RankineCycler

Steam Turbine Power System Operators Manual

Turbine Technologies, LTD

REVISION 9.05

THIS MANUAL MUST BE KEPT WITH THE SYSTEM AND AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES

Model RC-101

Copyright c 2005 Turbine Technologies, LTD Service Publications 410 Phillip Street Chetek, WI 54728 All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwisewithout written permission from Turbine Technologies, LTD, except for the explicit use and inclusion in a course of academic study utilizing the Turbine Technologies, LTD RankineCycler Steam Turbine Power System Many of the designations used by manufacturers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks or service marks. Every attempt has been made to supply trademark information about manufacturers and their products mentioned in this manual. A list of the trademark or service mark designations and their owners appears on page iii. Every eort has been made to make this manual as complete and accurate as possible. The purchaser shall be solely responsible for determining the suitability of the information contained herein. See page v.

iii TRADEMARK NOTICES

RankineCycler TM and DigiDAQ TM are trademarks of Turbine Technologies, LTD. Microsoft r , Windows r , Visual Basic r and C++ for Windows r are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Personal DaqsTM , Personal DaqViewTM , Personal DaqView PlusTM , eZ-PostViewTM , Personal DaqViewXLTM , DASYLabTM and Out-of-the-Box TM are registered trademarks of IOtech, Incorporated. LabVIEWTM is a registered trademark of National Instruments, Incorporated

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v SUITABILITY The Turbine Technologies, LTD RankineCycler is not oered as and shall not be construed by the purchaser to be Consumer Products within the common denition of the United States Federal Trade Commission. All Turbine Technologies, LTD products are represented to be, and oered as, EXPERIMENTAL TECHNOLOGY, subject to the limitations in safety and performance inherent to equipment so classied. PURCHASER SHALL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for determining, prior to purchase, at acceptance and for all subsequent usage, the suitability for any purpose(s) intended of equipment, instructions, procedures or materials oered or supplied by Turbine Technologies, LTD for use in any educational, laboratory or industrial setting.

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Preface
The RankineCycler is the best tool on the market for laboratory teaching of thermodynamic principles and power generation, and it comes with the lowest price tag. In fact, as far as I can tell, it is the only available educational equipment of its kind. - Dr. Andy Gerhart Assistant Professor Mechanical Engineering College of Engineering, Lawrence Technological University Southeld, MI

Since the rst century AD and the invention of the aeolipile by Heron of Alexandria, man has endeavored to harness the power of steam. Rened by Denis Papin and improved throughout the Industrial Revolution by the likes of Thomas Savery, Thomas Newcomen and James Watt, the steam engine became an important source of mechanical power. The steam turbine, made practical by Charles Parson and improved commercially by George Westinghouse, furthered the use of steam power and helped accelerate the electrication of the modern world. William Rankine, a Scottish physicist and early pioneer in the study of thermodynamics, compiled the rst comprehensive study of steam power in his 1859 Manual of the Steam Engine and Other Prime Movers. Describing the production of power with a vapor power plant, the Rankine Cycle became the basis for all future thermodynamic power system and cycle study. Challenging generations of engineering students ever since, the Rankine Cycle has been used to theoretically model and teach the physical processes taking place in power-generating systems. The Turbine Technologies, LTD RankineCycler takes this abstract modeling to a new level, allowing students to not only measure the various variables that go into the Rankine Cycle, but to see, hear and even feel the generation of steam power rst hand. By making text book academics come alive, the RankineCycler will help todays students become the real world engineers of tomorrow.

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viii

Manual Structure
Section 1 - General Information Background information to help the new user become familiar with the RankineCycler unit prior to operation. Section 2 - Limitations Important limitations for the safe operation of the RankineCycler. Section 3 - Abnormal Procedures Checklist Procedures for operations that exceed or are outside the scope of the RankineCycler Limitations or Normal Procedures. Section 4 - Normal Procedures Checklist Procedures for Normal Operation of the RankineCycler. Section 5 - Systems Description of all unique RankineCycler systems and their operation. Section 6 - Service and Maintenance Information to maintain the RankineCycler in proper operating condition. Appendix A - Warranty Information

Comments/Questions
Please address comments and questions concerning this Operators Manual to the publisher: Turbine Technologies, LTD. Service Publications 410 Phillip Street Chetek, WI 54728 (715) 924-4876 (715) 924-2436 (fax) A RankineCycler web page featuring an image gallery, press releases, video, product specications and operator produced technical papers is available at: http://www.turbinetechnologies.com/steam.html Specic questions regarding the operation or servicing of the RankineCycler should be addressed to: service@turbinetechnologies.com For more information about Turbine Technologies, LTD and its products for engineering education, please see the Turbine Technologies web site at: http://www.turbinetechnologies.com Or email: info@turbinetechnologies.com

Contents
Preface Section 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1 - General Information Introduction . . . . . . . SAFETY . . . . . . . . Specications . . . . . . Uncrating and Set-Up . vii 1 1 2 2 3 7 9 11 11 11 11 13 13 13 14 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 38 39 40 42

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Section 2 - LIMITATIONS Section 3 - ABNORMAL PROCEDURES 3.1 ABBREVIATED ABNORMAL PROCEDURES 3.1.1 Boiler Overpressure . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1.2 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1.3 Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2 EXPANDED ABNORMAL PROCEDURES . . . 3.2.1 Boiler Overpressure . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2.2 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2.3 Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Section 4 - Normal Procedures 4.1 Abbreviated Normal Procedures 4.1.1 Pre-Start . . . . . . . . . 4.1.2 Start and Operation . . . 4.1.3 Data Collection . . . . . . 4.1.4 Shutdown . . . . . . . . . 4.1.5 Measurements . . . . . . 4.1.6 Storage . . . . . . . . . . 4.2 Expanded Normal Procedures . . 4.2.1 Pre-Start . . . . . . . . . 4.2.2 Start and Operation . . . 4.2.3 Data Collection . . . . . . 4.2.4 Shutdown . . . . . . . . . 4.2.5 Measurements . . . . . . 4.2.6 Storage . . . . . . . . . . 4.3 General Guidelines . . . . . . . .

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x Section 5 - Systems 5.1 Steam Turbine System . . . . . 5.1.1 Burner . . . . . . . . . . 5.1.2 Boiler . . . . . . . . . . 5.1.3 Sight Glass . . . . . . . 5.1.4 Boiler Pressure Gauge . 5.1.5 Steam Admission Valve 5.1.6 Steam Turbine . . . . . 5.1.7 Generator . . . . . . . . 5.1.8 Condenser Tower . . . . 5.1.9 Operator Panel . . . . . 5.2 Fill/Drain System . . . . . . . 5.3 Data Acquisition System . . . . 5.3.1 Computer . . . . . . . . 5.3.2 DAQ Module . . . . . . 5.3.3 Sensors . . . . . . . . . 5.3.4 Software . . . . . . . . . 5.4 Cabinetry . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4.1 Chassis . . . . . . . . . 5.4.2 Electrical . . . . . . . . 5.4.3 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4.4 Miscellaneous . . . . . . Section 6 - Service and Maintenance 6.1 General Maintenance . . . . . 6.1.1 Cleaning . . . . . . . . 6.1.2 Condition Inspection . 6.1.3 Service Schedule . . . 6.2 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . 6.3 Factory Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CONTENTS 43 43 43 44 45 45 45 45 46 46 46 47 47 47 47 48 51 51 51 51 51 51 53 53 53 53 54 55 58 59

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Appendix A - WARRANTY INFORMATION

List of Tables
1.1 5.2 5.3 Shipping Container Inventory List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DAQ Channel Assignments and Sensor Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Channel Conguration - Analog Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 49 50

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xii

LIST OF TABLES

Section 1 General Information

1.1 Introduction

The Turbine Technologies, LTD RankineCycler Steam Turbine Power System is a complete steam electric power plant in miniature purposely designed for engineering education and research. The system accurately represents a typical fossil-fueled vapor power plant in which water is the working uid. Turning heat energy into useful work is the purpose of any vapor power system. With the RankineCycler, steam is generated by heating water in a multi-pass, ame-through tube type boiler with a super heat dome. This high-pressure steam is expanded through an axial ow turbine wheel that drives an AC/DC generator to produce electricity. Leaving the turbine at low pressure, the vapor then enters a condenser tower, returning to its original liquid state. In a full scale power plant, this liquid water would then be returned to the boiler. Initial thermodynamic calculations can be made using the classic Ideal Rankine Cycle model. Numerical predictions based on the temperature-entropy process ows of the cycle can then be measured directly on the RankineCycler with the integrated data acquisition system. Sensors located at various points along the vapor path allow accurate measurements to be made of the operating conditions at those points. Explaining the dierences and accounting for the real world results presents limitless educational opportunities. For safety and convenience, the RankineCycler is not equipped with a feedwater return pump. Because actual pump work is signicantly less than that in the turbine, neglecting the pump contribution will have negligible eect on the net work of the cycle and the cycle calculations overall. Additional opportunities in the study of Environmental and Pollution engineering are possible through both qualitative and quantitative analysis of other parameters outside the scope of the stock RankineCycler.

Reasonable expectations regarding experimental results must be made when operating the RankineCycler or any similar equipment where scale eects are present. By size and design, the system can only model full-size steam and power generation. Eciency, power output and overall system performance will naturally be much dierent than that for the same process on a larger scale. Additionally, temperatures and pressures are necessarily kept low for safety considerations. In whole, the RankineCycler provides an excellent foundation for exploring the shortcomings (and pitfalls) of applying textbook formulas and ideal data to a problem without considering all aspects of the overall system. The challenge to the student is in the analysis of experimental run-time data and determining why the results may dier from analytical expectations. This is the true benet of hands-on, laboratory and experimental engineering. Rest assured, no Laws of Thermodynamics are broken during the operation of the RankineCycler.

SECTION 1

1.2

SAFETY

As with any piece of laboratory equipment, basic safety precautions must be followed at all times. Protective eyewear must be worn whenever the equipment is in operation or receiving service. Complete familiarization with all aspects of the RankineCycler system and its operation must be made prior to usage. During normal operation, various surfaces of the RankineCycler obtain temperatures that can cause severe burns. ALL surfaces of the system should be considered HOT during operation. Under no circumstances should the boiler doors be opened during operation. The RankineCycler boiler has been low cycle fatigue pressure tested to 150% of normal operating pressure. The boiler is NOT ASME rated, nor is it approved by any other testing facility or regulatory body. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO OR BYPASS SAFETY DEVICES AND/OR CONTROLS TO FORCE OPERATIONS OUTSIDE OF PUBLISHED LIMITATIONS. DO NOT EXCEED, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PUBLISHED MAXIMUM OPERATING PRESSURE. If any limitation is exceeded, operation of the system should be suspended until a determination is made of the cause of the out of limit condition and suitability for continued operation. The RankineCycler is considered to be in operation WHENEVER the burner is ignited, there is positive boiler pressure or any surface is warmer than ambient temperature.

