System and device for over-speed protection of a turbo-machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9650912-B2
Application number	US-201615092121-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2012
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A system and device to prevent damage during over-speed condition in a turbo-machine. In one embodiment, the system includes a fluid circuit with a header, which couples to the turbo-machine, and a hydraulic circuit through which fluid evacuates the header to a drain during the over-speed condition. The hydraulic circuit includes a trip header manifold with a pilot element in flow connection with a drain valve element having an actuator to regulate flow of fluid from the header. For example, the pilot element uses a pair of solenoid valves to change pressure of a fluid in the drain valve element and maintains the actuator in a first position to prevent fluid evacuation during normal operating conditions. When over-speed condition is detected, the solenoid valves change state, reducing the pressure of the fluid, permitting the actuator to move to a second position placing the header in flow connection with the drain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for preventing damage in a turbo-machine, said device comprising:
a pilot element comprising a first pilot valve and a second pilot valve in flow connection with the first pilot valve and an actuator element configured to allow fluid to flow through the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve in response to a signal indicative of an over-speed condition in the turbo-machine;
a drain valve element in flow connection with the pilot element, the drain valve element comprising an actuator with a first position to prevent fluid flow through the drain valve element and a second position to permit fluid flow through the drain valve element;
a pilot fluid supply configured to direct fluid to the pilot element and the drain valve element, the pilot supply comprising a pilot isolation valve; and
a main fluid header configured to direct fluid to the drain valve element, the main fluid header comprising a main isolation valve;
wherein the drain valve element is configured to change from the first position to the second position in response to fluid flow across both of the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve, and
wherein the drain valve element is configured to change from the first position to the second position to deactivate the turbo-machine to prevent damage to the turbo-machine.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the drain valve element comprises a biasing element that maintains the actuator in the first position.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the biasing element comprises a coil spring.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve have first state that prevents fluid from flowing across the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve and a second state that permits fluid to flow across the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve change from a first state to a second state in response to a signal from a sensor that monitors operation of a component of the turbo-machine.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the drain valve element changes from the first position to the second position in response to the pilot valve in the second state.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve comprise a solenoid valve.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing and a manifold fluid circuit that couples the pilot element to the drain valve element.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the manifold fluid circuit comprises conduits integrated into the housing.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first pilot valve and the second pilot valve can operate independently of one another.

11. A trip manifold device for evacuating fluid from a header coupled to a turbo-machine, said trip manifold device comprising:
a pilot housing;
a pair of solenoid valves coupled to the pilot housing;
an actuator element configured to allow fluid to flow through the pair of solenoid valves in response to a signal indicative of an over-speed condition in the turbo-machine;
a drain housing in flow connection with the pilot housing, the drain housing comprising an actuator with a first position to prevent fluid flow from a first inlet/outlet of the drain housing to a second inlet/outlet of the drain housing and a second position to permit fluid flow from the first inlet/outlet to the second inlet outlet;
a pilot fluid supply configured to direct fluid to the pilot housing and the drain housing, the pilot fluid supply comprising a pilot isolation valve; and
a main fluid header configured to direct fluid to the drain housing, the main fluid header comprising a main isolation valve;
wherein the actuator is configured to change from the first position to the second position in response to fluid flow across both of the solenoid valves, and
wherein the actuator is configured to change from the first position to the second position to deactivate the turbo-machine to prevent damage to the turbo-machine.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the solenoid valves have an energized state and a de-energized state, and wherein the energized state prevents fluid flow across the solenoid valves.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the solenoid valve can change from the energized state to the de-energized state independent from one another.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the solenoid valves change from the energized state to the de-energized state in response to a signal that indicates an over-speed condition in the turbo-machine.

15. A protection system for over-speed protection in a turbo-machine, said system comprising:
a fluid circuit comprising:
a header:
a drain; and
a hydraulic circuit coupling the header to the drain, the hydraulic circuit comprising:
a trip manifold device comprising a pilot element, an actuator element coupled to the pilot element, and a drain valve element, each of the pilot element and the drain valve element coupled to the drain;
a main fluid header configured to direct fluid to the drain valve element, the main fluid header comprising a main isolation valve; and
a pilot fluid supply configured to direct fluid to the pilot element and the drain valve element, the pilot fluid supply comprising a pilot isolation valve;

wherein the actuator element is configured to transition the pilot element from a first state in which fluid is prevented from flowing from the pilot supply line through the pilot element to the drain to a second state that permits fluid flow through the pilot element to the drain,
wherein when the pilot element is caused to transition from the first state to the second state to permit fluid flow, pressure at the drain valve element is caused to decrease in response to fluid flow from the pilot fluid supply through the pilot element to the drain, and
wherein, in response to reduction of the pressure at the drain valve element, the drain valve element is caused to transition from a first state in which fluid is prevented from flowing from the main fluid header through the drain valve element to the drain to a second state that permits fluid flow from the main fluid header to the drain.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Dietrich Brent Allan
• Stack Ricardo
• Foundoulis John Kirk
• Foss Steven Jackson

Classifications

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F05D2220/31

  in steam turbines · CPC title

• F16K31/06

  using a magnet {, e.g. diaphragm valves, cutting off by means of a liquid} · CPC title

• Y10T137/86606

  Common to plural valve motor chambers · CPC title

• F01D21/02 Primary

  Shutting-down responsive to overspeed · CPC title