Patent Application
20140352320
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two-shaft gas turbine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Two-shaft gas turbines generally include a gas generator having a compressor, a combustor and a high-pressure turbine; and a low-pressure turbine (a power turbine) connected to load equipment. The low-pressure turbine has a rotating shaft that is not connected to a rotating shaft (a gas generator shaft) of the gas generator. In the gas generator, the compressed air generated by the compressor is burned together with fuel in the combustor to generate combustion gas. The thus-generated combustion gas drives the high-pressure turbine to provide the force to drive the compressor. The combustion gas used to drive the high-pressure turbine drives the low-pressure turbine which drives the load equipment (see JP-2010-25069-A).
Two-shaft gas turbines usually come into a rated operation state when the air quantity of a compressor (the flow rate of working fluid of a compressor) or the inlet temperature of a high-pressure turbine reaches a rated value. If atmospheric temperature is lower than a design temperature, the air quantity of the compressor generally reaches the rated value before the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine reaches the rated value. Also after the two-shaft gas turbine has shifted to rated operation, the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine does not rise up to the rated value. On the other hand, if atmospheric temperature is higher than a design temperature, the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine reaches the rated value before the air quantity of the compressor reaches the rated value. The air quantity does not rise up to the rated value during the rated operation. Therefore, under the condition that the atmospheric temperature is different from the design temperature, the performance lowers compared with that under the condition that atmospheric temperature is equal to the design temperature (under the condition that both the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine and the air quantity of the compressor reach the respective rated values).
On the other hand, the initial-stage stator vane of the low-pressure turbine is configured as a movable vane (a variable stator vane). The opening degree of the movable vane is adjusted, thereby making it possible to change the ratio of output (power) between the high-pressure turbine and the low-pressure turbine. In this case, the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine and the air quantity of the compressor can be increased to the respective rated values regardless of atmospheric temperature. However, the inlet temperature of the low-pressure turbine is raised as combustion temperature has recently been raised. This leads to a necessity to configure the initial-stage stator vane of the low-pressure turbine as a cooled vane. Thus, it becomes difficult to configure the initial-stage stator vane of the low-pressure turbine as a movable vane.
The present invention has been made in the above situations and aims to provide a two-shaft gas turbine that can raise an inlet temperature of a high-pressure turbine and the air quantity of a compressor to respective rated values at any atmospheric temperature without using a variable stator vane in the initial stage of a low-pressure turbine.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a two-shaft gas turbine including: a gas generator having a compressor, a combustor and a high-pressure turbine; a fixed-vane low-pressure turbine driven by exhaust gas from the high-pressure turbine; a load adjustor connected to the gas generator; and a control unit, when either one of a value of inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine and a values of an air quantity of the compressor reaches a rated value before the other value reaches a rated value, for driving the load adjustor to bring the other value close to the rated value.
The present invention can change a rotor vane balance between the high-pressure turbine and the low-pressure turbine without using a variable stator vane in the initial stage of the low-pressure turbine and can raise the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine and the air quantity of the compressor to respective rated values at any atmospheric temperature.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the drawings.
A two-shaft gas turbine 20 illustrated in
The gas generator 21 includes, as main elements, a compressor 11, a combustor 12 and a high-pressure turbine 13. The compressor 11 compresses air taken in from the atmosphere to generate compressed air. IGV (inlet guide vane) 1 is installed at the inlet (air inlet port) of the compressor 11. The IGV 1 is driven by an IGV drive device (not shown) to adjust the opening degree of the IGV 1, thereby changing the amount of air taken into the compressor 11. The IGV 1 is provided with an angle detector 2 which detects the angle of the vane (the opening degree of the IGV 1). The combustor 12 mixes the compressed air from the compressor 11 with fuel and burns it to generate combustion gas 17. The high-pressure turbine 13 is connected to the compressor 11 via a gas generator shaft 3 serving concurrently as a rotor of the high-pressure turbine 13. In this way, the rotative power obtained by the combustion gas 17 from the combustor 12 is transmitted to the compressor 11.