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE LIMITATIONS AND USAGE AS SET FORTH IN THIS OPERATORS MANUAL MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

1.3

Specications
LENGTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.0 inches (77 cm) WIDTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48.0 inches (122 cm) HEIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58.0 inches (148 cm) HEIGHT with FILL BEAKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.0 inches (209 cm) WEIGHT operational . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 lbs (80 kg)

DIMENSIONS - Steam Turbine Power System

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS - Steam Turbine Power System ELECTRICAL SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 VAC Breaker Protected FUEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liquid Propane (LP) Only ADEQUATE VENTILATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steam and Combustion Gasses ADEQUATE CLEARANCE to allow operator access to all four sides, RECOMMEND 48 inches (122 cm) on the RIGHT and REAR SIDES. RECOMMEND 72 inches (183 cm) on the LEFT and FRONT SIDES. Existing Fire and Safety Codes may prevail.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.4

Uncrating and Set-Up

The RankineCycler is shipped in a custom built container for maximum protection against damage during delivery. It is recommended that a thorough inspection of the containers exterior be made prior to acceptance from the shipper. If any damage or discrepancy is noted, it should be brought to the attention of the shipping agent immediately and prior to any further disassembly of the shipping container. When unloading or moving the shipping container, DO NOT apply pressure or force to the container sides. Doing so may puncture the container and damage the contents inside. The steps necessary to uncrate the RankineCycler and prepare it for initial use are outlined as follows. NOTE: DO NOT discard ANY material within the shipping container until a complete inventory has been made of the included contents. 1. Remove Shipping Container Front Door DO NOT pry the container open! Locate the front door of the container as indicated by the DOOR - OPEN THIS SIDE ONLY stencil. Approximately 21 screws, indicated by 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) red squares and located around the door perimeter, need to be removed to open the container front door. Only remove those screws delineated by the red squares. With all the screws removed, the door may be opened and set aside. 2. Remove Packaged Contents Boxes Various items are separately boxed and/or located under the RankineCycler cabinet. The following items are typically included: (a) Important Documents and System Keys A box marked Important Documents contains all documents essential to the operation of the RankineCycler (including backup software disks and sensor calibration data). Included are two copies of the RankineCycler Steam Turbine Power System Operators Manual. One copy should be removed at this time and used for the remainder of the SET-UP process and all subsequent operation. The other copy should be set aside for safe keeping. A set of QuickCheck operator checklists are included for convenient reference and ecient operation of the RankineCycler. The keys for the RankineCycler Master Switch are located within the manual binder, attached to the top binder ring. It is recommended that one key be left in the binder for safe keeping and the other placed into the Master Switch until a specic key storage location and usage policy is determined. (b) Boiler Fill/Drain Beaker The ll/drain beaker is located in a box and wrapped in protective plastic. (c) Computer Equipment Any computer equipment and accessories ordered with the system will be found in a box. All software required to operate the data acquisition system is preloaded on this computer. 3. Remove Hold Down Clips Three hold down clips secure the RankineCycler to the shipping container. These clips are indicated by 2.0 inch (5.0 cm) red squares, one each on the left, right and rear exterior sides of the shipping container. By removing the items in Step 2 above, access is gained to the clips and the corresponding fasteners on the interior of the box. Remove these three clips and corresponding fasteners.
Turbine Technologies, LTD is not responsible for damage due to shipping. It is the recipients responsibility to inspect the shipping container for obvious external damage and to make the appropriate claims with the shipping agent prior to accepting the contents or opening the shipping container.

SECTION 1 4. Remove Perimeter Base Screws At the base of the left, right and rear exterior sides of the shipping container are the perimeter base screws holding the upright sides of the shipping container to the pallet base. Approximately 12 screws, indicated by 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) red squares, need to be removed around the container base. No other screws need be removed. 5. Remove Shipping Container Side/Top Assembly With the perimeter base screws removed in Step 4 above, the three container sides (with the top still attached) can be removed. This is accomplished by tilting the container assembly back, away from the open door. Take care that the sides continue to clear the RankineCycler as the entire assembly is tilted back. Once it is clear of the RankineCycler, the container side assembly can be set aside. 6. Lift RankineCycler Clear of Pallet With adequate assistance, the RankineCycler may now be lifted clear of the container pallet and set on the oor. To avoid damage to the system, only lift on the area adjacent to the cabinet legs. DO NOT lift by grasping any of the components on the top side of the system cabinet. 7. Unlock Caster Wheels All four caster wheels under the system cabinet are lockable and will be locked for shipping. Lifting the locking tab releases the lock mechanism. Release all four caster wheel locks as necessary. 8. Remove Protective Packing Material A large piece of plastic will be draped over the entire RankineCycler. Bubble-wrap type material will be wrapped around the entire system. The two boiler doors will be secured with a length of plastic wrap. Remove all of this material from the RankineCycler. 9. Inventory / General Condition Assessment / Cleaning Using Table 1.1 as a guide, inventory all received contents and verify their general condition. Separate Packing and Inventory lists will be found within the shipping container to further assist in this process. If any item is found to be missing or damaged, contact Turbine Technologies, LTD immediately. With a soft cloth, wipe any dust or dirt from the system cabinetry and accessories. 10. Retain Shipping Container / Materials With all RankineCycler components accounted for in Step 9, the shipping container may be removed for storage. All packing material should be placed within the container and the container side assembly and front door reattached with the original screws previously removed. While the container may be disposed of at this time, it is recommended that the container and packing material be retained for future use should the need arise to move the RankineCycler over any appreciable distance, store for an extended period of time or to return the RankineCycler to the factory for service or upgrade. 11. Connect Suitable Fuel Supply An appropriate liquid propane tank with an adequate supply of fuel is required to operate the RankineCycler. Tanks of the 20, 30 and 40 pound variety common to gas cooking appliances and portable heating equipment are acceptable. The 20 pound size is ideal for classroom use, allowing portable operation with several hours of run-time. The fuel source gas regulator and hose assembly is tie-wrapped to the front, right cabinet leg. Cut the tie-wrap loose and connect the provided fuel source gas regulator to the selected fuel source. This regulator is factory adjusted to work with liquid propane fuel. Please consult the factory prior to using other fuel types.

The RankineCycler is now ready for operation. See Section 4 - Normal Procedures for further instructions.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Table 1.1: Shipping Container Inventory List ITEM NUMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DESCRIPTION 1 2 3 4 Level SHIPPING CONTAINER . RankineCycler . . Fuel Source Gas Regulator/Hose Assembly . Important Documents . . Master Keys . . Operators Manual . . Computer Software . Box 1 . . Fill/Drain Beaker . Box 2 . . Computer/Power Cable/Power Adapter . . USB Cable

QTY 1 1 1 1 2 2 various 1 1 1 1 each 1

LOCATION SHIPPING CONTAINER RankineCycler Front, Right Leg SHIPPING CONTAINER Important Documents Important Documents Important Documents SHIPPING CONTAINER Box 1 SHIPPING CONTAINER Box 2 Box 2

SECTION 1

Section 2 LIMITATIONS
The RankineCycler is designed to be operated within the following limitations. Under no circumstances should these limitations be exceeded by any margin. Operator safety and ecient operation of the RankineCycler is contingent upon these limitations being followed.

BOILER
MAXIMUM OPERATIONAL BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 psi (827 kPa) MAXIMUM OPERATIONAL BOILER STEAM TEMPERATURE . . . 608 F (320 C) MAXIMUM OPERATIONAL BOILER VOLUME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 oz (6,000 ml) OPERATING FLUID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WATER

BURNER
FUEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LIQUID PROPANE (LP) ONLY

GENERATOR
MAXIMUM MAXIMUM MAXIMUM MAXIMUM GENERATOR GENERATOR GENERATOR GENERATOR OUTPUT, Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.0 Volts OUTPUT, Current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0 Amps OUTPUT, Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Watts SPEED, RPM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4500 RPM

SECTION 2

Section 3 ABNORMAL PROCEDURES

The RankineCycler is designed with the highest regard to operator safety. It is very unlikely during the normal course of operation and within the limitations set forth in this manual, that any conditions will be encountered requiring the use of ABNORMAL PROCEDURES as set forth herein. These procedures are provided in the event of a worst case scenario resulting from multiple system failures. The procedures in this section outline the minimum steps necessary to achieve a safe system state. When the system is secured and there is no further potential for personal harm, normal shutdown procedures should be completed. All further operation of the system should be suspended until a determination is made of the cause of the abnormal event and the suitability for continued operation is determined by qualied personnel. Summary operating checklists are provided in the ABBREVIATED PROCEDURES sections (3.1.X). Detailed procedures for the same steps are described in the EXPANDED PROCEDURES sections (3.2.X). In general, remembering OFF - OPEN - OFF, will be all that is necessary to deal with any abnormal condition encountered with the RankineCycler. 1. OFF - Shut OFF the Master Switch. 2. OPEN - OPEN the Steam Admission Valve, relieving system pressure. 3. OFF - Shut OFF the supply of gas to the burner.

OFF - OPEN - OFF

10

SECTION 3

ABNORMAL PROCEDURES

11

3.1
3.1.1
1. 2. 3. 4.

ABBREVIATED ABNORMAL PROCEDURES

BOILER OVERPRESSURE
MASTER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE (or FUEL SOURCE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF IF SAFETY IS NOT COMPROMISED

a. LOAD SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON b. LOAD RHEOSTAT CONTROL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TURN FULLY CLOCKWISE

3.1.2

FIRE

1. MASTER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF 2. FIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EXTINGUISH WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER 3. IF SAFETY IS NOT COMPROMISED a. STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN b. OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE (or FUEL SOURCE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF

3.1.3
1. 2. 3. 4.

ELECTRICAL

MASTER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE (or FUEL SOURCE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF LOAD SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF

OFF - OPEN - OFF

12

SECTION 3

ABNORMAL PROCEDURES

13

3.2
3.2.1

EXPANDED ABNORMAL PROCEDURES

BOILER OVERPRESSURE

BOILER OVERPRESSURE occurs anytime the boiler pressure exceeds 130 psi (896 kPa) as indicated on the analog boiler pressure gauge. Multiple safety devices make the likelihood of an overpressure condition unlikely. An independent boiler pressure transducer continually measures the boiler operating pressure and regulates the burner accordingly. Flame control is provided for and monitored by a microprocessor based gas ignition and regulation module. Finally, a manual overpressure poppet valve, located on top of the boiler, is designed to automatically relieve boiler pressure should the internal pressure exceed 130 psi (896 kPa). In the event a failure of these three safety devices occurs, the operator should immediately eliminate the potential for any further pressure rise. 1. The console MASTER SWITCH should be placed in the OFF position. Doing so removes all electrical power to the system. By removing electrical power, both the gas regulator and the combustion blower will shut o. Both are needed to support combustion in the boiler. By eliminating the heat source, no additional energy transfer to the boiler is possible thereby eliminating the potential for further pressure rise. 2. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned counter-clockwise to the fully OPEN position. This vents boiler pressure through the normal steam path across the turbine and into the condenser tower. With no heat and an open steam admission valve, the boiler pressure should begin decreasing immediately. 3. Turn the OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE (or FUEL SOURCE) to the OFF position. Items 1 through 3 should suciently eliminate the potential for further pressure rise. If operator safety is in question, all personnel should leave the area until such time that the boiler has cooled. 4. IF SAFETY IS NOT COMPROMISED in any way, the following additional steps should be considered: a. Select the LOAD SWITCH to the ON position. b. Rotate the LOAD RHEOSTAT CONTROL to the FULLY CLOCKWISE position. Engaging the LOAD SWITCH helps to quickly dissipate the steam pressure by placing a load on the steam turbine (through the generator). This also prevents damage to the turbine, generator and associated bearings caused by overspeeding the turbine with the higher than normal steam pressure.

3.2.2

FIRE

The likelihood of a FIRE is virtually non-existent with the RankineCycler. Although a ame is present within the boiler, only a failure at the operator panel gas valve, the fuel source regulator or the connecting hose would produce a ame or persistent re requiring the use of abnormal procedures. It should be noted that the burner may occasionally burp producing an audible popping noise with a small blue ame present at the blower inlet. This behavior is normal and should NOT be considered a re requiring the execution of the re abnormal procedures. 1. The console MASTER SWITCH should be placed in the OFF position. Doing so removes all electrical power to the system. By removing electrical power, both the gas regulator and the combustion blower will shut o.

