Method for operating a solar installation. The solar installation includes a solar field with direct evaporation accompanied by the generation of superheated live steam, a turbine for expanding the live steam, and a generator driven by the turbine for generating electrical energy. At least one valve is associated with the turbine by which the amount of live steam fed to the turbine is adjusted. The valve, or each valve, through which the amount of live steam fed to the turbine is adjusted such that an actual value of a live steam pressure occurring upstream of the turbine follows a reference value determined depending on a live steam temperature of the live steam upstream of the turbine.

The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines used for electrical power generation. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and ways for improving the life and reducing start-up time necessary for bringing gas turbine engines online and up to full power.

The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines used for electrical power generation. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and ways for improving the life and reducing start-up time necessary for bringing gas turbine engines online and up to full power.

A method for monitoring cold start of Brayton cycle power generation system comprises: measuring an ambient temperature to obtain a Brayton cycle predetermined operating line of a working fluid, parameter values and calculated values of three monitoring points of the Brayton cycle predetermined operating line, and a position of a saturation curve of the working fluid according to the ambient temperature and a LUT; starting the cold start, continuously measuring the parameter values of the three monitoring points, and meanwhile continuously recording and displaying moving trajectories of the parameter values and the calculated values of the three monitoring points; after the parameter values and the calculated values of the three monitoring points are close to the default values, operating the Brayton cycle power generation system for a predetermined time; and ending the cold start, to enter a stable operating state of the Brayton cycle power generation system.

A method for monitoring cold start of Brayton cycle power generation system comprises: measuring an ambient temperature to obtain a Brayton cycle predetermined operating line of a working fluid, parameter values and calculated values of three monitoring points of the Brayton cycle predetermined operating line, and a position of a saturation curve of the working fluid according to the ambient temperature and a LUT; starting the cold start, continuously measuring the parameter values of the three monitoring points, and meanwhile continuously recording and displaying moving trajectories of the parameter values and the calculated values of the three monitoring points; after the parameter values and the calculated values of the three monitoring points are close to the default values, operating the Brayton cycle power generation system for a predetermined time; and ending the cold start, to enter a stable operating state of the Brayton cycle power generation system.

A gas turbine having at least one inner and outer housing part, between which two housing parts a ring channel is at least partially arranged, which ring channel circumferentially surrounds the useful flow of the working fluid prevailing during operation of the gas turbine and circumferentially surrounds the gas turbine rotor. The ring channel is designed to conduct a cooling fluid in the circumferential direction, wherein the ring channel is divided into ring sectors in the circumferential direction by separators. A tube is at least partially provided in the ring channel which fluidically connects individual ring sectors to each other, and is designed as a distributing tube, which is fluidically connected to at least one cooling-fluid line for conducting cooling fluid and has at least one outlet opening, which at least one outlet opening is designed to transfer the cooling fluid from the tube into the ring sectors.

A gas turbine having at least one inner and outer housing part, between which two housing parts a ring channel is at least partially arranged, which ring channel circumferentially surrounds the useful flow of the working fluid prevailing during operation of the gas turbine and circumferentially surrounds the gas turbine rotor. The ring channel is designed to conduct a cooling fluid in the circumferential direction, wherein the ring channel is divided into ring sectors in the circumferential direction by separators. A tube is at least partially provided in the ring channel which fluidically connects individual ring sectors to each other, and is designed as a distributing tube, which is fluidically connected to at least one cooling-fluid line for conducting cooling fluid and has at least one outlet opening, which at least one outlet opening is designed to transfer the cooling fluid from the tube into the ring sectors.

The invention relates to a method for monitoring the operating state of an overpressure valve of a turbine engine, the turbine engine comprising a fluid circuit, at least one pressure sensor for the fluid in the fluid circuit, a temperature sensor for the fluid in the fluid circuit, said overpressure valve being configured to limit the maximum fluid pressures in the fluid circuit, and the method comprising the following steps:—(E2) determining an opening or closing indicator of the overpressure valve on the basis of the change in the fluid pressure over time;—(E3) determining an operating state of the valve as a function of a fluid threshold temperature and of the determined opening or closing indicator of the overpressure valve.

A method of bowed rotor start response damping for a gas turbine engine is provided. A spring rate and a damping characteristic of one or more bearing supports in the gas turbine engine are selectively modified while a shaft of the gas turbine engine rotates below a speed which is adversely affected by a bowed rotor condition of the gas turbine engine.

A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a controller operable to receive a vibration input indicative of an actual vibration level of the gas turbine engine and a speed input indicative of a rotor speed of the gas turbine engine. The controller generates a bowed rotor start mitigation request based on comparing the actual vibration level to a modeled vibration level at the rotor speed.