fluctuations resulting in high dynamic forces causing valve vibrations. A brief survey of the literature dealing with valve vibrations reveals that the vibrational problems and damages mostly occur in throttled operation when high speed jets, shocks, and shear layers are present. As previous investigations reveal that a feedback mechanism between the dynamic flow field and the vibrating valve plug exists, the vibrations are investigated with two-way coupled simulations. The fluid dynamics are solved with a scale-adaptive approach to resolve the pressure fluctuations generated by the turbulent flow. The finite element model (FEM) solving the structural dynamics considers both frictional effects at the valve packing and contact effects caused by the plug impacting on the valve bushing. As different flow topologies causing diverse dynamic loads exist, the fluid flow and the structural dynamics are simulated at different operating points. The simulations show that differences to the one-way-coupled approach exist leading to a change of the vibrational behavior. The physics behind the feedback mechanisms causing this change are analyzed and conclusions regarding the accuracy of the one-way-coupled approach are drawn.

Investigation on Flow Induced Vibrations of a Steam Turbine Inlet Valve Considering Fluid Structure Interaction Effects

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens Bernhard Domnick ◽  
Friedrich-Karl Benra ◽  
Dieter Brillert ◽  
Hans Josef Dohmen ◽  
Christian Musch
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Structural Dynamics ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Feedback Mechanism ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Turbine Inlet ◽  
Flow Induced Vibrations ◽  
The One

The power output of steam turbines is controlled by steam turbine inlet valves. These valves have a large flow capacity and dissipate a huge amount of energy in throttled operation. The dissipation process generates strong pressure fluctuations resulting in high dynamic forces causing valve vibrations. A brief survey of the literature dealing with valve vibrations reveals that vibrational problems and damages mostly occur in throttled operation when high speed jets, shocks, and shear layers are present. As previous investigations reveal that a feedback mechanism between the dynamic flow field and the vibrating valve plug exists, the vibrations are investigated with two-way coupled simulations. The fluid dynamics are solved with a scale-adaptive approach to resolve the pressure fluctuations generated by the turbulent flow. The finite element model solving the structural dynamics considers both frictional effects at the valve packing and contact effects caused by the plug impacting on the valve bushing. As different flow topologies causing diverse dynamic loads exist, the fluid flow and the structural dynamics are simulated at different operating points. The simulations show that differences to the one-way coupled approach exist leading to a change of the vibrational behavior. The physics behind the feedback mechanisms causing this change are analyzed and conclusions regarding the accuracy of the one-way coupled approach are drawn.

An Optimization Design Platform for Fir-Tree Root and Groove for Steam Turbine

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deqi Yu ◽  
Xiaojun Zhang ◽  
Jiandao Yang ◽  
Kai Cheng ◽  
Weilin Shu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Concentration ◽  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Optimization Design ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Local Stress ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Geometry Configuration

Fir-tree root and groove profiles are widely used in gas turbine and steam turbine. Normally, the fir-tree root and groove are characterized with straight line, arc or even elliptic fillet and splines, then the parameters of these features were defined as design variables to perform root profile optimization. In ultra-long blades of CCPP and nuclear steam turbines and high-speed blades of industrial steam turbine blades, both the root and groove strength are the key challenges during the design process. Especially, in industrial steam turbines, the geometry of blade is very small but the operation velocity is very high and the blade suffers stress concentration severely. In this paper, two methods for geometry configuration and relevant optimization programs are described. The first one is feature-based using straight lines and arcs to configure the fir-tree root and groove geometry and genetic algorithm for optimization. This method is quite fit for wholly new root and groove design. And the second local optimization method is based on B-splines to configure the geometry where the local stress concentration occurs and the relevant optimization algorithm is used for optimization. Also, several cases are studied as comparison by using the optimization design platform. It can be used not only in steam turbines but also in gas turbines.

