Turbo-supervisory Instruments

# Test instruction for Turbine Stress evaluator (TSE) - KWU Steam Turbines.
Please find enclosed a copy of our instructions 4-1125-00 on the
above subject. These may please be followed to ensure healthiness of
Turbine Stress Evaluator.
Turbine Stress Evaluator Turbine Stress Monitoring Test Instruction.
Introduction:
This test instruction describes the plausibility checks to be carried
out on the measured values acquired by the temperature sensors for turbine
stress monitoring, as well as the recording of measured and calculated values for
long-term evaluation of temperature acquisition and of calculation circuitry.
Using either the turbine stress evaluator (TSE) or the stress
monitoring function of the turbine stress control system (TSC), non-steady-state
thermal stresses to which the steam turbine is exposed during start up and shut
down and as a result of changes in heat input to components during power
operation are acquired and compared with the permitted limits.
The margins obtained from this comparison define the stress and
set the bounds for permitted temperature load.
Evaluation of measured temperatures recording and action of the
calculated margins on the set point control for the turbine controller allow an
optimum mode as regards both degree of component fatigue and economical
operation.

Test recommendations :
A prerequisite for the proper functioning of turbine
stress monitoring as described in the introduction is fault free operation of the
measured value acquisition and evaluation functions.
All steam and component temperatures as well as the
calculated margins are either recorded on dotted line printers or stored by the

computer.
The plausibility of the measured data can be checked at a later date
using the printed or stored measured and calculated values. It is however
possible that, faulty turbine stress monitoring will result in selection of either too
fast an operating mode, which will have an adverse effect in terms of economical
operation.
For this reason, plausibility checks should be carried out on the
measured values at the intervals specified in Table-01, in order to detect and
correct any functional defects or faulty circuits within the temperature acquisition
equipment.
As part of the long term monitoring of operating parameters, all
measured and calculated TSE values should be registered during steady-state
operation under the same boundary conditions. These values should then be
recorded and archived to allow comparison at a later date.
Measurement should be performed at all intervals specified in Table-1.
Table-01
Type of check or
Measurement.

Test Intervals.

Boundary Conditions.

Test Interval.

Plausibility checks on measured Non- steady state and steady-state After inspections and overhauls or
values.
operation.
after work on the TS sensors.

3 months or after work on the TS

sensors or TS monitoring equipment.
Recording of measured

Steady-state operation.

And calculated values for long

term monitoring purposes.

Plausibility Checks On Measured values :

When performing plausibility checks on the measured TS values, the steam

and component temperatures must be compared with each other, taking certain criteria
into consideration. During non- steady state operation, it is also important to evaluate
the trend of the measured values overtime.

If the actual values do not conform to expected values, this may be due to
incorrect assignment of measuring points or to a polarity fault, e.g. at the transducers.
As regards the criteria to be considered, a distinction must be made between
plausibility checks performed during non-steady-state and steady-state steam turbine
operation.

Criteria for plausibility checks during non-steady-state operation.

1.
2.
3.
4.

The temperatures at the heated component surfaces must respond faster than those at the component wall centers.
The temperatures at the heated component surfaces are higher during warm-up and lower during cooldown than the temperatures at the
component wall centers.
During linear changes, the temperature differences (in K) arising in the component are directly proportional to the transient of change
ddt (in K/min).
During a cold start or startup after an extended shutdown, the HP turbine warms up rapidly, even while still operating below rated speed. In
the case of the IP turbine however, warm-up of the shaft take place to a certain extent as a sudden step change and occurs only just before
rated speed is reached, and then to a greater extent during subsequent loading.

Criteria for plausibility checks during steady-state operation.

1.
2.
3.

The same absolute temperatures and temperature margins must exist for the same steady-state operating conditions.
The steam temperatures upstream of the turbine must be higher than the component temperatures.
The differences that are in force between the main steam temperature and the temperature at the heated surfaces in the main steam valve bodies
or the steam admission area are only very slight (<5K).
During steady-state operation, temperature differences of approximately 15k maximum develop between the measuring points on the heated
surface and at the wall centers of valve bodies or the steam admission area.
The closer the turbine operating mode comes to the conditions for purely constant-pressure operation, the stronger will be the influence of turbine
output on the differences between main steam temperatures and the temperatures at the heated surface of the turbine casing and the shaft.
The temperatures at the heated surface of the casing and the shaft cannot be higher than those at the heated surface of the valve body or the
steam admission area.
For the shafts, the differences between the temperatures at the heated surfaces and the mean integral shaft temperatures are always
approximately 0.
For the barrel type casing of the HP turbine, differences of upto approximately 10K between temperatures at the heated surfaces and those at the
wall center are normal during steady-state operation.
For the IP turbine, the surface temperature of the IP turbine shaft is not measured directly but only at the heated surface of the inner casing.
Depending on the design-related location of the measuring point, differences of 10 to 40 K between the reheat steam temperature and the surface
temperature of the shaft can occur during steady state operation.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Long term monitoring through recording of all measured and calculated values.

By registering and recording all measured and calculated values at the intervals specified in Table-01 during steady-state turbine operation, the
thermal behavior of the turbine and the function of the turbine stress monitoring equipment can be monitored on a long term basis.
Long term monitoring can be used to detect and clarify any gradually developing changes.
If the check on the measured values reveals that the margins have changed due to the measured absolute temperatures and the
differences arising between them, this can probably be traced to a fault in the calculation circuitry. The cause of the fault must be determined, e.g. by
checking the specified limit curves in accordance with the procedure described in the manual for the TS monitoring equipment.
Table 2 contains all measured and calculated values, which may be required for the turbine stress monitoring equipment. These may be
adapted to plant-specific requirements.

Actions to be taken when actual conditions deviate from reference conditions :

If actual conditions deviate from reference conditions, the measured value acquisition function must be carefully checked and any faults
corrected.
If the deviations in measured and calculated values are particularly large, it must be assumed that the behavior of the turbine plant
will be adversely affected. In this case, action of the TS monitoring equipment on the setpoint control for the turbine controller must be temporarily
deactivated.
As long as action of the TS monitoring equipment on the setpoint control for the turbine controller is deactivated, the TS limit
curves must be used for evaluation of the thermal stresses imposed on the turbine components.

Table 02

Measured And Calculated Values For Long Term Monitoring.

Measured and Calculated

Values.

Effective power and reactive power.

Effective power
Reactive power.

Peff

MW

Preact
mMS

MVA

PMS

Kg/s

MS

bar

PHP exh

bar

HP exh

PRS

bar

RS

PIP exh

bar

IP exh

l adm

m adm

l HPS

m HPS

i IPS

m IPS

Main steam upstream of HP turbine.

Mass flow
Pressure
temperature

Exhaust steam downstream of HP turbine

Pressure
temperature

HP expansion section
Differential temperature S exh
Reheat steam upstream of IP turbine
Pressure
temperature

Exhaust steam downstream of IP turbine

Pressure
temperature

Wall temperatures, MS admission area

Surface
Wall center

Temperatures, HP shaft
Surface
Simulated at shaft centerline.

Temperatures, IP shaft
Surface
Simulated at shaft centerline.

Upper TS margins
Steam admission area
HP casing
HP shaft
IP shaft.

Terms.

adm u

Unit.

 HPC u

HPC u

IPS u

K
K

Lower TS margins
Steam admission area
HP casing
HP shaft
IP shaft

adm l
HPC l

HPS l

IPS l

K
K