Digital Turbine Control Systems

As all fields of engineering, power station technology, too, has progressed enormously during the last years. Especially in the field of steam turbines, new knowledge has been gained about material strength and long-term behavior, flow dynamics and design, and has turned the relatively simple turbine of the past into a hightec unit. This advance in technical standards in power stations increases the requirements for plant safety, improved availability and maximum turbine life.

With our ME 4012 process control system a digital turbine controller is now available that meets these high demands and is capable of recording and independently controlling every single process within the specified limits, thus reliably fulfilling the DVG guidelines. Higher-level automated function groups ensure optimal interaction of the individual processes so that the entire industrial complex “Power station” with its huge capital expenditure can be operated safely and economical for a long time.

Let us take a closer look at a particular part of the power station: the turbine set. For this section alone, the ME 4012 process control system has to meet very specific requirements for safe and reliable control of the five main operating conditions:

starting and synchronization
loading and power operation with power controller and frequency influence
controlled deceleration at load shedding and securing the station services at load
load ramp operation
shut down.
Furthermore, the ME 4012 process control system continuously monitors the actual status of the plant so that the necessary conclusions for optimal plant operation can be drawn from any changes that might occur. The aim of this enhanced turbine control system is to ensure:

a high degree of operational safety
a high degree of availability
a low rate of wear
extended life expectancy
the homogenous integration into the plant's control and instrumentation system and convenient operator control
a high diagnostic depth and a minimum of maintenance requirements
prolonged service intervals