TURBOVISORY SYSTEM

Mass of the thermal turbine is very huge and when operating a machine of this size with the small clearances required to achieve high plant efficiency, it is vital that the operator is provided with reliable information relating to temperature differentials, running clearances, differential expansions and dynamic balance of the plant. It is the purpose of turbine supervisory equipment to provide this information. The correct interpretation of the information provided allows the plant to be run up and loaded in the minimum time consistent with safe operation. Optimum conditions for a given installation are determined by careful analysis of the data obtained during commissioning. Deviation of a reading from the normal range established during commissioning provides advance warning of trouble so that corrective action can be taken. The measurements covered by the turbine supervisory system include: 1) Turbine vibration 2) Eccentricity. 3) Turbine speed 4) Turbine overall expansion 5) Turbine differential expansion 6) Turbine Axial 7) CVSM position 8) Speeder gear position 9) Turbine casing metal temperatures Control Supply and control cables Turbovisory system involves measurement and analysis of critical parameters and so sophisticated electronic equipment of high accuracy level are used and for operation of such system a separate control supply is used. To get reliable control supply the system may use two or more power inputs. Failure of one unit does not cause the system to loose the supply. Turbovisory system operating at low signal levels is sensitive to interference and so special precautions is taken while laying control cables of this system. Generally screened cables are used to minimise the interference. Turbine vibration Vibration transducers provide the signals for routine monitoring in the control room and give an indication and warning to ensure that the plant is never operated in conditions severe enough to cause damage. In addition to the indications required for normal operation, facilities are usually available for analysis of the vibration signal to provide information relating to plant condition. The analysis can show, for example, whether the shaft is cracked and over a period show how the crack is developing. In this respect comparison of the turbine rundown signatures over several shutdowns is useful. In some power stations, permanent equipment is used to provide data every time the speed of the machine is reduced so that the vibration spectra can be kept under constant review, and incipient failures detected and monitored. Turbine pedestal vibration is characterised by three basic quantities: amplitude, frequency and phase. In this context, amplitude refers to the level of vibration and can be represented by displacement, velocity or acceleration.
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Vibration displacement Displacement is the total distance the vibrating part moves in a given direction and is measured in units of length; micrometers i.e. microns are convenient units. Velocity of vibration Velocity of vibration is the speed at which the part is moving at any instant during the vibration cycle. Velocity during one complete cycle of sinusoidal motion varies from zero to maximum or peak. The value normally adopted for turbine pedestal vibration measurement is the RMS velocity, the units being mm/s. Acceleration due to vibration Acceleration is the rate of change of vibration velocity at any instant during the vibration cycle; the RMS value in mm/s2 is normally displayed by vibration measuring instruments. Frequency of vibration Vibration in rotating machinery occurs as a result of imbalance in the forces generated by, or acting upon, the plant and so vibration frequencies are generally some multiple of shaft rotational speed. Definition of terms relating to vibration THIS TABLE APPLIES ONLY TO SINUSOIDAL SIGNALS RMS VALUE RMS VALUE PEAK VALUE PEAK VALUE AVERAGE VALUE AVERAGE VALUE TIME = = = = 0 707 x PEAK VALUE 1 .11 x AVERAGE VALUE