Numerical Investigation on the Vibration of Steam Turbine Inlet Valves and the Feedback to the Dynamic Flow Field

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens Bernhard Domnick ◽  
Friedrich-Karl Benra ◽  
Dieter Brillert ◽  
Hans Josef Dohmen ◽  
Christian Musch
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Structural Dynamics ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Dynamic Flow ◽  
Piston Rings ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Structural Dynamic ◽  
Turbine Inlet ◽  
Valve Stem ◽  
Highly Nonlinear

The power output of steam turbines is controlled by steam turbine inlet valves. These valves have a large flow capacity and dissipate in throttled operation a huge amount of energy. Due to that, high dynamic forces occur in the valve which can cause undesired valve vibrations. In this paper, the structural dynamics of a valve are analysed. The dynamic steam forces obtained by previous computational fluid dynamic (CFD) calculations at different operating points are impressed on the structural dynamic finite element model (FEM) of the valve. Due to frictional forces at the piston rings and contact effects at the bushings of the valve plug and the valve stem the structural dynamic FEM is highly nonlinear and has to be solved in the time domain. Prior to the actual investigation grid and time step studies are carried out. Also the effect of the temperature distribution within the valve stem is discussed and the influence of the valve actuator on the vibrations is analysed. In the first step, the vibrations generated by the fluid forces are investigated. The effects of the piston rings on the structural dynamics are discussed. It is found, that the piston rings are able to reduce the vibration significantly by frictional damping. In the second step, the effect of the moving valve plug on the dynamic flow in the valve is analysed. The time dependent displacement of the valve is transferred to CFD calculations using deformable meshes. With this one way coupling method the response of the flow to the vibrations is analysed.

A Simplified Analytical Approach for Calculating the Start-Up Time of Industrial Steam Turbines for Optimal and Fast Start-Up Procedures

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Beer ◽  
Lukas Propp ◽  
Lutz Voelker
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Time Step ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Time Calculation ◽  
Fast Start ◽  
The One

New flexible operational regimes with fast start-ups and fast-changing load cycles for steam turbines require calculation procedures for determining optimal start-up times in order not to exceed the limits of thermal stress for the steam turbine parts. This work presents a start-up time calculation for various kinds of industrial steam turbines. An analytical approach for estimating the optimal thermal load of a turbine from quasi-steady or steady condition is developed. The geometry of the respective turbine components, the changing of the steam parameters and heat transfer effects during the start-up procedure are taken into account while observing the respective material properties and stress limits. The temperature distributions of the respective turbine parts are calculated with a one-dimensional numerical algorithm of Fourier’s heat conduction equation. Three-dimensional influences of the geometry and of the the heat flux are considered analytically by adjusting the numerical solutions of elementary bodies (e.g. one-dimensional plate). The start-up time calculation is performed in small time steps to guarantee the stability of the numerical solution. The unsteady stress analysis for the start-up procedure does not uniquely identify one critical component. The calculation must be repeated for each time step to identify the component which limits the start-up gradient. Other boundary conditions, such as restricted speed ranges of the rotor with minimum transients and time for synchronization with the electrical grid, are considered by the model too and can further limit the start-up gradient and lead to slower start-up procedures. The one-dimensional calculation models were verified with a three-dimensional FEA of the casing and a two axis symmetrical FEA of the rotor. The results for the temperature distribution are presented and compared to the one-dimensional results. The final result of the analytical approach for an optimized start-up time calculation is verified with two typical start-up calculations, one for a generator drive steam turbine and one for a mechanical-drive steam turbine.

Torsional Vibrations of the Steam Turbine Shaft Line and Estimation of the Residual Life of Its Elements

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 91-98
Author(s):  
Vladimir Grabovskii ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Residual Life ◽  
Operating Time ◽  
Electromagnetic Transients ◽  
Torsional Vibrations ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Shaft Line ◽  
Operating Modes ◽  
Design Life