Incidentally, for example, if load equipment 15 connected to the power turbine 22 is a generator, the opening degree of the IGV 1 is controlled by the control unit 24 (or another control unit) according to a predetermined program on the basis of an electric generation output command (Mega Watt Demand: MWD) from an upper control unit (not shown), the output of the low-pressure turbine 14 (the electric generation output of the load equipment 15), the rotative speed of the low-pressure turbine 14, etc.
The power turbine 22 includes, as main elements, the low-pressure turbine 14 and the load equipment 15. The low-pressure turbine 14 and the load equipment 15 are connected via a power turbine shaft 4 serving concurrently as the rotor of the low-pressure turbine 14. The low-pressure turbine 14 is a fixed-vane low-pressure turbine which uses non-movable fixed vanes as the stator vanes of the full stages. The combustion gas that has driven the high-pressure turbine 13 to reduce in pressure is delivered from the high-pressure turbine 13 to the low-pressure turbine 14 as combustion gas 18 to drive the low-pressure turbine 14. The rotative power obtained by the low-pressure turbine 14 is transmitted to the load equipment 15 to drive the load equipment 15. The load equipment 15 is typically a generator; however, a pump or the like is applicable. The combustion gas that has driven the low-pressure turbine 14 is discharged as exhaust gas 19. A thermometer 5 for measuring the temperature of the exhaust gas 19 is attached to an exhaust duct line of the low-pressure turbine 14.
The generator motor 23 plays a role of a load adjustor for adjusting a load on the gas generator 21. The generator motor 23 is connected to the compressor 11 of the gas generator 21 via the gas generator shaft 3. For example, an inverter may be used as the generator motor 23.
The control unit 24 implements a procedure for controlling the generator motor 23 to adjust a ratio of a load (power) between the high-pressure turbine 13 and the low-pressure turbine 14. Specifically, if any one of a value of the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 and a value of the air quantity (the flow rate of working fluid) of the compressor 11 reaches a rated value before the other value reaches a rated value, the control unit 24 fulfills a function of driving the generator motor 23 to bring the other value close to the rated value. The rated value is a value at which the operating state of the two-shaft gas turbine 20 becomes rated operation when the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 or the air quantity of the compressor 11 reaches such a value. The rated value is set for each of the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 and the air quantity of the compressor 11. The rated value can be set at a particular value for each of the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 and the air quantity of the compressor 11. However, the rated value can be set as a predetermined range (values having an upper limit value and a lower limit value).
For example, if the air quantity of the compressor 11 reaches the rated value, the control unit 24 issues a power generation command to the generator motor 23 (for example, a load current is transmitted to the generator motor 23 to apply a power generation load to the generator motor 23) to drive the generator motor 23 as a generator. A value by which a difference between the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 and the rated value thereof is reduced is calculated and issued as a power generation command value transmitted to the generator motor 23. On the other hand, if the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 reaches the rated value, the control unit 24 issues a power command to the generator motor 23 (by supplying drive power to the generator motor 23) to drive the generator motor 23 as an electric motor. As a power command value transmitted to the generator motor 23, a value by which a difference between the air quantity of the compressor 11 and the rated value thereof is reduced is calculated and issued. If the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 and the air quantity of the compressor 11 simultaneously reach their respective rated values, then the generator motor 23 is operated with no-load (runs idle). If the generator motor 23 is connected to the gas generator shaft 3 via a clutch, the generator motor 23 may be disconnected from the gas generator shaft 3 in place of the no-load operation.
Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the air quantity of the compressor 11 is calculated by the control unit 24 on the basis of the detection signal (the opening degree of the IGV 1) of the angle detector 2. In addition, a state where the IGV 1 is fully opened (or is opened at a set opening degree or more) shall correspond to a rated air quantity. However, the calculation of the air quantity is not limited to this. Other methods may be employed in which, for example, an air flow meter is installed at the inlet of the compressor 11 and the air quantity is calculated from the inlet flow. On the other hand, the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 can be calculated by the control unit 24 on the basis of e.g. the measurement value of the thermometer 5 (the temperature of the exhaust gas 19 of the low-pressure turbine 14). However, the calculation of the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 is not limited to this. If possible, other measurement methods may be employed in which, for example, a thermometer is installed at the inlet of the high-pressure turbine 13 for direct measurement.