1414 x RMS VALUE 1 -57 x AVERAGE VALUE = = = 0-637 x PEAK VALUE 090 x RMS VALUE I/ FREQUENCY

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Diagram of a typical turbine supervisory installation Vibration velocity measurement systems When an electrical conductor is moved through a magnetic field, or if a magnetic field is moved past a conductor, a voltage will be induced across the ends of the conductor. A transducer which operates according to this principle is illustrated in the Fig. The voltage generated depends upon the length of the conductor in the coil, the strength of the magnetic field and the velocity of movement of the magnetic field as it passes the conductor. In the velocity transducer, the conductor length and the magnetic field strength are fixed and the voltage generated in the coil is therefore directly proportional to the relative velocity between the coil and magnetic field. A transducer of this type is self generating and does not require an external source of power to excite it. When the case of the transducer is attached to the bearing pedestal, the permanent magnet, which is firmly attached to the case, follows the vibratory motion. The coil assembly is supported by a spring suspension system and the combined coil/spring system is designed to have a low, natural frequency. To satisfy the requirement of measurement down to 10 Hz, the natural frequency of the transducer should not exceed 8 Hz. At vibration frequencies above this the coil assembly remains stationary with respect to the earth reference, which is why this type of instrument is sometimes called a seismic transducer. Under these conditions the relative motion between the magnetic field and the coiled conductor is the same as the motion of the pedestal relative to a fixed point in space, and the voltage generated by the transducer is directly proportional to the velocity of relative motion.
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With a voltage output proportional to vibration velocity it is a simple matter to measure vibration in terms of vibration velocity, and an output in terms of displacement can be obtained by electronically integrating the signal. MAGNET COIL CASE DAMPER AXIS MOVEMENT

SPRING

MASS

Schematic diagram of a vibration velocity transducer The voltage output of a velocity type vibration transducer is usually expressed in mV/ (mm/s). This figure is referred to as the sensitivity of the transducer. Small variations in construction, for example, differences in spring stiffness and in the characteristics of the magnet, give rise to variations in the output characteristics between one transducer and another of the same design. Typically, a variation between transducers of 10% can be accepted and this variation is accommodated by calibration facilities in the electronics. Magnetic effects It will be realised that the alternating magnetic field around the main generator (for example) can be picked up by the coiled conductor wire in the transducer, inducing a voltage in the same manner as vibration. This can easily be checked by connecting the output leads of the transducer to the transmitting equipment and suspending it by its cable in the region where the vibration is normally measured, but without touching the machine with the transducer. Magnetic effects can normally be overcome by incorporating a magnetic screen within the instrument. Transducer installation The main concern when installing any vibration transducer is to achieve good mechanical coupling between the transducer and the point in the plant that it is required to monitor. At the main turbine pedestal, the surface on which the transducer is to be mounted must be flat and the mounting bolts must hold the transducer firmly in position on the machine face. If gaskets are fitted to provide thermal insulation, for example, the effect on the rigidity of the assembly must be carefully examined. Shaft vibration and eccentricity measurement General Steam turbines have several modes of vibration in the operating speed range and it has been shown that their responses to imbalance, thermal bends, rubs and unloading of bearings may be more clearly observed by measurements of shaft movements within the bearings rather
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than by vibration of the pedestal. In the original turbine supervisory systems, the vibration behaviour of a turbine was determined exclusively on the basis of pedestal vibration measuring movement of the pedestal alone. In operating modern plant other dynamic measurements are important, namely shaft eccentricity and shaft vibration. Eccentricity Eccentricity is defined as the out of centre excursion of the axis of rotation of the shaft. It is normally measured as the diameter of the locus traced out by the shaft centre. For practical reasons the measurement is made on the shaft within the bearing pedestal. The change in radial airgap within the cylinder is inferred from this measurement. Shaft vibration Shaft vibration is defined as the dynamic movement of the shaft around the eccentricity locus. Shaft vibration measurements are used for a number of purposes, ranging from routine operational monitoring to specialist experimental investigation of changes in vibrational behaviour of the plant and monitoring of radial clearances. A turbine shaft will bend under the influence of its own weight, and when the shaft is rotating slowly, the centres of the shaft cross-sections along its length will describe circles. The measuring system, which consists of two transducers spaced at 90 to each other and located to face towards the shaft centre, will produce an output having a circular contour when viewed on an oscilloscope. The centre of the contour may not coincide with the shaft centre. If both measuring transducers produce outputs, which are proportional to the gap between the measurement probes and shaft surface, the output from each transducer will be sinusoidal with a period of one shaft revolution. During rotation at normal running speed the centrifugal force becomes a significant factor of the imbalance distribution along the shaft, and this causes deflection in addition to the static deflection. The movement of the shaft is now a combination of the movement of the shaft centre around the static bending line plus movement due to rotation. The outline of the kinetic orbit of the shaft centre depends, amongst other things, upon bearing flexibility in the various radial directions. The orbit will normally be an ellipse and because the velocity of the shaft centre varies along this orbit, even for constant rotational speed, the kinetic forces change at a frequency twice the rotational frequency of the shaft. The size, shape and position of the kinetic orbit of the shaft centre changes with rotational speed and in general the kinetic shaft displacements are maximum at critical speeds. Operation of a non-contacting proximity transducer The type of transducers used in most operational units for the measurement of shaft vibration and eccentricity are noncontacting proximity devices. The system consists of a transducer, connecting cable and an electronic processing unit. The transducer operates on either the eddy current principle or the variable reluctance principle. Eddy current measurement system A typical arrangement of an eddy current measurement system is shown in the figure. The tip of the transducer contains a coil of wire, which is connected to the signal sensor. The signal sensor contains an oscillator circuit, a detector or demodulator circuit and Power to drive the transducer is oscillator.
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In this system, the transducer coil and connecting cable form a part of the oscillator circuit which generates a high frequency current in the measurement coil at a frequency of 1 or 2 MHz. This high frequency current produces a magnetic field around the pick-up coil and any conductive material, such as the turbine shaft, brought into the proximity of the coil links with the magnetic flux, producing eddy currents in the conductive material. These eddy currents alter the operating point of the oscillator, modifying the amplitude of the high frequency carrier signal proportionally to the gap between the pick-up coil and the target material. When there is no variation in the gap, the output is a constant DC voltage proportional to the gap. When the shaft is vibrating within the bearing there will be two outputs, a DC level proportional to the average gap and an AC voltage proportional to the vibration.