A comparative quantitative assessment of the damage and residual life of the shaft line elements for differ-ent types of high-power steam turbines at the end of their design life is made by mathematical modeling. The analysis covers all elements of the shaft line: from the steam turbine Central pump to the turbine generator ex-citer. The simulated circuit includes turbo generators, transformers, gate converters, AC and DC power lines. When modeling, an approach is used from the position of proper coordinates, which provides maximum meth-odological consistency of the models of the listed devices and allows you to directly reproduce electromagnetic and mechanical transients with the determination of instantaneous values of currents, voltages, electromagnet-ic and torsional moments. To estimate damage, we used the deformation criterion for soft and hard loads in the zone of low-cycle and force criterion in the zone of multi-cycle fatigue. The influence of the number of starts and running time of a steam turbine on the damage and residual life of its shaft elements is studied. When de-termining the remaining life, in addition to starts, other abnormal operating modes of the turbo generator were taken into account during the turbine operating time: short circuits and their disconnections, unsuccessful high-speed automatic re-activation, subsynchronous resonance due to both the operation of the control system of the PPT and the automatic generator excitation regulator. The influence of attenuation of electromagnetic transients in the generator and damping of torsional vibrations on the degree of reduction of the residual life of the shaft elements is analyzed. The results obtained can be used for a comprehensive solution of the issue of further operation of steam turbines that have spent their design life.

Gas Path Blade Tip Seals: Abradable Seal Material Testing at Utility Gas and Steam Turbine Operating Conditions

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas E. Chappel ◽  
Ly Vo ◽  
Harold W. Howe
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Material Testing ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Low Speed ◽  
Tip Leakage ◽  
Blade Tip ◽  
Testing And Evaluation

Abradable seals have long been used to enhance turbomachinery performance by limiting blade tip leakage losses. Most of the literature regarding this subject has focused on aerospace gas turbine materials and conditions. Furthermore, testing and evaluation described in this literature has been conducted on disparate rigs, making direct comparison among the abradable materials investigated difficult. This study broadens the scope of available data by evaluating fibermetal, thermal-sprayed and honeycomb abradable materials at conditions found in utility gas turbine compressors and steam turbines. High speed rub interaction, low speed rub interaction and erosion data were collected and are discussed in detail.

Investigation of Unsteady Pressure Fluctuations in a Simplified Steam Turbine Control Valve

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Windemuth ◽  
Martin Lange ◽  
Ronald Mailach
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Control Valve ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Unsteady Forces ◽  
Part Load ◽  
Large Pressure ◽  
Head Surface ◽  
Flow Through

Abstract Steam turbines are among the most important systems in commercial and industrial power conversion. As the amount of renewable energies increases, power plants formerly operated at steady state base load are now experiencing increased times at part load conditions. Besides other methods, the use of control valves is a widely spread method for controlling the power output of a steam turbine. In difference to other throttling approaches, the control valve enables fast load gradients as the boiler can be operated at constant conditions and allows a quicker response on variable power requirements. At part load, a significant amount of energy is dissipated across the valve, as the total inlet pressure of the turbine is decreased across the valve. At these conditions, the flow through the valve becomes trans- and supersonic and large pressure fluctuations appear within the downstream part of the valve. As a result, unsteady forces are acting on the valve structure and vibrations can be triggered, leading to mechanical stresses and possible failures of the valve. Besides more complex valve geometries, a spherical valve shape is still often used in smaller and industrial steam turbines. Because of the smooth head contour, the flow is prone to remain attached to the head surface and interact with the flow coming from the opposite side. This behaviour is accompanied by flow instabilities and large pressure fluctuations, leading to unsteady forces and possible couplings with mechanical frequencies. The spherical valve shape was therefore chosen as the experimental test geometry for the investigation of the unsteady flow field and fluid-structure-interactions within a scaled steam turbine control valve. Using numerical methods, the test valve is investigated and the time dependent pressure distribution in the downstream diffuser is evaluated. The evolution of the flow stability will be discussed for different pressure ratios. Pressure signals retrieved from the control valve test rig will be used to compare the numerical results to experimental data.

CFD Modeling of Low Pressure Steam Turbine Radial Diffuser Flow by Using a Novel Multiple Mixing Plane Based Coupling: Simulation and Validation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Stein ◽  
Christoph Pfoster ◽  
Michael Sell ◽  
Paul Galpin ◽  
Thorsten Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Heat Rate ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Cfd Modeling ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Multiple Mixing ◽  
Diffuser Flow ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Pressure Steam ◽  
The One

