GE
Energy
Mark* VIe Steam Turbine Control
for New Combined-cycle Plants
The Mark* VIe control system is GE Energy’s newest and most
advanced control system for combined-cycle steam turbines.
As a member of the Mark VIe Integrated Control System (ICS),
it is available for the gas turbine, steam turbine, Heat
Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), and plant control systems
with common architecture, networks, and software suite to
simplify operation and maintenance. This flexible platform is
uniquely configured to deliver the best performance,
operability, and availability for the steam turbine and other
plant equipment to minimize life cycle cost.
Architecture
The system consists of a single-board controller that
communicates with individual I/O modules through a 100 MB
Ethernet. Each controller has redundant drivers for the
control network and the I/O network along with a main
processor and a QNX® real-time, multi-tasking operating
system. Its overall performance supports the most advanced
applications with model-based control of critical systems for
maximum efficiency and minimum emissions.
The I/O modules are normally clustered in a control cabinet,
but are also available for distribution to operate motor
operated valves for drains and other remote equipment. Each
I/O module contains a local processor with a QNX operating
system for execution of local, high-speed algorithms. The I/O
modules can also communicate peer-to-peer for fast
dynamic response to local conditions. Computation power
grows as I/O modules are added to the system. This provides
a scalable solution from small sub-systems to large control
and protection systems.
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fact sheet
Redundancy
The steam turbine control is actually a complete control,
protection, and monitoring system. It is configured with triple
redundant controllers, I/O networks, and sensors for critical
loops to deliver the best turbine availability. Since many
subsystems are not critical, the I/O redundancy is scalable,
module-by-module, from simplex to dual to triple. This helps
to optimize system reliability versus cost and size.
Triple redundant systems have the advantage of being able
to ride-through soft or partial failures and identify the
location of faults with “disagreement” diagnostics. This is
essential to minimize mean-time-to-repair (MTTR) and
facilitate online repair. The online repair capability is
supported at the I/O module level. Therefore, maintenance
can be performed on an individual module without disrupting
communication with other modules.
Turbine I/O
The steam turbine has both application-specific sensors, such
as Proximitors® and general-purpose sensors, such as
thermocouples. All sensors are monitored directly by the Mark
VIe I/O modules with no interposing instrumentation for
signal conversion. This reduces the number of single point
failures, reduces spare parts inventory, enhances diagnostics
by allowing the I/O processors to see the sensors directly, and
improves life cycle support by minimizing third-party
instrumentation.

Typical I/O types used on combined-cycle steam turbines
include:
• DI: 125 V dc, group isolated, 1 ms Sequence of Event (SOE)
available for all points
• DO: Mechanical relays with four 12 C contacts and
solenoid interface
• DO: 2/3 voting trip interface to 2/3 voting trip manifold
• AI: 1-5 V dc, ±5 V dc, ±10 V dc, and 0-20 mA (option for
HART*)
• AO: 4-20 mA and 0-200 mA
• TC: Types E, J, K, S, T, and mV inputs, grounded and
ungrounded
• RTD: 10 Ω copper, 100/200 Ω platinum, 120 Ω nickel,
grounded and ungrounded
• Speed: two sets of 3 passive Magnetic Pickups (MPUs) for
primary control and emergency protection
• Servo channels: with 3 coil servos and 3 LVDRs per
channel
• Proximitors: for vibration, rotor position, shell and
differential expansion, eccentricity
• Synchronizing: two sets of single-phase Potential
Transformer (PT) inputs for auto synch and backup synch.
Check in the Mark VIe control manual for Human-
Machine Interface (HMI) screen.
• Shaft voltage monitor interface: option
Networks and Communications
Ethernet is used at all levels including the information
networks, control networks, and I/O networks. Peer-to-peer
communication is supported between the steam turbine, gas
turbine, static starter, generator excitation, and Mark VIe-
based HRSG and balance of plant controls. A network time-
server can be provided for time synchronization to a local
time source or a global positioning satellite. This is available
with ±1 ms time accuracy between a controller and a time
source, and ±2 ms time coherence between control systems.
Precision Clock Synchronization protocol (IEEE1588) is used
for I/O networks to synchronize the 1 ms time stamps used
for sequence-of-events reporting. For flexibility, the I/O
networks also support a variety of I/O protocols including
HART®, PROFIBUS™, Modbus® and application-specific
drivers.
If the Distributed Control System (DCS) is supplied by others,
the local GE controls typically communicate with the system
by using OPC®, Modbus, or GE Standard Messaging (GSM)
protocols. All three protocols support full operation and
monitoring of the controls from the DCS, but only OPC and
GSM provide local high-resolution time tags.
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fact sheet
Software Packages
The ControlST* software suite comprises several high-
performance tools for ease of use by operators and
maintenance personnel. These include the WorkstationST*
application for management of HMI and Historian functions,
the ToolboxST* application for configuration and diagnostics,
and a CIMPLICITY® graphics user interface. Seamless
integration provides direct connectivity from parameters on
operator screens to their corresponding alarm history, trends,
logic diagrams, watch windows, and browsers. You can use
the drag-and-drop feature to move alarms and data on
SAMA-type diagrams to trends for analysis.
The ToolboxST application is used to configure software and
hardware for the entire system ranging from the I/O modules
to HMIs and printers. It is available for Mark VIe turbine
control, and it is backwardly compatible to Mark VI and Ve
turbine controls for sites with multiple generations of
controls.
Conclusion
The Mark VIe steam turbine control is a highly reliable triple
redundant control, protection, and monitoring system. Its
flexible architecture, modern networks, and versatile software
suite simplify operations and integration with plant-level
controls. Advanced algorithms incorporate decades of fleet
experience and the latest controls technology to deliver the
performance needed in today’s combined-cycle power
plants.
Benefits
• Reduced life cycle support with common architecture,
networks, and software suite with the Mark VIe ICS family
of controls
• Maximum reliability with triple redundant control and
protection
• Better availability with improved diagnostics and online
repair
• Improved performance with advanced algorithms
• Enhanced operability and maintenance with a versatile
software suite
For further assistance or technical information, contact the
nearest GE Sales or Service Office, or an authorized GE Sales
Representative.
© 2008, General Electric Company, All rights reserved.
* Trademark of General Electric Company.
CIMPLICITY is a registered trademark of GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc.
HART is a registered trademark of HART Communications Foundation.
PROFIBUS is a trademark of PROFIBUS International.
Modbus is a registered trademark of Schneider Automation.
OPC is a registered trademark of OPC Foundation.
QNX is a registered trademark of QNX Software Systems, Ltd. (QSSL).
Proximitor is a registered trademark of Bently Nevada.
GEA-S1203A 081028