DETECTOR MOUNTING POINT

RETAINING NUT

JACK SCREWS

Shaft eccentricity measurement transducer (eddy current or inductive types)

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The average voltage is used to indicate gap or average distance from the transducer tip. The varying voltage is the AC vibration signal. The two signals may be separated and amplified by the measuring instrument and displayed in terms of micrometers. Therefore, except for the need to verify the gap set point, only the AC part of the signal is required for radial vibration measurements. Figure shows a typical output curve for an eddy current pick-up, showing the change in transducer output voltage as the distance between the tip of the transducer and target changes. The slope of the curve (in V/mm) is the sensitivity of the system when used as a gapmeasuring device. The linearity of the system is defined as the portion of the voltage/gap curve within which the slope does not vary by more than 5%. The measurement range is determined by the size of the coil. Typically a linear range of 0.5 to 2 mm is available from the standard transducer shown in Fig. When the target surface vibrates, the result is an alternating gap voltage. The signal is AC coupled to the vibration monitoring circuit, which removes the DC gap voltage. In some signal sensors the AC signal is separated and amplified providing two outputs - one for vibration and one for gap. If the set point is at the centre of the gap range of the instrument, then it is possible to measure a peak to peak vibration equal to the total gap range. A 0.2-mm peak to peak vibration means that the gap is changing from the set point +/- 0.1 mm. If the set point is closer to the limit than 0.1 mm, then the indication will be slightly in error because one extreme of the vibration will be operating in the non-linear part of the curve. A typical output for the signal detector is 8 V /mm. This is the dynamic sensitivity of the system. The slope of the output curve is the gap sensitivity of the system and it may be different for different signal sensors. Eddy currents will be produced in any conductive material in close proximity to the coil of the transducer. It is therefore necessary to provide clearance around the tip as shown in Fig .

