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Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines
With the desire for conventional coal-fired power plants to perform flexible operations, the impact of this operation has become important to the field of steam turbine modelling. This study sought to develop a computationally inexpensive turbine model with minimal OEM intervention in order to predi...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Mechanical Engineering
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613815939530752 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Ross, Michael Anthony Jared |
| author2 | Fuls, Wim |
| author_browse | Fuls, Wim Ross, Michael Anthony Jared |
| author_facet | Fuls, Wim Ross, Michael Anthony Jared |
| author_sort | Ross, Michael Anthony Jared |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | With the desire for conventional coal-fired power plants to perform flexible operations, the impact of this operation has become important to the field of steam turbine modelling. This study sought to develop a computationally inexpensive turbine model with minimal OEM intervention in order to predict the internal clearances of high-pressure and intermediate-pressure turbines from Eskom's current turbine fleet. The study saw the utilisation of the Nozzle Analogy theory to develop a 1D multistage turbine thermofluid model as well as the development of a representative 1D turbine process model in order to predict the internal temperature gradients promoted within a steam turbine during transient operation. From this model a further 3D FEA turbine model of both the HP and IP turbine units were developed from simple turbine diagrams to apply the predicted temperature boundaries and predict the thermal and structural response of turbine components during transient loading during a full Cold Start procedure. The result of this study was the successful validation of the 1D and 3D Turbine models against plant data from the candidate unit. This was in the form of known process data of unit performance, as well as thermocouple and differential expansion data taken from sensors housed on the turbine unit itself. Through the validation of these parameters, various calibrations techniques were developed over the course of the study with these techniques allowing investigators to gain insight into turbine aging, operator intervention as well as brought turbine component response. The successful establishment of the paired turbine model allowed investigators to evaluate the cold clearances defined during construction and maintenance of these turbine units in industry, which contributes greatly to the availability and efficiency of the unit during these transient operations. Additionally, the establishment of this model allowed for the investigation of the role that start up speed has on turbine component response. This study demonstrated that the development of such a modelling methodology was possible and yielded results with were accurate and insightful in understanding turbine component responses which are otherwise impossible to measure during real-world operation. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/37752 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:09.227Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| publisherStr | Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/37752 Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines Ross, Michael Anthony Jared Fuls, Wim turbine modelling thermal expansion clearances turbine start-up finite element analysis process modelling With the desire for conventional coal-fired power plants to perform flexible operations, the impact of this operation has become important to the field of steam turbine modelling. This study sought to develop a computationally inexpensive turbine model with minimal OEM intervention in order to predict the internal clearances of high-pressure and intermediate-pressure turbines from Eskom's current turbine fleet. The study saw the utilisation of the Nozzle Analogy theory to develop a 1D multistage turbine thermofluid model as well as the development of a representative 1D turbine process model in order to predict the internal temperature gradients promoted within a steam turbine during transient operation. From this model a further 3D FEA turbine model of both the HP and IP turbine units were developed from simple turbine diagrams to apply the predicted temperature boundaries and predict the thermal and structural response of turbine components during transient loading during a full Cold Start procedure. The result of this study was the successful validation of the 1D and 3D Turbine models against plant data from the candidate unit. This was in the form of known process data of unit performance, as well as thermocouple and differential expansion data taken from sensors housed on the turbine unit itself. Through the validation of these parameters, various calibrations techniques were developed over the course of the study with these techniques allowing investigators to gain insight into turbine aging, operator intervention as well as brought turbine component response. The successful establishment of the paired turbine model allowed investigators to evaluate the cold clearances defined during construction and maintenance of these turbine units in industry, which contributes greatly to the availability and efficiency of the unit during these transient operations. Additionally, the establishment of this model allowed for the investigation of the role that start up speed has on turbine component response. This study demonstrated that the development of such a modelling methodology was possible and yielded results with were accurate and insightful in understanding turbine component responses which are otherwise impossible to measure during real-world operation. 2023-04-17T13:31:47Z 2023-04-17T13:31:47Z 2022 2023-04-17T13:31:28Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37752 eng application/pdf Department of Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment |
| spellingShingle | turbine modelling thermal expansion clearances turbine start-up finite element analysis process modelling Ross, Michael Anthony Jared Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines |
| title_full | Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines |
| title_fullStr | Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines |
| title_short | Dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines |
| title_sort | dynamic clearance modelling of steam turbines |
| topic | turbine modelling thermal expansion clearances turbine start-up finite element analysis process modelling |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37752 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rossmichaelanthonyjared dynamicclearancemodellingofsteamturbines |