After the start of the start-up operation of the two-shaft gas turbine 20, the control unit 24 calculates the air quantity F of the compressor 11 and the temperature T at the inlet of the high-pressure turbine 13 (steps S101 and S102). The order of steps S101 and S102 may be inverted. Subsequently, the control unit 24 determines whether or not the air quantity F reaches the rated value (step S103) and whether or not the temperature T reaches the rated value (steps S104 and S105). The order of the determinations relating to the air quantity F and the temperature T may be inverted.
As a result of the determinations in step S103 and other steps, if it is determined that both the air quantity F and the temperature T do not reach the respective rated values, the control unit 24 returns the procedure to step S101 and recalculates the air quantity F and the temperature T (steps S103→S105→S101).
As a result of the determinations in step S103 and other steps, if it is determined that only the temperature T reaches the rated value before the air quantity F reaches the rated value, the control unit 24 issues the power generation command to the generator motor 23 (step S106) and then returns the procedure to step S101 (steps S103→S105→S106→S101).
As a result of the determinations in step S103 and other steps, if it is determined that only the air quantity F reaches the rated value before the temperature T reaches the rated value, then the control unit 24 issues the power command to the generator motor 23 (step S107) and then returns the procedure to step S101 (steps S103→S104→S107→S101).
As a result of the execution of the above control procedure, if both the air quantity F and the temperature T reach the respective rated values, then the control unit 24 ends the control procedure in
As shown in the figure, the two-shaft gas turbine 20 is designed so that both the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine and the air quantity of the compressor may reach respective rated values under a design temperature (a particular atmospheric temperature) regardless of the presence or absence of the generator motor 23. If the generator motor 23 is not used, under the condition that the atmospheric temperature is lower than the design temperature, the air quantity reaches the rated value in the state where the inlet temperature does not reach the rated value, and the two-shaft gas turbine 20 shifts to the rated operation. Thus, also after the two-shaft gas turbine 20 shifts to the rated operation, the air quantity remains lower than the rated value. On the other hand, under the condition that the atmospheric temperature is higher than the design temperature, the inlet temperature reaches the rated value in the state where the air quantity does not reach the rated value, and the two-shaft gas turbine 20 shifts to the rated operation. Also after the two-shaft gas turbine 20 shifts to the rated operation, the inlet temperature remains lower than the rated value. Thus, under the condition that the atmospheric temperature is different from the design temperature, the performance of the two-shaft gas turbine 20 lowers compared with that under the condition of the design temperature.
In contrast, if the generator motor 23 is controlled as described with
On the other hand, under the condition that the atmospheric temperature is higher than the design temperature, the generator motor 23 is driven as an electric motor to give power to the high-pressure turbine 13. If the power is given to the high-pressure turbine 13, the compressor air quantity which balances with the same inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine is increased. Thus, even under the condition that the atmospheric temperature is higher than the design temperature, the air quantity of the compressor can be increased to the rated value as shown in
In this way, both the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine 13 and the air quantity of the compressor 11 can be increased to their respective rated values at any atmospheric temperature without using variable stator vanes for the initial stage of the low-pressure turbine 14. Thus, the atmospheric temperature characteristics can be improved.
The rotative speed of the gas generator 21 is not always constant. However, the use of an inverter as the generator motor 23 can flexibly deal with a variation in the rotative speed of the gas generator 21.
The present embodiment describes the exemplification in which the generator motor 23 is used as a load adjustor to deal with both the cases where the atmospheric temperature is lower and higher than the design temperature. However, it is also conceivably configured to deal with the case where the atmospheric temperature is either lower or higher than the design temperature. In this case, a generator or an electric motor can be used in place of the generator motor 23.