14

SECTION 3 2. Using an available and appropriate FIRE EXTINGUISHER (ABC Type), extinguish the ames. If operator safety is in question, all personnel should leave the area, activate the appropriate re alarm and follow the required emergency plan. 3. IF SAFETY IS NOT COMPROMISED in any way, the following additional steps should be considered: a. Because of the elevated heat around the system, the potential exists for a boiler overpressure condition. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned counter-clockwise to the fully OPEN position. b. Turn the OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE (or FUEL SOURCE) to the OFF position, positively removing the fuel source and eliminating the potential for re-ignition.

3.2.3

ELECTRICAL

There are two distinct electrical systems within the RankineCycler, the main bus that powers the indicator lights, boiler combustion blower and the gas regulator system and a separate steam generator bus allowing the measurement of electrical generating capability of the steam turbine and generator. The main bus is further divided into a high and low system, each equipped with its own resettable circuit breaker (8 and 3 amps respectively). The main bus and the steam generator bus are electrically isolated preventing any interaction between the two systems. Problems of an electrical nature would most likely be caused through a short condition in either bus or between the two busses. Any electrical malfunction of a short or overload nature will trip the on board circuit breaker, the facility circuit breaker or both. If an electrical fault is suspected, either through an unexpected shut-down of the RankineCycler or through more obvious signs such as audible or visible arcing or electrical type smoke caused by melting insulation, the following steps should be followed. Once the system is secure, a close examination of the cause of the malfunction should be made prior to resetting any circuit breaker. 1. The console MASTER SWITCH should be placed in the OFF position. Doing so removes all electrical power to the system. 2. As standard procedure and to maintain consistency with other abnormal procedures, the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned counter-clockwise to the fully OPEN position. 3. As with Item 2, turn the OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE (or FUEL SOURCE) to the OFF position. 4. The LOAD SWITCH should now be selected OFF to remove any resistance from the steam generator bus.

OFF - OPEN - OFF

Section 4 Normal Procedures

The RankineCycler is designed with simplicity and operator convenience in mind. Inexperienced operators will quickly gain familiarity and condence with the system permitting the collection of meaningful data from the very rst run. No special knowledge or skills are required to use the RankineCycler thereby allowing its usage in even the most basic of science and engineering courses. This section provides a set of standard procedures to follow while operating the RankineCycler. The steps and the order in which they appear represent the most ecient procedure to initiate operation of the RankineCycler and to collect run-time data for use in a typical academic setting. Aside from the necessary cool down time, a complete operational run can be accomplished within a one-hour lab session. Summary operating checklists are provided in the ABBREVIATED PROCEDURES sections (4.1.X). Detailed procedures for the same steps are described in the EXPANDED PROCEDURES sections (4.2.X). Familiarity with these procedures must be made prior to operating the RankineCycler for the rst time. Experienced operators should continue to use the checklist for each operational run to eliminate the possibility of overlooking or inadvertently eliminating a necessary step. With power removed from the system (electrical service removed), the various switches, valves and controls may be manipulated without harm to the system. This permits the ability to use the checklists in a dry run or rehearsal fashion prior to operating the RankineCycler under power. The RankineCycler represents a dynamic system. Operation should not be initiated without a purpose or plan such as a lab procedure. Each participant needs to be familiar with their role and what to do in case of an emergency (see Section 3 - ABNORMAL PROCEDURES).

WARNING
Do Not Permit Unattended Operation of the RankineCycler

15

16

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

17

4.1

Abbreviated Normal Procedures

Abbreviated Normal Procedures consist of a series of easy to follow summary operating checklists for the safe and ecient operation of the RankineCycler. These checklists are presented in order of usage. Each item should be completed before proceeding to the next item. Each section must be completed before proceeding to the next section. It is recommended that one operator read the checklist while another performs the task. Six separate Checklist are provided as follows: 1. Section 4.1.1 PRE-START - Prepares the RankineCycler for operation. 2. Section 4.1.2 START and OPERATION - Starts the RankineCycler and establishes a steady state system. 3. Section 4.1.3 DATA COLLECTION - Uses the data acquisition system to display and record system operational parameters. 4. Section 4.1.4 SHUTDOWN - Stops operation of the RankineCycler. 5. Section 4.1.5 MEASUREMENTS - Steps necessary to measure the quantity of boiler water used and condensate collected. 6. Section 4.1.6 STORAGE - Prepares the RankineCycler for extended storage.

18

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

19

4.1.1
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

PRE-START

AREA CHECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VERIFY SUITABILITY FOR OPERATION CASTER WHEELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LOCKED KEYED MASTER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF BURNER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF LOAD SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF LOAD RHEOSTAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MINIMUM LOAD, FULL COUNTER-CLOCKWISE POSITION OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF VISUAL INSPECTION

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.

FUEL TANK/SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED BURNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED BOILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED BOILER PRESSURE GAUGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED SIGHT GLASS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED STEAM LINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED OPERATOR PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED CONDENSER TOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHECKED

CONDENSER TOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN FRONT and REAR BOILER DOORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED and LATCHED STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN BOILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN, COMPLETELY BOILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FILL, 203 oz (6,000 ml) maximum - use provided beaker Allow approximately 5 minutes for complete ll. FILL EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . STOWED - DO NOT leave beaker in condenser tower STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED COMPUTER DAQ SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CONNECT USB CABLE RANKINECYCLER ELECTRICAL SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CONNECT FUEL SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . CONNECT to barbed tting, only use provided regulator on fuel source FINAL CHECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COMPLETE

20

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

21

4.1.2
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

START and OPERATION

COMPUTER DAQ SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COMPUTER ON FUEL SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON FUEL LEAK CHECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COMPLETED OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON MASTER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON - GREEN LIGHT BURNER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON - RED LIGHT COMBUSTION BLOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VERIFY ON PURGE FUEL LINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IF NECESSARY BURNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VERIFY LIT within 45 SECONDS BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VERIFY POSITIVE PRESSURE within 3 MINUTES PREHEAT Allow approximately 7 minutes to complete the following preheat steps:

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 psi (758 kPa) STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 psi (276 kPa) STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSE BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 psi (758 kPa) STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 psi (276 kPa) STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSE BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 psi (758 kPa)

STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN slowly VOLT METER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FULL SCALE DEFLECTION 15.0 Volts LOAD SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ON ADJUST LOAD RHEOSTAT to MAINTAIN: BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 psi (758 kPa) ADJUST STEAM ADMISSION VALVE / LOAD RHEOSTAT TO ACHIEVE STEADY STATE CONDITION.

a. b. c. d. 18. 19. 20. 21.

AMP METER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.2 Amps VOLT METER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.0 Volts BOILER PRESSURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 psi (758 kPa) WHEN STEADY STATE ACHIEVED, RESUME CHECKLIST

TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NOTED SIGHT GLASS UPPER BEZEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SET TO WATER LEVEL STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PERIODIC ADJUSTMENT, STEADY STATE CONDUCT EXPERIMENT AS REQUIRED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MONITOR WATER LEVEL (NOT LESS THAN 1 inch (2.5 cm) FROM BOTTOM OF SIGHT GLASS)

22

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

23

4.1.3

DATA COLLECTION

NOTE: The following steps assume the use of the standard PersonalDaqView and default settings as supplied with the RankineCycler. Use of non-default settings or other software may necessitate alternative methods or procedures for data collection. Consult the PersonalDaqView or software specic manuals as required. 1. 2. 3. 4.
OPEN DAQ SOFTWARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pDaqView RECORD DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SELECT Arm Trigger for Disk Recording DISPLAY DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SELECT Enable Readings Column CONFIGURE CHARTS, GRAPHS or METERS . . . . . Select the appropriate button on the Main Control Window 5. Make Changes as Necessary 6. SAVE RECORDED DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DE-SELECT Arm Trigger for Disk Recording

Consult the PersonalDaq UsersManual.pdf and the PostAcquisition Analysis.pdf manuals for more information on the capabilities and usage of the included data acquisition software. These manuals are found in the C:\Program Files\pDaqView\Applications\Users Manuals directory.

24

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

25

4.1.4
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

SHUTDOWN

TIME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NOTED STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED SIGHT GLASS LOWER BEZEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SET TO WATER LEVEL BURNER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF, RED LIGHT EXTINGUISHED OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF LOAD RHEOSTAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MINIMUM LOAD, FULL COUNTER-CLOCKWISE POSITION LOAD SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF MASTER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF, GREEN LIGHT EXTINGUISHED STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN FUEL SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF

26

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

27

4.1.5

MEASUREMENTS
a. INSURE EQUIPMENT HAS SUITABLY COOLED FOR HANDLING and THERE IS NO BOILER b. CONDENSER TOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN FULLY c. CONDENSATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RECORD VOLUME d. DISCARD CONDENSATE - DO NOT REUSE
PRESSURE

1. To Measure Condensate Collected

2. To Measure Boiler Water Consumed a. INSURE EQUIPMENT HAS SUITABLY COOLED FOR HANDLING and THERE IS NO BOILER b. c. d. e. f.
PRESSURE STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN BOILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FILL TO SIGHT GLASS UPPER BEZEL BOILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN TO SIGHT GLASS LOWER BEZEL BOILER WATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RECORD VOLUME STOW MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT

28

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

29

4.1.6
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

STORAGE

COMPUTER DAQ SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF, DISCONNECT, STOW USB CABLE LOAD RHEOSTAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MINIMUM LOAD, FULL COUNTER-CLOCKWISE POSITION LOAD SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF BURNER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF KEYED MASTER SWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF FUEL SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OFF FUEL SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DISCONNECT, SUPPLY LINES STOWED RANKINECYCLER ELECTRICAL SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DISCONNECT, CORD STOWED STEAM ADMISSION VALVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OPEN INSURE EQUIPMENT HAS SUITABLY COOLED FOR HANDLING and THERE IS NO BOILER PRESSURE BOILER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN FRONT and REAR BOILER DOORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED and LATCHED CONDENSER TOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DRAIN FINAL CHECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COMPLETE RANKINECYCLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SECURED

30

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

31

4.2

Expanded Normal Procedures

Expanded Normal Procedures consist of a series of descriptive steps detailing each summary operating checklist item necessary for the safe and ecient operation of the RankineCycler. These steps are presented in order of usage. Each item should be completed before proceeding to the next item. Each section must be completed before proceeding to the next section. It is recommended that one operator read the steps aloud while another performs the task. Six separate sections are provided as follows: 1. Section 4.2.1 PRE-START - Prepares the RankineCycler for operation. 2. Section 4.2.2 START and OPERATION - Starts the RankineCycler and establishes a steady state system. 3. Section 4.2.3 DATA COLLECTION - Uses the data acquisition system to display and record system operational parameters. 4. Section 4.2.4 SHUTDOWN - Stops operation of the RankineCycler. 5. Section 4.2.5 MEASUREMENTS - Steps necessary to measure the quantity of boiler water used and condensate collected. 6. Section 4.2.6 STORAGE - Prepares the RankineCycler for extended storage.