0-5 1-5 2 2-5 EDDY PROBE GAP mm Typical output characteristic of an eddy current proximity measurement system
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Installation of non-contacting transducers Shaft finish and problems with inhomogeneous shaft materials Eccentricity measurement systems installed on plant in the late 1940s were in general based upon variable reluctance measurements, using magnetic amplifiers. These were driven from power supply units generating an AC voltage at 400 Hz or thereabouts. Developments in electronics have permitted a large increase in the frequency applied to the transducer coils. The higher frequency provided the opportunity for monitoring the higher harmonics, particularly in higher speed The new systems operate with power supply frequencies of 5 kHz in the case of variable reluctance measurement systems, and one or two megahertz in the case of eddy current systems. One of the effects of increasing the frequency applied to the transducer is that the depth of penetration of the transducer magnetic field into the shaft is considerably reduced. With eddy current systems working at a frequency of about one megahertz, the field penetration into the shaft is only a small fraction of a millimeter. This is significant because no material is perfectly metallurgically homogeneous and free from surface irregularities. Using the original type of lower frequency equipment, these irregularities were averaged out because of the greater penetration depth. The new equipment operating at much higher frequency does not have this advantage. It is therefore necessary to take steps during the manufacture of the shaft to reduce this variation around the measurement track as far as possible. Treatment procedures vary with different manufacturers but the basic principle is the same. One technique used is to rotate the shaft slowly and to bring a suitably located high quality roller bearing into contact with the shaft surface. The surface is then rolled by applying pressure to the roller, checking the eccentricity signal variation around the track at intervals until the rolling is no longer giving any improvement. An alternative technique uses a vibrating engraver fitted with a spherically headed bit. This is worked over small areas of the track, which have shown high readings. Before carrying out any treatment, it is usual to check that the shaft is demagnetised as far as possible. Investigations carried out by the turbine manufacturers concluded that the problem of shaft noise is significantly greater on stub shafts than on main shafts. This is probably because of the better quality material and quality assurance during manufacture applied to main shafts. Noise in eccentricity measurements can arise from a number of sources. In the shaft itself, it may be due to mechanical damage, or variations in heat treatment or the forging procedure, for example. Where a separate measurement disk is fitted, noise has been found to be due to stresses in the material introduced when the disk was shrunk on. These problems need attention during manufacture. . Finally, and most important from the point of view of measurement accuracy on the completed unit, there is the problem of magnetisation. A rotating shaft with residual magnetism can develop a voltage along its length. If two low resistance contacts to earth occur, a current
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will flow through the shaft, the contact points and the earth path. If the earth path includes the turbine casing, current may flow in a direction such as to induce voltage in the shaft in the same direction as the original voltage. A self-excitation condition then exists and current can build up to a very large value, creating high levels of magnetisation. After a turbine has been heavily magnetised, it is necessary to demagnetise it before it is returned to service. This process is sometimes attempted with the rotor still in the casing and using the supervisory detector heads to apply the demagnetising field. However, this procedure may not give entirely satisfactory results because the flux paths cannot be controlled and one part of the machine may become demagnetised whilst magnetisation remains elsewhere. The most satisfactory method is to strip the machine and demagnetise the rotors individually. Speed measurement Tachogenerators: The tachogenerator speed measurement system produces a voltage and frequency proportional to shaft speed. Two types are in common use, one using the level of output voltage which is directly proportional to speed, the other using the frequency of the output waveform. The output may be single or three phase. The three-phase output may be preferred, if measurement of low rotational speed is required, to minimise the effect of ripple, which can induce oscillation of the indicator at low speed. Using the tachogenerator in its voltage mode, the signal may be rectified and smoothed to provide a DC signal proportional to speed. This system, however, is very dependent on the impedance of the components in the circuit and generally has poor accuracy.