For example, if a generator specifically for electric generation is connected to the gas generator 21, it is designed so that the control unit 24 may issue a power generation command to the generator when the compressor 11 reaches the rated air quantity. In this way, the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine can be raised to the rated value under the conditions that the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine does not usually reach the rated value during the rated operation. In this case, if the atmospheric temperature is higher than the design temperature, the air quantity of the compressor cannot be increased. However, as shown in
For example, if an electric motor specifically for power-assist is connected to the gas generator 21, the control unit 24 issues a power command to the electric motor when the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine reaches the rated value. In this way, the air quantity of the compressor can be increased to the rated value under the condition that the air quantity of the compressor does not usually reach the rated value during the rated operation. In this case, if the atmospheric temperature is lower than the design temperature, the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine cannot be raised. However, a design temperature is set close to a lower limit of the temperature range of the atmospheric temperature assumed at the installation place of the two-shaft gas turbine 20. Thus, such an effect can be produced at many places. If the electric motor is used, installation costs can be reduced compared with the case of using the generator motor 23. If the small capacity of the electric motor suffices, the electric motor can be replaced with a starting device used generally to start up the gas generator 21. In this case, the two-shaft gas turbine 20 can be configured more inexpensively. In addition, such a configuration is advantageous to an installation space and maintenance performance.
As illustrated in
Incidentally, in the configuration of the present embodiment, if the atmospheric temperature is higher than the design temperature, the air quantity of the compressor cannot be increased. However, as previously shown in
As illustrated in
If the cooling air flow (the amount of bleed air) is increased, combustion temperature is raised even at the same air quantity of the compressor to raise the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine. Therefore, under the condition that atmospheric temperature is lower than the design temperature, the cooling air flow is increased, thereby raising the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine to the rated value. Thus, the performance of the two-shaft gas turbine 20B can be improved. If the cooling air flow is increased, efficiency is lowered by the reduced flow of the working fluid. However, if the improved performance resulting from the raised combustion temperature exceeds the lowered performance resulting from the increased cooling air flow, the performance is improved.
Incidentally, the present embodiment is configured so as to raise the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine basically when the atmospheric temperature is lower than the design temperature. However, in the case of increasing the air quantity of the compressor, for example, if the atmospheric temperature is higher than the design temperature, also a configuration may be conceivable in which the opening degree of the bleed airflow adjustment valve 27 is lowered to reduce the cooling air flow. This case can deal with both the cases where the atmospheric temperature is higher and lower than the design temperature.
The causes of a rise in combustion temperature encountered when the cooling air flow is increased are three points as follows.
Therefore, the front side of the initial stage of the low-pressure turbine 14 is most effective as the inflow position of cooling air as described earlier.
As illustrated in
If the throat area of the initial-stage stator vane 29b of the low-pressure turbine 14 is increased, the output power of the high-pressure turbine is increased. Therefore, even if the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine is the same, the air quantity of the compressor is increased compared with the case where the throat area is small. If the two-shaft gas turbine 20C is operated in a relatively high atmospheric temperature area, therefore, the turbine initial-stage stator vane 29b having a large throat area is used to improve performance. On the other hand, if the throat area of the initial-stage stator vane 29b of the low-pressure turbine 14 is reduced, the output power of the high-pressure turbine is reduced. Therefore, the air quantity of the compressor is reduced compared with the case where the throat area is large, even at the same inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine. This means that the inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine balanced with the same air quantity of the compressor is increased. Thus, to operate the two-shaft gas turbine 20C in a relatively low atmospheric temperature area, the turbine initial-stage stator vane 29b having a small throat area is used, thereby improving the performance.
In this way, a plurality of the initial-stage stator vanes 29b having different throat areas in the low-pressure turbine 14 are differently used depending on installation places. The inlet temperature of the high-pressure turbine and the air quantity of the compressor can be made to reach the respective rated values. Thus, the performance can be improved.
Even if the embodiments are individually implemented, the effects can be produced. However, a plurality of the embodiments can be combined for implementation. The configuration exemplified in each of the embodiments is just a typical example. The present invention can be modified in various ways in a range not departing from the gist thereof. For example, the case where the present invention is applied to the two-shaft gas turbine of an axial-flow type is exemplified for description. However, the present invention can be applied to, for example, two-shaft gas turbines of a centrifugal type. However, the centrifugal type two-shaft gas turbine does not generally use the IGV. In addition, the air quantity of the compressor depends on the rotative speed of the compressor. Thus, whether or not the air quantity of the compressor reaches the rated value is determined in the following manner. For example, a rotative speed detector is installed on the compressor. The control unit can determine whether or not the rotative speed of the compressor reaches the rated value by a detection signal of the rotative speed detector.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-111564 | May 2013 | JP | national |