32

SECTION 4

NORMAL PROCEDURES

33

4.2.1

PRE-START

The PRE-START checklist must be completed prior to operating the RankineCycler. The checklist establishes that all systems are ready for operation and that heat can be safely applied to the boiler. 1. The AREA CHECK is a general assessment to VERIFY SUITABILITY FOR OPERATION. This includes a suitability determination of safety and facilities factors, additional equipment requirements and the presence of trained, knowledgeable operators. All operators and personnel in the immediate area should know the location of re extinguisher equipment, circuit breakers and fuel supply valves, as well as being familiar with existing safety policies and procedures, emergency escape routes, and emergency services telephone numbers/points of contact. The facility must provide adequate ventilation sucient to vent the anticipated amounts of steam and combustion gas production. In addition to safety glasses, all operators should have access to face shields, gloves, lab coats or other items of personal protection as deemed necessary. All operators must be thoroughly familiar with the contents of this manual prior to operating the RankineCycler. It is strongly encouraged that two or more individuals operate the RankineCycler as a team to enhance safety and insure that all checklist items are completed. 2. CASTER WHEELS must be in the LOCKED position prior to operation, preventing movement that may either pose a safety hazard or disrupt critical operations such as boiler lling. 3. KEYED MASTER SWITCH to the OFF position puts the system into a known, safe condition from which it can be properly started. The MASTER SWITCH controls electrical power distribution to the entire system. With the MASTER SWITCH OFF, no electricity can ow to the burner, thereby preventing any chance for ignition prior to the system being ready. 4. BURNER SWITCH to the OFF position puts the system into a known, safe condition from which it can be properly started. 5. LOAD SWITCH to the OFF position puts the system into a known, safe condition from which it can be properly started. 6. LOAD RHEOSTAT to the MINIMUM LOAD, FULL COUNTER-CLOCKWISE POSITION puts the system into a known, safe condition from which it can be properly started. 7. OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE to the OFF position puts the system into a known, safe condition from which it can be properly started. 8. At this point, a thorough VISUAL INSPECTION of each major component or system is performed. This will verify that the component or system is in a safe condition for proper operation. This important step veries that no components were damaged, tampered with or removed since the last run. If any component is in doubt, qualied personnel should be consulted prior to operation. a. The FUEL TANK/SOURCE must be CHECKED for general condition. Liquid Propane (LP) bottles and corresponding regulators should be free from rust or corrosion, not damaged in any way and intact with all standard safety features in place. Fuel lines should be free from cuts and abrasion. All ttings and open lines must be clean and free from dirt and moisture. Any liquid propane fuel source may be used providing it can accept the Turbine Technologies, LTD provided fuel source gas regulator and hose assembly. b. The BURNER must be CHECKED for general condition. All external surfaces should be free from damage such as dents or cracks. All external fasteners should be in place. The aluminum ns inside the blower fan should be straight and free from contamination. The vortex disk, visible through the open boiler doors should appear clean and straight.

34

SECTION 4 c. The BOILER must be CHECKED for general condition. The boiler mantle should be clean with no obvious signs of leakage. The front and rear boiler doors must t tight when closed, with no binding, and latch securely. d. The BOILER PRESSURE GAUGE must be CHECKED for general condition. There should be no obvious signs of leakage around the base ttings or the pressure gauge head. The pressure gauge steam line must be free from kinks or non-original bends. The gauge itself must be undamaged with no cracks permitted in the clear faceplate. e. The SIGHT GLASS must be CHECKED for general condition. All ttings should be tight with no obvious signs of leakage. All external fasteners should be in place. The SIGHT GLASS should be intact with no cracks. f. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE must be CHECKED for general condition. There should be no obvious signs of leakage around the valve. The valve should move from fully closed to fully open with no binding. g. The STEAM LINES must be CHECKED for general condition. There should be no obvious signs of leakage around any STEAM LINE ttings. The lines must be free from kinks or non-original bends. The orange insulating tape should be secure at all locations. h. The OPERATOR PANEL must be CHECKED for general condition. All switches, controls and meters should be secure in the console. The clear meter face plates must be in place and not cracked or otherwise damaged. i. The CONDENSER TOWER must be CHECKED for general condition. The CONDENSER TOWER should be free from dents or other damage. The outlet must be free from obstruction. 9. The CONDENSER TOWER should be DRAINED. This provides a known starting condition for the next experimental run. CONDENSER TOWER condensate will usually contain some amount of minerals depending upon water quality. Drain the CONDENSER TOWER using the attached clear tubing and pinch-clamp. Discard any condensate collected from the CONDENSER TOWER.

10. The FRONT and REAR BOILER DOORS must be CLOSED and LATCHED. 11. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE must be OPEN to allow air to vent out of the boiler during the ll operation. Water will not enter the boiler with the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE closed. 12. The BOILER should be DRAINED completely. This provides a known starting condition for the next experimental run. The BOILER can be quickly drained using the ll/drain valve and beaker assembly. Place the beaker on a rm support lower than the boiler ll/drain valve at the rear of the boiler. Insert the aluminum coupler at the end of the beaker hose assembly into the ll/drain valve coupling hole. Firmly pressing the coupler into the ll/drain valve will open the internal valve and allow water to ow out of the boiler. Open the beaker ball valve to allow water to drain into the beaker. When it appears that no more water is draining from the boiler, close the beaker ball valve and remove the aluminum coupler from the ll/drain valve. The water collected from this draining operation may be discarded. 13. Fill the BOILER with 203 oz (6,000 ml) of clean, distilled water (tap water is acceptable, although, depending on dissolved mineral content, boiler fouling may eventually result). This amount will ll the boiler to the recommended level allowing for the most ecient operation. Any quantity over this recommended amount will likely degrade boiler performance and may prevent the boiler from producing any pressure. With the beaker ball valve closed, ll the beaker to the desired boiler level. Place the beaker on a rm support higher than the boiler ll/drain valve at the rear of the boiler. If this is the rst run of the day or adequate time has passed that the condenser tower is suciently cool, the base of the beaker may be placed into the top opening of the condenser tower for convenience. Insert the aluminum coupler at the end of the beaker hose

NORMAL PROCEDURES

35

assembly into the ll/drain valve coupling hole. Firmly pressing the coupler into the ll/drain valve will open the internal valve and allow water to ow into the boiler. Open the beaker ball valve to allow water to ll the boiler. When all the water has emptied from the beaker, close the beaker ball valve and remove the aluminum coupler from the ll/drain valve. Allow approximately ve minutes to completely ll the boiler using the beaker. 14. The FILL EQUIPMENT should be STOWED, keeping it out of the way during operation and in a safe location. If the beaker assembly was placed into the top opening of the condenser tower while lling the boiler, remove it before proceeding to the next step. 15. The STEAM ADMISSION VALUE to the CLOSED position puts the system into a known, safe condition from which it can be properly started. Starting with a closed valve allows boiler pressure to properly build. 16. The COMPUTER DAQ SYSTEM USB cable should now be CONNECTED to the DigiDAQ system receptacle on the left side panel of the RankineCycler. A computer with the appropriate data acquisition software should be connected to the opposite end of the cable. Make sure the computer is OFF prior to connecting the cable or the DAQ Module hardware/software may not properly initialize. 17. The RANKINECYCLER ELECTRICAL SERVICE should be CONNECTED to the electrical outlet. 18. The FUEL SOURCE line should be CONNECTED to the barbed gas inlet underneath the RankineCycler cabinet. Verify that the Turbine Technologies, LTD gas source regulator and hose assembly are used for this purpose. Use of any other regulator or hose combination may result in poor RankineCycler performance. If any other regulator or hose combination is to be used, please consult the factory for assistance. 19. Insure that a FINAL CHECK of all items is COMPLETE. Verify that each checklist item has been covered.

4.2.2

START and OPERATION

The START and OPERATION checklists details the steps necessary to take the RankineCycler from the shutdown, cold condition through preheating and run-time data collection at steady state. The various values are recommendations and should provide satisfactory results under most conditions. As skill is gained and operational technique rened, the ability to establish a steady state condition will come more readily. 1. The COMPUTER DAQ SYSTEM (data acquisition computer) should be turned ON. This allows the computer adequate time to initialize prior to data collection. Make sure the computer is connected via USB cable to the DigiDAQ system receptacle on the left side panel of the RankineCycler prior to turning the computer ON or the DAQ Module hardware/software may not properly initialize. 2. The FUEL SOURCE regulator can be turned ON. 3. A FUEL LEAK CHECK must be COMPLETED prior to proceeding further. A hissing gas sound and/or gaseous odor (characterized as rotten eggs) will indicate that there is a problem with the fuel supply connection to the RankineCycler. IMMEDIATELY shut the FUEL SOURCE OFF. DO NOT proceed further until the source of the gas leak can be determined and rectied. 4. Turn the RankineCycle OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE to ON. This permits the ow of fuel to the fuel control system.

36

SECTION 4 5. Select the MASTER SWITCH to the ON position. Verify illumination of the GREEN panel light. Electrical power is now available to the system and the controls. 6. Select the BURNER SWITCH to the ON position. Verify illumination of the RED panel light. Electrical power is now available to the combustion blower. 7. Observe the COMBUSTION BLOWER and VERIFY ON. The COMBUSTION BLOWER motor will begin to rotate, drawing air into the burner and forcing it through the boiler. 8. PURGE FUEL LINES IF NECESSARY. This is accomplished by allowing the COMBUSTION BLOWER to operate for approximately 45 seconds, selecting the BURNER SWITCH to OFF then immediately selecting the BURNER SWITCH back to ON. This assures that the fuel lines are purged by reseting the starting cycle of the fuel control system. After approximately 45 seconds, the automatic gas valve will open and the BURNER will light. 9. VERIFY that the BURNER has LIT within 45 SECONDS of selecting the BURNER switch to the ON position. It should be noted that the burner may occasionally burp - producing an audible popping noise with a small blue ame present at the blower inlet. This behavior is normal and should NOT be considered a re requiring the execution of the re abnormal procedures.

10. Monitor BOILER PRESSURE. VERIFY POSITIVE PRESSURE within 3 MINUTES from BURNER start. If there is no positive indication of boiler pressure within three minutes of starting the BURNER, select the BURNER switch to OFF and investigate. Verify that the proper amount of water is in the boiler and the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE is fully CLOSED. When ready to proceed, start with Step 9 above. 11. The system should now be PREHEATED. This allows the steam lines, valves and turbine to come up to the proper operating temperature. The turbine bearings are also lubricated at this time. During the preheating period, small vapor leaks and condensation droplets may be seen around the turbine and related ttings. This is normal and should subside once the turbine bearing clearances close due to thermal expansion. The preheating process outlined below should take approximately 7 to 10 minutes to complete. This preheating process is essential to supplying the highest quality steam available to the turbine. If preheating is omitted, condensation will form in the steam lines degrading system performance overall. a. Allow the indicated BOILER PRESSURE to rise to approximately 110 psi (758 kPa). b. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned counter-clockwise to OPEN. This will allow steam to ow throughout the system. The turbine/generator may or may not rotate at this point. c. Monitor BOILER PRESSURE until it falls to approximately 40 psi (276 kPa). d. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned clockwise to CLOSE. This will stop the ow of steam throughout the system and allow the boiler pressure to build again. e. Allow the indicated BOILER PRESSURE to rise to approximately 110 psi (758 kPa). f. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned counter-clockwise to OPEN. This will allow steam to ow throughout the system. The turbine/generator may or may not rotate at this point. g. Monitor BOILER PRESSURE until it falls to approximately 40 psi (276 kPa). h. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned clockwise to CLOSE. This will stop the ow of steam throughout the system and allow the boiler pressure to build again. i. Allow the indicated BOILER PRESSURE to rise to approximately 110 psi (758 kPa).