Toothed-wheel and probe The introduction of electronic governing systems demanded measurement systems with better accuracy than can be achieved by the tachometers described above. Of the variety of speed detection methods available, the toothed-wheel and magnetic probe is probably the most usual choice (see Fig). Although this system is influenced by shaft magnetisation, the problem can be reduced by providing a disk of non-magnetic material of adequate diameter and by ensuring that sufficient ferrous material surrounds the shaft to provide an alternative low reluctance path. Further improvement can be provided by making the probe and wheel from materials with as high a saturation flux density as possible. If a permanent magnet material is employed which has a moderate level of permanent magnetism, combined with a high level of saturation density to cause remagnetisation, the probe system can be designed to operate satisfactorily in the presence of appreciable magnetic fields while the chance of demagnetisation is reduced significantly. General design considerations It is difficult to design toothed-wheel systems which will inherently produce an accurate
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sinusoidal output. In practice they normally produce output pulses of which only the leading edge is significant. No information is transmitted except at the instant that the pulses occur, which needs a high pulse repetition rate if good stability is required.

Because the change in time interval between successive pulses is a measure of shaft acceleration, it follows that a system should be chosen in which a uniform train of pulses is generated under steady speed conditions, otherwise the detection of true machine acceleration may be confused with noise induced by pulse jitter. This criterion can be used to determine the maximum useful number of teeth. In general, the angular machining accuracy of the teeth and the mounting eccentricity of the wheel on the shaft will be independent of the number of teeth. A probe system producing substantially a square wave output is usually desirable. It must be suitable for use where a relatively large airgap exists between the probe tip and toothed wheel, which will accommodate the varying hydrodynamic conditions in the bearings. A system in which the pulse frequency from the probe and toothed-wheel system is compared with the resonant frequency of a tuned circuit offers a great deal in terms of low cost and good reliability. The accuracy of systems of this type are generally adequate for supervisory purposes. However, when better accuracy is necessary, recent systems have employed crystal oscillators which can provide a long term stability better than 1 part in 104. Measurement of overall Turbine expansion and differential expansion of Turbine

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The movement and expansion of individual casings has to be measured to ensure that the alignment between pedestals is maintained within acceptable limits. The system for the location of the individual cylinders for a typical 210 MW turbine-generator unit is illustrated in Fig. The high pressure (HP) and intermediate pressure (IP) casings are connected together and fixed to the foundation structure at the position where they are connected to low pressure casing No.1 (LP1). Each low pressure casing is attached to the foundation structure at the end nearest the IP turbine. The rotor assemblies of each turbine are rigidly coupled and the complete line of shafts located axially by the thrust block, which is contained in the pedestal between the HP and IP turbines. With this arrangement, as the HP and IP casings heat up they expand in the direction towards the HP end. Each LP casing expands towards the generator end. Rotor expansion takes place in the directions away from the location point within the thrust block assembly. Depending on the design of the turbine, the rotors can either expand within the clearances provided within the pedestals or the pedestals can be keyed to the casing to move axially with the expanding rotor. Measurement systems Measurement systems designed in the 1950s and 1960s used wire wound potentiometers for casing movement and valve position measurement. In the latest designs of supervisory equipment, linear variable differential transformers (L VDTs) are almost in use for measurement of overall expansions and for measurement of differential expansions of turbine eddy current measurement system is universal. Wire wound potentiometers were generally satisfactory for most casing movement measurements, but similar systems used for the measurement of valve position, in which the transducer must operate in a generally more hostile environment, were found to be unreliable. In order to improve the reliability of valve position measurements L VDTs were introduced, and to maintain standardisation in electronic module design all linear movement measurements now utilise this type of transducers. The linear variable differential transformer L VDT is an electromechanical device which produces an electrical output proportional to the position of a movable core relative to the measuring coils, by transformer action. In a typical design used to measure turbine casing expansion, the guided core and extension shaft assembly are spring-loaded outwards to the extreme range. Transducers of this type are designed for use on low voltage AC supplies at frequencies between 50 Hz and 5 kHz (Figs). The transducer housing usually consists of non-magnetic stainless steel body, the length being dictated by the stroke required. To reduce the effects of external fields, an internal screen is provided to shield the transformer. The stroke of commercially available L VDTs covers ranges from 100 micro mm to +/-250 mm. The linearity achieved is of the order of +/-O.25% and resolution almost infinite, being limited by amplifier noise rather than the L VDT itself. The frequency response is dependent upon the supply frequency and with a supply frequency of 20 kHz a frequency response of 2 kHz is achievable. This is adequate for turbine supervisory applications.