The diffuser and exhaust of low pressure steam turbines shows significant impact on the overall turbine performance. The amount of recovered enthalpy leads to a considerable increase of the turbine power output, and therefore a continuous focus of turbine manufacturers is put on this component. On the one hand, the abilities to aerodynamically design such components is improved, but on the other hand a huge effort is required to properly predict the resulting performance and to enable an accurate modeling of the overall steam turbine and therewith plant heat rate. A wide range of approaches is used to compute the diffuser and exhaust flow, with a wide range of quality. Today it is well known and understood, that there is a strong interaction of rear stage and diffuser flow, and the accuracy of the overall diffuser performance prediction strongly depends on a proper coupling of both domains. The most accurate, but also most expensive method is currently seen in a full annulus and transient coupling. However, for a standard industrial application of diffuser design in a standard development schedule, such a coupling is not feasible and more simplified methods have to be developed. The paper below presents a CFD modeling of low pressure steam turbine diffusers and exhausts based on a direct coupling of the rear stage and diffuser using a novel multiple mixing plane. It is shown that the approach enables a fast diffuser design process and is still able to accurately predict the flow field and hence the exhaust performance. The method is validated against several turbine designs measured in a scaled low pressure turbine model test rig using steam. The results show a very good agreement of the presented CFD modeling against the measurements.

Clarifying the Physics of Flow Separations in Steam Turbine Inlet Valves at Part Load Operation and Improved Design Considerations

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens Bernhard Domnick ◽  
Dieter Brillert ◽  
Christian Musch ◽  
Friedrich-Karl Benra
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Energy ◽  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Annular Flow ◽  
Structural Vibration ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Flow Topology ◽  
Design Considerations ◽  
Turbine Inlet ◽  
Numerical Effort ◽  
Improved Design

In steam turbine inlet valves used to adjust the power output of large steam turbines, the through-flow is reduced by lowering the valve plug and hence reducing the cross-sectional area between the plug and the seat. At throttled operation, a supersonic jet is formed between the plug and the seat. This jet bearing tremendous kinetic energy flows into the valve diffuser where it is dissipated. Depending on the dissipation process, a certain portion of the kinetic energy is converted to sound and subsequently to structural vibration, which can be harmful to the valve plug. The flow topology in the valve diffuser has a strong influence on the conversion of kinetic energy to sound and hence vibrations. Several studies show that an annular flow attached to the wall of the valve diffuser causes significantly less noise and vibrations than a detached flow in the core of the diffuser. The relation between the flow topology and the vibrations is already known, but the physics causing the transition from the undesired core flow to the desired annular flow and the dependency on the design are not fully understood. The paper presented here reveals the relation between the flow topology in the steam valve and the separation of underexpanded Coandă wall jets. The physics of the jet separations are clarified and a method to predict the flow separations with a low numerical effort is shown. Based on this, safe operational ranges free of separations can be predicted and improved design considerations can be made.

scholarly journals Demonstration of a Dynamic Clearance Seal in a Rotating Test Facility

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Messenger ◽  
Richard Williams ◽  
Grant Ingram ◽  
Simon Hogg ◽  
Stacie Tibos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Steam Turbine ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Labyrinth Seal ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Steam Turbines ◽  
Rotor Position ◽  
Seal Design ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Steam Turbine Plant ◽  
Transient Events

The successful demonstration of the “Aerostatic Seal” in a half scale rotating facility is described in this paper. The Aerostatic seal is a novel dynamic clearance seal specifically designed for steam turbine secondary gas path applications. The seal responds to radial rotor excursions, so a reduced clearance can be maintained compared to conventional labyrinth seal without damage to the seal. This enables increased turbine performance through reduced leakage and increased tolerance of turbine transient events typically found during start up. The seal is an extension of the existing retractable seal design already deployed in commercial steam turbines. The seal was tested in the Durham Rotating Seals Rig, which was developed specifically to test this device. The rig featured a rotor designed to run with large eccentricities to model high speed radial rotor excursions, and the seal was instrumented to measure the real time seal response to the rotor. The experimental campaign has conclusively demonstrated the ability of the seal to dynamically respond to the rotor position. The key result is that the seal is able to track the rotor position at high speed, and hence maintain a mean seal clearance that is lower than the rotor eccentricity. Overall this work marks a key milestone in the development of the Aerostatic Seal, and leads the way to testing in a steam environment and application in steam turbine plant.

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