NORMAL PROCEDURES

37

12. While maintaining approximately 110 psi (758 kPa) of BOILER PRESSURE, the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be OPENED slowly. The rate at which the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE is OPENED should be just enough to maintain 110 psi (758 kPa) of BOILER PRESSURE and to counter any tendency for the BOILER PRESSURE to increase beyond this value. Once the turbine begins to rotate, the generator will produce electricity. Generator output will be directly indicated on the VOLT METER. 13. Continue opening the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE until the VOLT METER shows an approximate FULL SCALE DEFLECTION or an indicated 15.0 Volts. 14. The LOAD SWITCH should be selected to ON. 15. The LOAD RHEOSTAT should be ADJUSTED to MAINTAIN: 16. A BOILER PRESSURE of approximately 110 psi (758 kPa). This is nothing more than a starting point and the operator should not spend a great deal of time trying to achieve these values exactly. 17. In preparation of an experimental data run, the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE and the LOAD RHEOSTAT may now be adjusted to achieve a STEADY STATE CONDITION. Satisfactory runtime results can be achieved with the following STEADY STATE values: a. An AMP METER indication of approximately 0.2 Amps. b. A VOLT METER indication of approximately 6.0 Volts. c. A BOILER PRESSURE indication of approximately 110 psi (758 kPa). d. These values need not be matched exactly. ACHIEVED, RESUME CHECKLIST. When a reasonable STEADY STATE is

18. To begin an experimental run, the TIME should be NOTED. This allows a steam rate calculation to be made at the conclusion of the experimental run. 19. SET the SIGHT GLASS UPPER BEZEL to the current, indicated WATER LEVEL. This allows measurement of the boiler water consumed during the experimental run. 20. Use the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE to make PERIODIC ADJUSTMENT maintaining the STEADY STATE established in Step 17. 21. Allow time to CONDUCT THE EXPERIMENT AS REQUIRED. Once the STEADY STATE has been achieved, this is usually nothing more than collecting an appropriate amount of data with the DAQ system for later analysis. While CONDUCTING THE EXPERIMENT, MONITOR WATER LEVEL in the BOILER using the SIGHT GLASS. The WATER LEVEL must NOT fall to LESS THAN 1.0 in (2.5 cm) FROM BOTTOM OF SIGHT GLASS. Serious BOILER or BURNER damage may result if the BOILER is allowed to run out of water. At the conclusion of the experiment, or should the WATER LEVEL fall below the lower limit, proceed immediately to the SHUTDOWN checklist, Section 4.1.4.

4.2.3

DATA COLLECTION

NOTE: The following steps assume the use of the standard PersonalDaqView and default settings as supplied with the RankineCycler. Use of non-default settings or other software may necessitate alternative methods or procedures for data collection. Consult the PersonalDaqView or software specic manuals as required. Momentarily moving the mouse pointer over a button will reveal the name of that button.

38

SECTION 4 1. From Windows, Open the PersonalDaqView software by double-clicking on the pDaqView shortcut icon in the RankineCycler folder located on the Windows Desktop. PersonalDaqView will start with the Main Control Window and Channel Conguration Window displayed. NOTE: The computer must be connected to the RankineCycler USB port prior to opening the PersonalDaqView software. The RankineCycler conguration software is dependent upon the specic DAQ Module serial number as installed in the RankineCycler and will not function properly if the DAQ Module cannot be found. Exit the program, attach the USB cable and start over with Step 1 above. To verify that the software is communicating with the DAQ Module, select View from the Main Control Window and select Active Devices... on the drop down menu. Verify that a check appears in the check box next to the appropriate device name. Generally, two device names will be present. A name specic to the DAQ Module installed (with a corresponding serial number) and a generic name such as PD1 representing a Simulated DAQ Module. 2. To record data to disk, select the Arm Trigger for Disk Recording button. This button appears as a play button with a red record indicator on it. Data acquisition begins and data is stored to a disk le as indicated in the Data Destination Window. The default destination, including the default le name of PDAQ.BIN is C:\Program Files\pDaqView\Applications\DATA\PDAQ.BIN. A dierent location and/or le name may be selected in the Data Destination Window. Step 2 may be skipped if recorded data is not necessary. 3. Start sampling real time data by pushing the play button - Enable Readings Column, within the Channel Conguration Window. Measured values are then displayed in the Reading column. 4. With the system sampling and displaying measured data, scrolling charts, bar graph, analog or digital meters may be displayed for any of the various channels as deemed appropriate for the type of data being collected. Select the appropriate button on the Main Control Window for the type of chart, graph or meter desired. 5. To change any setting within the Channel Conguration Window, it is rst necessary to push the stop button - Disable Readings Column, within the Channel Conguration Window. Make the changes as necessary, then repeat Step 3. Chart, graph and meter formatting may be changed by left, right or double clicking in the chart, graph or meter area. In some cases, it may be necessary to push the stop button - Disable Readings Column, to make changes to the chart, graph or meter. Repeating Step 3 resumes the display of measured values. It may also be necessary to push the play button on individual charts, graphs or meters if changes were made to those independently. 6. At the conclusion of the data run, deselect the Arm Trigger for Disk Recording button. The specic le saved during the data run must immediately be copied out of the present directory and/or renamed. Attempting to take additionally data will overwrite the current le resulting in the loss of that data. Read all dialog boxes that appear on the screen and understand the result of any action selected.

Consult the PersonalDaq UsersManual.pdf and the PostAcquisition Analysis.pdf manuals for more information on the capabilities and usage of the included data acquisition software. These manuals are found in the C:\Program Files\pDaqView\Applications\Users Manuals directory of the default DAQ software installation.

4.2.4

SHUTDOWN

The SHUTDOWN checklists ceases RankineCycler operation and places the system into a known, safe condition.

NORMAL PROCEDURES

39

1. At the conclusion of the experimental run, the TIME should be NOTED for a steam rate calculation. 2. Turn the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE to the CLOSED position. 3. SET the SIGHT GLASS LOWER BEZEL to the current, indicated WATER LEVEL. This allows measurement of the boiler water consumed during the experimental run. 4. Select the BURNER SWITCH to OFF. Verify that the RED light is extinguished indicating that no electrical power is available at the burner or the blower. The blower should immediately stop rotating. 5. The OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE should be selected OFF. 6. The LOAD RHEOSTAT should be turned FULL COUNTER-CLOCKWISE, resulting in MINIMAL LOAD. 7. The LOAD SWITCH should be selected OFF. 8. The MASTER SWITCH should be selected OFF. Verify that the GREEN light is extinguished. 9. The STEAM ADMISSION VALVE should be turned to the fully OPEN position. This relieves all remaining boiler pressure. 10. The FUEL SOURCE valve should now be turned OFF.

4.2.5

MEASUREMENTS

1. To Measure Condensate Collected a. INSURE EQUIPMENT HAS SUITABLY COOLED FOR HANDLING and THERE IS NO BOILER PRESSURE. b. Locate a suitable measuring vessel for collecting the condensate. As the condensate will contain suspended turbine oil, it is suggested that a disposable or condensate specic vessel be used. Remove the pinch-clamp from the clear hose allowing the CONDENSER TOWER condensate to FULLY DRAIN into the vessel. c. With all the CONDENSATE drained from the CONDENSER TOWER, replace the pinchclamp on the clear hose. RECORD VOLUME of CONDENSATE drained. d. Because of the potential for concentrated mineral amounts, appropriately DISCARD CONDENSATE - DO NOT REUSE in the boiler or for any other purpose. 2. To Measure Boiler Water Consumed a. INSURE EQUIPMENT HAS SUITABLY COOLED FOR HANDLING and THERE IS NO BOILER PRESSURE. b. OPEN the STEAM ADMISSION VALVE to vent the boiler. c. Using the ll beaker assembly, FILL the BOILER TO SIGHT GLASS UPPER BEZEL level. This represents the volume of water in the boiler when the steady state condition was achieved and the experimental run time noted. With the beaker ball valve closed, ll the beaker. Place the beaker on a rm support higher than the boiler ll/drain valve at the rear of the boiler. If adequate time has passed that the condenser tower is suciently cool, the base of the beaker may be placed into the top opening of the condenser tower for convenience. Insert the aluminum coupler at the end of the beaker hose assembly into the ll/drain valve coupling hole. Firmly pressing the coupler into the ll/drain valve will open

40

SECTION 4 the internal valve and allow water to ow into the boiler. Open the beaker ball valve to allow water to ll the boiler. When the SIGHT GLASS water level reaches that marked by the SIGHT GLASS UPPER BEZEL, close the beaker ball valve and remove the aluminum coupler from the ll/drain valve. d. Empty the ll beaker assembly of any water remaining from Item (c) above. Using the ll beaker assembly, DRAIN the BOILER TO SIGHT GLASS LOWER BEZEL level. The total volume of water drained into the ll beaker assembly represent the volume of water converted into steam and consumed during the experimental run. Place the beaker on a rm support lower than the boiler ll/drain valve at the rear of the boiler. Insert the aluminum coupler at the end of the beaker hose assembly into the ll/drain valve coupling hole. Firmly pressing the coupler into the ll/drain valve will open the internal valve and allow water to ow out of the boiler. Open the beaker ball valve to allow water to drain into the beaker. When the SIGHT GLASS water level reaches that marked by the SIGHT GLASS LOWER BEZEL, close the beaker ball valve and remove the aluminum coupler from the ll/drain valve. e. The total amount of water now in the beaker represents the total amount of BOILER WATER used during the steady state portion of the run. RECORD VOLUME. f. STOW MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT.

4.2.6

STORAGE

The STORAGE checklist prepares the system for an extended period of non-use. This can be anywhere from overnight to several months. In general, the system needs to be cool, clean and fully drained before being placed into storage. If the system is it be used within the same day, the STORAGE checklist may be omitted. Resume operation with the PRE-START checklists. 1. The COMPUTER DAQ SYSTEM (data acquisition computer) should be turned OFF, the USB CABLE DISCONNECTED from the DigiDAQ system receptacle on the side panel of the RankineCycler and all COMPUTER DAQ SYSTEM components STOWED for safe keeping. 2. LOAD RHEOSTAT to the FULL COUNTER-CLOCKWISE POSITION for MINIMUM LOAD. 3. LOAD SWITCH to the OFF position. 4. BURNER SWITCH to the OFF position. 5. KEYED MASTER SWITCH to the OFF position. The MASTER SWITCH KEYS should be removed and stored in a secure location. 6. OPERATOR PANEL GAS VALVE to the OFF position. 7. FUEL SOURCE REGULATOR to the OFF position. 8. FUEL SOURCE should be DISCONNECTED from the barbed tting underneath the system. The hose assembly should be STOWED. 9. ELECTRICAL SERVICE to the system should be DISCONNECTED and the CORD STOWED. 10. STEAM ADMISSION VALVE to the fully OPEN position. This vents the system and allows the boiler to be completely drained. 11. For safety and before proceeding further, INSURE EQUIPMENT HAS SUITABLY COOLED FOR HANDLING and THERE IS NO BOILER PRESSURE.

NORMAL PROCEDURES

41

12. The BOILER should be DRAINED completely. The BOILER can be quickly drained using the ll/drain valve and beaker assembly. Place the beaker on a rm support lower than the boiler ll/drain valve at the rear of the boiler. Insert the aluminum coupler at the end of the beaker hose assembly into the ll/drain valve coupling hole. Firmly pressing the coupler into the ll/drain valve will open the internal valve and allow water to ow out of the boiler. Open the beaker ball valve to allow water to drain into the beaker. When it appears that no more water is draining from the boiler, close the beaker ball valve and remove the aluminum coupler from the ll/drain valve. The water collected from this draining operation may be discarded. 13. For protection, the FRONT and REAR BOILER DOORS should be CLOSED and LATCHED. 14. The CONDENSER TOWER should be DRAINED completely. 15. COMPLETE a FINAL CHECK of the system. Clean any accumulated dirt, oil or water from the top surfaces as well as the individual components and operator panel. If the system is to be stored for an extended period of time, breathable covering material such as a cotton sheet should be placed over the system to prevent the accumulation of dust or dirt in the condenser tower and boiler chimney. 16. The RankineCycler should be stored in a SECURED place. For long-term storage, the original shipping container should be used for security and protection.