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DIFFERENTIAL EXPANSION MEASUREMENT A typical eddy current measurement system used for measurement of differential expansion and axial shift is discussed below. M/S Philips supplies the system being discussed below. Following components are used the measurement system apart from the stabilised control supply. 1) Transducer, PR 6423/OO 2) Transducer, PR 6424/OO 3) Signal converter, Con 10 4) Differential amplifier, OPM 010 5) Displacement amplifier module, DAM 10 6) Relays, REL 10 7) Indicating instrument 8) Indicating instrument 9) Recorder.

A collar is provided on the shaft of the turbine and two numbers of eddy current type transducers namely PR 6423/OO, PR 6424/OO are mounted on either side of the collar, on the turbine casing. As collar is in between of the two transducer and transducers are mounted on
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the turbine casing, transducers give output proportional to the differential displacement of the rotor and the casing. A signal converter CON 10 is connected to each transducer. Output voltage from CON 10 is proportional to the distance of the transducer from the collar of the turbine. 4mm distance corresponds to 16 volts for PR 6424 transducer and 2 mm corresponds to 16 volts for PR 6423 transducer. Beyond the range output is constant i. e. 16 volts. Output characteristic of the transducer verses distance from the object are linear within the range and so as per the requirement the transducers are selected. In case of PR 6424 transducer 1 mm corresponds to 4 volts and 0.4 volts corresponds to 0.1 mm. Measuring range is linear and has a very good resolution. In case of PR 6423 transducer 1 mm corresponds to 8 volts and 0.8 volts corresponds to 0.1 mm. Measuring range is linear and has a very good resolution. It is not necessary that PR 6424 and PR 6423 transducers are necessary for every type of measurement according to the requirement of the measurement any transducer can be used on either side of the collar in the system. Displacement amplifier module, DAM 10 gives linear output proportional to the differential expansion in 4 to 20 mA or in 0 to 10 volts, which is connected to the indicating or recording instruments. Turbine Axial shift In 210 MW LMW Turbine rotor is anchored at bearing number two, which is a thrust bearing. Unbalance in thrust of HPT & IPT is absorbed by the thrust bearing situated at bearing number two and as a result turbine is subjected to move axially, which is termed as axial shift of the turbine. The methods deployed for measurement of axial shift and measurement of differential expansions are same. A collar is provided to the rotor near the thrust bearing and Pick-up is mounted there to measure the axial shift. This is a critical measurement and hence turbine tripping is initiated from this measurement if it crosses the pre-determined set value. CVSM & Speeder gear position Wire wound potentiometers are used for the measurement of CVSM & Speeder gear position and this is transmitted to the controlroom by electronic system. Temperature measurement Steam and metal temperatures Steam temperatures Steam temperatures are measured by means of duplex Type K thermocouples inserted in fast response pockets. Additional pockets are usually provided to allow full heat rate test instrumentation to be fitted. Metal temperatures Metal temperatures in the HP and IP cylinders are measured by means of duplex Type K thermocouples inserted into close fitting holes drilled into the steam chest or cylinder walls. The measurements are nominally taken either at the inner wall or the mid wall position. Cylinder metal temperatures The HP and IP cylinder inlet belt metal temperatures are important during turbine run-up and loading and have to be measured with a high degree of reliability, using retractable thermal probes in each cylinder. Four duplex Type K thermocouples are usually provided for each measurement, two positioned at the probe tip and two located at the inner cylinder midwall position, measuring the mid wall or bulk temperatures. The HP cylinder measurement is usually used to supply inner wall temperature signals for automatic run-up, whilst the IP probe is used for indication purposes.

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