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SECTION 4

4.3

General Guidelines

The following General Guidelines are oered as quick reminders of those items requiring particular attention. Read and become familiar with the RankineCycler Operators Manual. Use the provided checklists during every operation. Mandate the appropriate personal safety equipment for all operators and observers. Know the facility safety policies, emergency contact numbers and location of re extinguishers. Consider all surfaces to be HOT during and for a signicant time after operation. Lock all four caster wheels during operation. Use only in a well ventilated area. Continually monitor all system parameters and be attentive for out of limit readings. Immediately stop operation if anything is questionable. Remember, the working uid is high temperature, pressurized steam.

DO NOT operate the RankineCycler without rst becoming familiar with the Operators Manual. DO NOT operate the system unattended. DO NOT touch any surface during operation. DO NOT move the system while operating or when the boiler is pressurized. DO NOT allow the boiler water level to become less than 1.0 in (2.5 cm) as indicated on the sight glass. DO NOT attempt to ll the boiler while the system is pressurized. DO NOT open the boiler doors while hot, doing so may cause permanent warp-age of the boiler cradle. DO NOT exceed scale readings/limitations on any instrument or gauge. DO NOT tighten or adjust ttings while system is under pressure. DO NOT tap on or scratch boiler sight glass.

Section 5 Systems
5.1 Steam Turbine System

The RankineCycler Steam Turbine Power System is representative of an actual steam power plant rendered in miniature. Each component faithfully models the full size component in purpose and function.

5.1.1

Burner

A forced air gas burner provides the necessary energy to vaporize the liquid working uid as it passes through the boiler. The burner converts chemical energy in the form of gaseous fuel into heat energy that the boiler can use. An electrically driven centrifugal blower provides combustion air to the burner through a blower duct. A fuel line is routed through this duct, delivering fuel to a gas mixing nozzle. The fuel and air are further mixed by a vortex disk that introduces turbulence to the ow. Factory calibration of the blower fan optimizes the mass ow rate of air for clean, ecient gas combustion. Ignition and subsequent combustion of the fuel and air mixture takes place downstream of the vortex dis within the primary ame tube of the boiler. A hot surface igniter located in the rear boiler door and at the end of the primary ame tube provides the ignition source. The igniter is a resistance element that glows when current is applied to it. The fuel and air mixture combusts when it comes in contact with this glowing element producing a ame conned within the primary ame tube. Once combustion commences, the ame is self sustaining and the igniter will shut o. A ame sensor located within the blower duct and adjacent to the vortex disk monitors the presence of the ame and provides feedback to the microprocessor based gas and ignition control module. Operationally, the control module is designed to energize the gas valve and igniter through the feedback loop. The system is a positive shut o design that locks out the gas valve if the burner does not light within a four second ignition period. Blower operation commences when the BURNER switch is selected ON. A red panel light illuminates indicating that the switch is on and that power is available to the blower and the gas control module. The blower starts and begins providing combustion air. The gas control module commands the gas valve into a purge condition and then energizes the igniter for a period of 45 seconds. If the burner lights as detected through the ame sensor, the control module will continue energizing the gas valve as needed to maintain heat for the boiler. If the boiler does not light, it will repeat the process in a second attempt to light the burner. If this second attempt fails, the gas valve will be deenergized to prevent any further ow of gas. The system will then lock itself out as a safety precaution. The system can only be reset by cycling the BURNER switch. A boiler pressure transducer regulates a preset boiler pressure by cycling the burner on and o (through the gas control module). 43

44

SECTION 5

A bi-metallic, self resetting switch on the boiler prevents the occurrence of high-temperature boil over by opening the burner circuit should a preset temperature be exceeded. The burner is attached to the forward boiler door via a anged tting on the blower duct. The blower duct extends an additional length into the boiler and mates with the primary ame tube. A positive seal between the blower duct and the primary ame tube is achieved through the ame seal ring.

5.1.2

Boiler

The boiler facilitates the vaporization of the system working uid, making it available to the turbine for power extraction. All boilers provide for some manner of heat transfer between the heat source and the system working uid. The RankineCycler utilizes a retube or shell type boiler arrangement which is representative of over 80% of all boiler systems in use today. The shell of the boiler is an 8 in (20.3 cm) diameter by 11.5 in (29.2 cm) long stainless steel cylinder. The cylinder holds both the working uid of the system as well as the high-pressure vapor prior to it exiting to the turbine. To allow heat transfer, 17 0.5 in diameter (1.3 cm) tubes pass through the cylinder allowing hot combustion gasses from the burner to ow through the boiler. Five of these boiler tubes lie above the full water line. A primary ame tube 2 in (5.1 cm) in diameter also passes through the boiler and holds the ame produced by the burner. The walls of the 17 tubes and the primary ame tube provide nearly 380 in2 (2,451.6 cm2 ) of surface area for heat transfer. Positive pressure provided by both the blower and the expansion of the combustion gasses moves the hot air through and out of the primary ame tube. The rear boiler door then ducts this air to the 17 through tubes. The combined volume of the 17 through tubes is just under that of the primary ame tube, insuring an even air ow with maximum surface area contact. The hot air exits the through tubes and is ducted by the front boiler door through a vertical stack, exhausting the combustion gasses up and away from the boiler. Both the front and rear boiler doors are hinged. Latches secure the doors in the closed position while the system is operating. When the system is not operating and suciently cool, the doors may be unlatched and opened for viewing. The general arrangement of the through tubes and the primary ame tube can be seen. The rear door holds the hot surface gas igniter while the front door holds the blower unit and the exhaust stack. All of these components are plainly visible while the doors are open. In addition, each door is insulated and contains a refractory material to aid in the proper and ecient transfer of heat. For optimum performance, the hot surface gas igniter should not be touched. Integral to the boilers construction are ve threaded bosses. These bosses provide a way in or out of the boiler. They are as follows: 1. Steam Dome Discharge Fitting This tting allows the vaporized working uid to exit the boiler and ultimately be used for useful work. This tting discharges to the boiler pressure gauge and then the turbine through the steam admission valve. 2. Boiler Vapor Temperature Thermocouple Fitting A thermocouple enters this tting to provide the measurement of working uid vapor temperature. 3. Sight Glass Supply Fitting This tting supplies the sight glass to indicate the relative level of water in the boiler. 4. Sight Glass Vent Line / Overpressure Poppet Valve Fitting The sight glass is vented through this tting back into the boiler. An overpressure safety valve is also located at this tting. Should the boiler pressure exceed 130 psi (896 kPa), this valve will open, relieving boiler pressure.

SYSTEMS

45

5. Fill/Drain Valve Fitting This tting, located on the bottom of the boiler is attached to a ll/drain valve that allows the lling and draining of the system working uid. The entire boiler shell is insulated with a ceramic blanket to stem heat loss through the boiler wall. An external mantle protects this insulation from damage.

5.1.3

Sight Glass

The sight glass provides an indication of the relative level of working uid within the boiler. An upper and lower adjustable bezel allow the extents of working uid to be marked. These markings make it easy to measure the amount of working uid consumed during operation of the system. Attached to the bottom of the sight glass is the ll tting, connecting the sight glass to the boiler and permitting the boiler working uid level to show in the sight glass. At the top of the sight glass is a vent tting that also connects back to the boiler to equalize pressure. The sight glass is not calibrated and only provides an indication of the boiler uid level. Because of the curvature of the boiler cylinder and the presence of the through tubes, the level in the sight glass is non-linear over the volume of the boiler.

5.1.4

Boiler Pressure Gauge

An analog pressure gauge is installed providing a direct read out of available boiler pressure. The gauge indicates the normal range of operation with a white background. The red area of the gauge indicates pressure conditions that exceed normal operating limitations.

5.1.5

Steam Admission Valve

The steam admission valve is a needle type valve that regulates the ow of steam vapor to the turbine. In the fully clockwise position, the valve is CLOSED preventing the ow of steam. In the fully counter-clockwise position, the valve is OPEN and the full ow of steam is available to the turbine. Intermediary positions regulate accordingly. In addition to the steam admission valve setting, steam ow is dependent on boiler pressure and temperature.

5.1.6

Steam Turbine

The steam turbine provides useful work through the extraction of energy from the vaporized working uid provided by the boiler. High pressure steam is directed through a nozzle, forcing the steam to impinge directly on the blades of the turbine wheel causing it to rotate. This rotation is then used to derive useful work. The single stage turbine unit is made up of a front and rear housing, each precision machined and tted with a carbon bearing requiring no additional oil or lubrication. The front housing holds a stationary slotted vane guide ring and turbine shroud. The rear housing is empty and serves as a diuser to the expanding steam upon exiting the turbine. The rotating turbine is centered in the front housing turbine shroud and rides on a stainless steel shaft supported by the carbon bearings. High pressure steam, as regulated by the steam admission valve, enters the front housing through a tting. Directed through the vane guide rings six radially spaced nozzles, the steam causes the turbine to rotate by the steams momentum reaction on the turbine blades. The steam now expands and diuses in the rear housing, exiting through an exhaust tting directing the steam to the condenser tower. In addition to the inlet and outlet ttings in the front and rear housing, respectively, two other ttings provide transducer access to turbine inlet temperature and pressure as well as turbine outlet temperature and pressure. These values are measured by the data acquisition system and available at the computer.

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SECTION 5

5.1.7

Generator

The generator utilizes the rotational motion of the turbine to produce electrical energy. A four-pole, permanent magnet, brushless design, the generator is directly coupled to the output shaft of the turbine and supported on its own set of preloaded ball bearings. Both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) are available at the generator outputs. The AC is as generated, while the DC is produced after having passed through a diode rectier. No ltering, ripple suppression or voltage regulation is provided following rectication.

5.1.8

Condenser Tower

The condenser tower facilitates heat transfer between the hot vapor exiting the turbine and the relatively cool ambient air surrounding the tower. The tower mantle, manufactured from aluminum, provides the heat transfer interface and a condensation surface. Steam enters the condenser tower through a distribution manifold that disperses the steam within the tower to maximize contact with the mantle. Four internal stainless steel baes further direct the steam along the mantle, while allowing condensate to run back to a catchment basin at the bottom of the condenser tower. This basin can be drained, using the attached hose and pinch-clamp, to accurately measure the amount of condensation collected. Approximately 625 in 2 (4,032 cm2 ) of area is available for heat transfer and condensation formation.

5.1.9

Operator Panel

Various controls and indicators are provided to assist the operator in using the RankineCycler. 1. Keyed Master Switch The key lockable system master switch controls the supply of electrical power to the main bus that powers the indicator lights, boiler combustion boiler and the gas control module. When selected ON, power is available to this main bus. A GREEN indicator light will illuminate when this switch is selected ON and power is available to the main bus. The separate steam generator bus is not controlled by this switch. 2. Burner Switch The burner switch enables the gas control module and powers the burner blower. A RED indicator light will illuminate when this switch is selected ON and power is available to the burner circuits. The burner switch only works if the keyed master switch is selected on. 3. Load Switch The load switch enables the load bank. The load bank presents a true load to the generator, allowing the operator to simulate conditions at a full scale power station when consumer demand uctuates. 4. Load Rheostat Control The load rheostat control varies the amount of load presented to the generator. The generator sees this as a true electrical load quantied in terms of resistance, measured in Ohms - . The full counter-clockwise position of the control represents NO LOAD. The full clockwise position of the control represents FULL LOAD. The range of control is linearly variable, with NO LOAD equal to 0 and FULL LOAD equal to 100 . 5. Operator Panel Gas Valve The operator panel gas valve regulates the ow of gas to the on board gas regulator. The burner controller modulates this gas valve internally to provide gaseous fuel to the burner. Rotating the black gas valve knob counter-clockwise to the 3 oclock position OPENS the valve. Rotating the valve knob clockwise to the 6 oclock position CLOSES the valve and prevents any ow of gas through the regulator. The two valve positions are marked on the face of the regulator near the black gas valve knob. The valve has spring locking detents that indicate when the valve is properly positioned in either the open or closed positions.

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47

6. Amp Meter The amp meter indicates the amount of current the load is drawing based upon the load (as set by the Load Rheostat Control) and the available voltage (as provided by the generator - a function of generator speed/RPM). 7. Volt Meter The volt meter indicate the amount of voltage the generator is providing (a function of generator speed/RPM).

5.2

Fill/Drain System

The RankineCycler Fill/Drain System allows the convenient, hands free lling of the boiler with an accurate and repeatable amount of water. A 203 oz (6,000 ml) graduated beaker connects with the ll/drain valve at the rear of the boiler through an attached ll hose, ow valve and aluminum ll/drain coupler. The aluminum coupler is required to open the specially designed ll/drain valve. This eliminates the potential of inadvertent boiler opening during positive pressure operation providing the ll/drain system is properly used and the beaker assembly stowed when the system is under pressure. The ll/drain system operates on gravity. Filling or draining the boiler is a matter of locating the beaker in respect to the level of the boiler ll/drain valve. For lling, and providing the RankineCycler is cool, the beaker can be set in the condenser tower opening.

5.3

Data Acquisition System

The RankineCycler comes equipped with the DigiDAQ precision data acquisition system permitting a full range of system parameter measurement. This system, comprising a suite of sensors, excitation power sources, signal conditioners, data acquisition hardware and user interface software, when used in conjunction with an appropriate computer, allows actual run-time data to be displayed and recorded for later analysis. O the shelf hardware, industry standard software and factory setup and calibration of the data acquisition system makes data collection a trivial event allowing the educational emphasis to be placed on system operation and analysis. Additional information can be obtained from the respective manufacturers equipment and software manuals contained in the three-ring binder included with the RankineCycler. In the unlikely event that data acquisition system software settings or sensor calibration is lost, all factory settings are provided on CD-ROM for quick data restoration. Additional information regarding default system settings can be found in subsequent sections of this chapter.

5.3.1

Computer

The RankineCycler is typically provided with a Microsoft Windows XP Professional based laptop computer for portability and system security. Final factory sensor settings are saved to this computer as well as a standard user interface display for initial system familiarization and data collection runs. The computer is equipped with a writable CD-ROM and Ethernet interface to facilitate run-time data dissemination. For maximum exibility, the system is designed to work with any Windows XP Professional computer equipped with a standard Universal Serial Bus (USB).

5.3.2

DAQ Module

The RankineCycler DigiDAQ System utilizes an IOtech Personal Daq/56 USB Data Acquisition Module. Featuring 22-bit analog to digital conversion, multiple channels of voltage, thermocouples, pulse, frequency and digital I/O can be measured and controlled. This is accomplished through 20 single-ended or 10 dierential analog (up to 20V full scale) or thermocouple input channels, 16 programmable ranges, 500V optical isolation, 16 digital I/O lines and four frequency/pulse channels.

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SECTION 5

The integrated USB connection allows a single cable interface of up to 16 feet (5 meters) between the RankineCycler and the data acquisition computer. This distance is easily increased up to 98 feet (30 meters) through the use of powered USB hubs (serving as data repeaters). The USBs high-speed data transfer rate (up to 12Mbits/s) allows for a real-time display of acquired data, while eliminating the need for buer memory in the data acquisition system itself. Unused data channels are available for operator use. With sensors or transducers appropriate to the variables of interests, interface to the DAQ Module is accomplished through convenient, removable screw-terminal input connections. Optionally available snap-on expansion DAQ Modules increase the total channel capacity to 60 analog or thermocouple channels, 32 digital I/O lines and four frequency input channels. USB hubs used in conjunction with multiple DAQ Modules can further increase the available channel count to over 8,000 - enough for any conceivable data acquisition need.

5.3.3

Sensors

Ten (10) system parameters are sensor measured with the stock RankineCycler conguration. The basic sensor package includes pressure, temperature and ow sensors measuring parameters common to Rankine Cycle type analysis. The following list details the measured system parameters and their corresponding physical DAQ Module channel. Table 5.2 provides more detailed information concerning channel assignments, installed sensor or transducer type and a listing of all open and available DAQ Module channels. 1. Boiler Pressure (physical analog channel PD1 A01) - Boiler vapor pressure. 2. Steam Turbine Inlet Pressure (physical analog input channel PD1 A02) - Turbine vapor pressure immediately prior to the turbine. 3. Steam Turbine Outlet Pressure (physical analog input channel PD1 A03) - Turbine vapor pressure immediately after the turbine. 4. Boiler Pressure (physical analog input channel PD1 A04) - Boiler vapor pressure. 5. Steam Turbine Inlet Temperature (physical analog input channel PD1 A05) - Turbine vapor temperature immediately prior to the turbine. 6. Steam Turbine Outlet Pressure (physical analog input channel PD1 A06) - Turbine vapor pressure immediately after the turbine. 7. Generator Current (Amperage) Output (physical analog input channel PD1 A07) - Generator current output, should correspond to operator panel meter readout. 8. Generator Voltage Output (physical analog input channel PD1 A08) - Generator voltage output, should correspond to operator panel meter readout. 9. Fuel Flow (physical analog input channel PD1 A09) - Turbine-based gas ow meter measures the volume of gaseous fuel owing per unit time. 10. Turbine/Generator RPM (physical analog input channel PD1 A10) - Turbine/Generator rotational speed (in revolutions per minute, RPM) derived from measuring the voltage of the direct current output voltage as provided by the rotating generator. Generated DC voltage is a direct function of generator speed/RPM.

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Table 5.2: DAQ Channel Assignments and Sensor Details PHYSICAL CHANNEL Analog PD1 A01 Analog PD1 A02 Analog PD1 A03 Analog PD1 A04 Analog PD1 A05 Analog PD1 A06 Analog PD1 A07 Analog PD1 A08 Analog PD1 A09 Analog PD1 A10 Frequency PD1 F1 Frequency PD1 F2 Frequency PD1 F3 Frequency PD1 F4 Digital PD1 D01 Digital PD1 D02 Digital PD1 D03 Digital PD1 D04 Digital PD1 D05 Digital PD1 D06 Digital PD1 D07 Digital PD1 D08 Digital PD1 D09 Digital PD1 D10 Digital PD1 D11 Digital PD1 D12 Digital PD1 D13 Digital PD1 D14 Digital PD1 D15 Digital PD1 D16 SYSTEM PARAMETER Boiler Pressure Steam Turbine Inlet Pressure Steam Turbine Outlet Pressure Boiler Temperature Steam Turbine Inlet Temperature Steam Turbine Outlet Temperature Generator Amperage Generator Voltage Fuel Flow RPM OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN SENSOR TYPE Setra Model 209 Setra Model 209 Setra Model 209 K-type thermocouple K-type thermocouple K-type thermocouple On board voltage On board voltage Dwyer TF2110 On board voltage PHYSICAL RANGE 0 - 200 (psig) 0 - 25 (psig) 0 - 25 (psig) max 1375 C max 1375 C max 1375 C 0 - 1.0 Amps 0 - 15.0 Volts 0 - 10 ltrs / min 0 5,250 RPM SENSOR OUTPUT 0.5 - 5.5 Volts 0.5 - 5.5 Volts 0.5 - 5.5 Volts

0.0 - 0.05 Volts 0.0 - 15.0 Volts 0.0 - 5.0 Volts 0.0 - 15.0 Volts

50

Table 5.3: Channel Conguration - Analog Input Physical Channel PD1 A01 PD1 A02 PD1 A03 PD1 A04 PD1 A05 PD1 A06 PD1 A07 PD1 A08 PD1 A09 PD1 A10 User Label BP T IN P T OUT P BT T IN T T OUT T DC - A DC - V Fuel Flow RPM Single-ended/ Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Dierential Measurement Duration 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms 110 ms

On On On On On On On On On On On

Range -220.0 to 180.0 -220.0 to 180.0 -55.0 to 45.0 Type K Type K Type K -200.0 to 200.0 -20.0 to 20.0 -20.0 to 20.0 -20.0 to 20.0

Units PSIG PSIG PSIG C C C AMPS VOLTS LTRS/MIN RPM

Scale 40.0 5.0 5.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 20.0 1.0 1.6 350.0

Oset -20.0 -2.5 -2.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

NOTE: These values represent the default Channel Conguration as set by the factory and should provide satisfactory performance under normal conditions. Scale and Oset values may be changed if recalibration or other engineering units are required. Entering a Scale value of 1.0 and an Oset value of 0.0 on any channel results in the display of raw voltage in the Reading column for that channel. Scale and Oset values are derived from the linear mx + b transfer function for each sensor relative to the appropriate physical range and voltage output as provided in Table 5.2 (PhysicalValue = Scale Voltage + Oset ). The Reading column will only be populated when the data acquisition system is sampling data. It has been omitted from this table for clarity. Chapter 4 of the PersonalDaq UsersManual .pdf contains further information on the Channel Conguration Window.

SECTION 5

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5.3.4

Software

The DigiDAQ System utilizes IOtechs Personal DaqView software for Out-of-the-Box graphical data acquisition. This software provides an easy-to-use yet powerful data acquisition application that allows inexperienced users to test, display and record data within minutes of power-up while requiring no programming. The software works seamlessly with the IOtech Personal Daq/56 USB Data Acquisition Module installed in the RankineCycler. Individual channel conguration is accomplished through a spreadsheet type interface. Each channel can be enabled, congured and labeled independently of all other channels. Sensor output is converted into physical, engineering terms by applying Scale and Oset values in an mX + b operation. The software allows the creation of customized real-time displays using built-in display options including charts, graphs and meters. Each display option can be independently congured by channel to show instantaneous values, peak hold and trends. All displayed data is easily recorded for later play-back and follow-on analysis. Post-acquisition software is also included to facilitate time-domain data viewing of multiple channels. Additional software to enable real-time data acquisition from within Microsoft Excel is also available. The DigiDAQ System is designed to work with other popular software packages including IOtechs DASYLab and National Instruments LabVIEW. With the appropriate software, advanced data acquisition, control and virtual instruments (VI) may be utilized with the installed DigiDAQ System in the RankineCycler. Application Programming Interface (API) code, documentation and drivers for Visual Basic and C++ for Windows are freely available at the IOtech website.

5.4
5.4.1

Cabinetry
Chassis

The RankineCycler cabinetry is purpose built. Laser cut for precision and powder coated for long lasting durability.

5.4.2

Electrical

Standard outlet service of 120 VAC, 60 Hz (220 VAC, 50 Hz) is the only electrical service necessary to operate the RankineCycler. Gas regulation and control and the DigiDAQ system electrical requirements are served internally. No additional external electrical service is required. Computer equipment or additional operator provided sensors, meters or instrumentation will necessarily require their own electrical service as appropriate to the specic equipment used.

5.4.3

Fuel

Fuel is supplied to the RankineCycler through an external source, usually a standard Liquid Propane (LP) bottle typical of the type used for gas grills and portable heating equipment. A fuel source gas regulator and hose assembly is provided with the RankineCycler to make the connection between the fuel source and the on board gas regulator. The provided fuel source gas regulator and hose assembly are specially calibrated and adjusted to work with each RankineCycler. Any adjustment to this regulator or deviation from the recommended fuel may result in poor system performance. Turbine Technologies, LTD should be consulted if any changes are necessary due to local fuel availability. A barbed tting on the bottom of the RankineCycler provides a convenient and quick method of attaching the fuel source gas regulator and hose assembly to the on board gas regulator.

5.4.4

Miscellaneous

The RankineCycler cabinetry is tted with lockable caster wheels to facilitate movement of the system for use and storage.

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SECTION 5

Section 6 Service and Maintenance

6.1 General Maintenance

The RankineCycler is designed for continuous educational and research use requiring only a minimal amount of service or maintenance. This section provides information regarding operator conducted routine service procedures. When any component requires service other than that outlined in this section, contact Turbine Technologies, LTD for additional assistance.

6.1.1

Cleaning

Keeping the RankineCycler clean and free from dirt, oil and water accumulation is the best way to maximize the usefulness and eciency of the system. Typical household, non-ammable and nonabrasive cleaners may be used where appropriate. Non-toxic, biodegradable, green or citrus type concentrated cleaners are particularly well suited for cleaning the RankineCycler where mineral or dirt buildup may occur. Boiler Periodically ushing with clean, distilled water (ll and empty per normal procedures without heating the boiler) will help prevent mineral build up and accumulation. Pay particular attention to the ll/drain valve area. As this is the lowest point in the system, sediment may collect in and around the ll/drain valve. Rapid opening and closing of the ll/drain valve by inserting and removing the aluminum coupler will help dislodge sediment and insure the ll/drain valve remains clean. DO NOT use any type of cleaner, soap or solvent when ushing the boiler. Condenser Tower The condenser tower, over time, may acquire a thin lm of mineral buildup on the internal mantle and bae surfaces depending upon local water conditions. A mild cleaner dilution works well to remove this buildup. Cabinetry All cabinet surfaces are electrostatically powder coated for maximum surface durability. Mild soap and water should be sucient for most cleaning needs. Other Components All system components are manufactured of materials that provide sucient resistance to corrosion under normal usage. Mild soap and water should be sucient for most cleaning needs. Care should be taken to minimize any water or cleaning solution contact with the generator assembly, particularly the coupling area between the turbine and the generator. Water or cleaning solution usage should be the minimal amount necessary to prevent contact with the wiring or electrical equipment within the system cabinetry.

6.1.2

Condition Inspection

The prudent operator will make a cursory condition check prior to each and every start up, operation and shutdown cycle of the RankineCycler. At regular intervals, particularly after long term storage 53

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or after extended running periods, it is advisable to conduct a more thorough inspection of the entire system to insure safety and reliability. The following points provide a minimal checklist for a periodic Condition Inspection:

1. Cleanliness Keeping the system clean and free from dust and dirt, mineral buildup and water will help in readily identifying problems. A regular cleaning helps the operator become more familiar with the general arrangement of components and aware when things arent as they should be.

2. Security of Fittings Ensuring all nuts, bolts, couplings and other areas where two components are physically attached are tight and secure will prevent future problems stemming from leakage or wear.

3. Proper Operation Simply monitoring the RankineCycler for operation consistent with the manual will assist in determining if greater problems are imminent.

4. Boiler Door Gaskets The boiler doors are sealed with a berglass gasket material. Over time, the material will degrade and begin to pull apart. This is normal. When the condition of the door gaskets is such that it no longer appears to be sealing or appears to be rapidly deteriorating, it should be replaced. The material is commonly available at replace or plumbing dealers as well as most industrial supply companies. New gasket material should be positively attached to the boiler door using high temperature stove and gasket cement or similar material.

5. General Condition Always be observant of the RankineCycler s general condition. Light damage such as paint chips, scratches or dents may appear minor, but could be hiding more extensive damage resulting in poor or improper operation of the RankineCycler as a whole.

Exercising common sense is the best action to follow. If something doesnt look or act right, there may be a problem. Usage should be delayed until the potential problem can be investigated and rectied. Always err on the side of caution. This protects the user as well as the machine. The RankineCycler should be aorded the same respect in operation, maintenance and overall care given to any piece of laboratory grade equipment.

6.1.3

Service Schedule

The design of the RankineCycler eliminates all periodic or reoccurring maintenance outside of that specically listed in Section 6.

SERVICE and MAINTENANCE

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6.2

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting information is provided to identify and provide solutions to common operator problems. These problems usually arise from not following the Normal Procedures in their proper order. Use of the included checklists will eliminate the possibility that a necessary step is overlooked or executed out of sequence (see Section 4 - Normal Procedures). Review the checklist steps prior to consulting the Troubleshooting tables. Problems that relate directly to RankineCycler hardware, such as a failed or damaged component, should be directed to the factory for immediate attention. Readily diagnosed problems arising from loose or broken electrical wires, loose uid ttings and no or low fuel pressure are generally deferred to the operator for troubleshooting and repair. Data acquisition hardware and software usage and troubleshooting is covered in greater detail within the provided users manuals. See PersonalDaq UsersManual.pdf and PostAcquisitionAnalysis.pdf within the C:\Program Files\pDaqView\Applications\Users Manuals directory of the default DAQ software installation. Operator modications may adversely eect the overall operation of the system and may prevent the following troubleshooting steps from being eective.

BOILER FILL/DRAIN
TROUBLE Boiler will not drain. PROBABLE CAUSE Fill/drain valve is not open or system is under vacuum. REMEDY Insert the aluminum ll/drain coupler fully into the boiler ll/drain valve. Turn the steam admission valve fully counter-clockwise to open the valve and vent the system. Turn the steam admission valve fully counter-clockwise to open the valve and vent the system. Insert the aluminum ll/drain coupler fully into the boiler ll/drain valve. Insure that the boiler was properly drained prior to lling. Relieve boiler pressure. Allow system to cool before attempting to ll.

Boiler will not ll.

System is under pressure or the ll/drain valve is not open.

Boiler will not accept a full 203 oz (6,000 ml) of water. Fill/drain valve does not open. Cannot insert aluminum ll/drain coupler.

Boiler was not previously drained. Boiler under pressure.

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BURNER OPERATION
TROUBLE System does not indicate power up when MASTER SWITCH is selected ON. PROBABLE CAUSE No electrical service to system. REMEDY Verify that electrical service is available to the system. Check line power cord is plugged into wall. Check that all applicable circuit breakers and other protection devices have not been tripped. Verify that the fuel source is properly attached to the unit. Properly purge the fuel lines per the Expanded Normal Procedures section. If fuel source gas bottle was stored outside, allow it to warm to room temperature and try again. Verify that there are no leaks in the gas line. Consult factory for instructions on adjusting the blower fan speed.

Burner does not light when BURNER SWITCH is selected to ON.

Inadequate fuel supply or air in the fuel lines.

Burner lights but operates rough, rapidly extinguishing and relighting.

Improper fuel to air mixture.

GENERAL OPERATION
TROUBLE Boiler does not come up to pressure. PROBABLE CAUSE Steam admission valve not fully closed. REMEDY Verify that the steam admission valve is fully closed and that there are no leaks in the steam tubing to or from the turbine. The system must be properly preheated before a steady state can be achieved. Steady state will be dicult to achieve if there is too much initial load on the generator. Turn down the load rheostat. Reduce turbine speed by closing steam admission valve and/or increasing generator load through the load rheostat.

Cannot achieve steady state.

Improper preheat. Load rheostat set too high.

Turbine squeals during operation.

Turbine speed is too high.

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57

DATA COLLECTION
TROUBLE Computer wont recognize DAQ Module. PROBABLE CAUSE USB cable not plugged in. Specic device not selected. REMEDY Make sure USB cable is connected between the computer and the DigiDAQ USB port on the left side panel before the software is started. To select the specic device, select View from the Main Control Window and select Active Devices... on the drop down menu. Check the box next to the serial numbered device. The required conguration le is RankineCycler.cfg. A backup copy is located in the RankineCycler folder on the desktop. COPY this le to the DAQ System directory: C:\Program Files\pDaqView\Applications. Prior to doing this, make sure the PersonalDAQ software is shutdown and the USB cable is connected. If the backup RankineCycler.cfg le cannot be found, a new conguration le can be created by manually entering the settings from Table 5.3 and Table ??. Charts, graphs and meters will have to be re-created. All run-time data is saved as PDAQ.BIN. Immediately after collecting data, copy and rename PDAQ.BIN to another location. It will be necessary to rst convert this binary data le to a usable le format such as text which is then readable by Microsoft Excel and other programs. To do so, from within the Main Control Window, select Tools and then Convert Binary Data... from the drop down menu.

Channel Conguration Window appears blank. All sensor setting are gone.

Factory conguration le has been erased or overwritten.

Run-time data doesnt appear to be saving.

Run-time data is getting overwritten.

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6.3

Factory Service

Turbine Technologies, LTD Factory Service Department is available to perform any service required on the RankineCycler. Factory trained technicians using only approved parts and the latest product information will clean, service and test your system. Our full parts inventory, production tooling and engineering department are available to insure that your RankineCycler is returned in the same condition as originally delivered. Before sending any Turbine Technologies, LTD product to the factory for service, rst email Product Technical Support (service@turbinetechnologies.com) to verify that there is a true problem with the system requiring factory service. In many cases, service issues can be handled by the operator through factory direction, eliminating the downtime associated with a factory return. If it is determined that factory service is required, a service information form will be sent for completion by the operator. Please include this service information form with the system when it is returned to the factory. Any information that may be benecial in servicing the system should be included on the service information form. To facilitate safe transportation of the system to the factory, ship it in its original factory shipping container. If the original container is no longer available, other crating may be used provided the system is securely packed. Damage caused by poor or inappropriate crating will not be covered under warranty. Do not send product documentation, cables, computers, support equipment (beakers, hoses, funnels, etc.) or any user add ons not specically part of the service concern. Under certain circumstances, only the actual part or system requiring service needs to be returned.

WARRANTY INFORMATION
RANKINECYCLER WARRANTY
Two Year Warranty
Turbine Technologies, LTD warrants each RankineCycler, of its manufacture, to be free of defects in materials and workmanship at time of shipment and to remain in serviceable condition for a period of two years (24 calendar months) following date of shipment. In the event of malfunction or failure, purchaser may, at its expense, return the RankineCycler to Turbine Technologies, LTD for inspection. If, in the sole discretion of Turbine Technologies, LTD, the malfunction or failure resulted from a defect in materials or workmanship, Turbine Technologies, LTD will repair or replace any defective component or assembly.

Specic Exceptions
Specic exceptions to the above section include: 1. This warranty will become void if any person has made an attempt, regardless of extent, to repair or modify the RankineCycler without express written authorization by Turbine Technologies, LTD. 2. This warranty does not apply to any damage resulting from operation outside the published operating limitations found in the Operators Manual. 3. The RankineCycler is not oered as and shall not be construed by purchaser, or any agent thereof, as a Consumer Product (within the common denition or denitions of the United States Federal Trade Commission). 4. The RankineCycler is represented to be, and is oered as, experimental technology, subject to the limitations in performance and safety risks inherent to equipment so classied. 5. The Purchaser and agents thereof shall be solely responsible for determining, prior to purchase, the suitability for any purpose or purposes intended of equipment, services or information oered or supplied by Turbine Technologies, LTD. 6. This Limited Warranty, as written, constitutes the entire warranty oered or intended, expressed or implied, and is oered in lieu of all other warranties. 7. The Limited Warranty does not apply to on-board hardware or software items that are covered by other OEM warranties.

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APPENDIX A