Method and apparatus to reduce thermal stress when starting combined cycle power systems

Abstract

Apparatus and method to wet start the HRSG and combined cycle in the fastest time with minimum thermal stress. This wet start provides the earliest possible cooling steam during acceleration, reducing stress in the superheater, reheater and steam turbine. The gas turbine is started and loaded to full power in the fastest possible time without holds. A once-through HRSG filled with saturated boilerwater including the superheater generates dry steam during acceleration. Start apparatus positions the dryout zone in each superheater tube, controls surge swell, ensures uniform pressure rise, and controls the steam temperature. The superheater generates temperature controlled steam to cool the tubes while heating headers. Superheater and reheater tubes and headers start at saturation and increase to operating with minimum differential temperatures. The superheater evaporating boilerwater supplies constant low temperature dry steam to start the steam turbine without the use of attemporators.

Claims

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8. An improved combined cycle power system in which condensate from a steam turbine is heated by a once-through heat recovery steam generator by exhaust from a gas turbine, said heat recovery steam generator has at least a high pressure steam generator section and a reheater section, and may have an intermediate pressure steam generator section and a low pressure steam generator section, said high pressure steam generator has an economizer section directly connected into an evaporator section and a superheater section, the steam generator produces steam using a once-through all tubular circuit arrangement of identical said circuits comprised of a multiplicity of straight vertical finned tubes used as heat transfer elements that are connected in parallel, wherein boilerwater is heated, evaporated and superheated to produce high pressure steam for said steam turbine that may be at subcritical or supercritical pressures, each of said circuits has: an economizer circuit section, an evaporator circuit section and a split superheater circuit section, and condensate flow is connected to a high pressure economizer header, whereby it is equally distributed by means of a flow restrictor at the entrance of a water inlet tube located in a first row of each said economizer circuits, said economizer circuit section heats boilerwater prior to entering the evaporator circuit section, wherein steam is produced to flow into said split superheater circuit section positioned at the gas turbine exhaust gas entrance to the heat recovery steam generator, wherein steam is heated to the highest temperature in a last row of tubes of said split superheater circuit, said last row of tubes connecting superheated steam flow to a high pressure superheated steam header, one or a multiplicity of said headers collects the steam and discharges steam through a header nozzle, said nozzles conduct the total high pressure steam flow to a high pressure superheated steam manifold which is connected to said high pressure steam turbine admission valve connecting steam to a high pressure steam turbine section of the steam turbine, and exhaust steam from said high pressure steam turbine is connected by a one-way turbine exhaust valve to a cold reheater header that operates at an intermediate pressure, said reheater heats the cooler exhaust steam and connects steam to a hot reheater header, and said reheater section is a split reheater circuit arrangement of tubes interspaced within said split superheater circuit arrangement to effect reheater outlet temperature control, said reheater hot header connects controlled temperature reheated steam to an intermediate pressure steam manifold that connects steam to an intermediate steam turbine section by means of an intermediate steam turbine normal admission valve, and said intermediate steam turbine exhausts to a low pressure steam turbine that exhausts to a condenser, and said circuits of the high pressure steam generator and the reheater are fabricated from said straight vertical finned steel tubes which are connected in a continuous all tubular serpentine arrangement by a U-bend tube or jumper tube welded at each end, whereby a continuous once-through flow path from said water inlet tube of said economizer circuit section is connected directly through the evaporator circuit section to said last row of the split superheater circuit, and said straight finned heat transfer tubes are connected by the U-bend tubes to form the reheater that is connected from said cold reheater header to said hot reheater header in a continuous serpentine flow path, heated steam from said reheater is connected to said intermediate pressure manifold, in normal operation boilerwater and generated steam flow is in one direction from the economizer inlet header through each of said circuits to the last row of tubes in the high pressure superheater, flow can be reversed and controlled by a circuit drain system connected to each said water inlet tubes of the economizer circuit to facilitate starting said heat recovery steam generator and for quench protection in severe operational transients, said circuit drain system includes a drain line from each said boilerwater inlet tube in the first row of the economizer circuits, said drain line is connected by means of a one-way drain valve to a circuit drain header, the circuit drain headers are connected to a high capacity drain system with at least a circuit drain valve, or multiple said drain valves in parallel, to regulate drain flow rate to effect swell management in starting, said circuit drain system connected to a flash tank and the condenser or a feedwater tank, the circuit drain system also allows rapid draining of the heat recovery steam generator for freeze protection, corrosion prevention and maintenance, the tubes, lines, pipes and headers may be fabricated from any steel alloy approved by the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section I Power Boilers for the operating conditions, said circuits are individually vertically suspended in parallel by hangers and the inlet water tube of each of the circuits is hydraulically connected to the dryout zone in the same circuits said last row of superheater tubes, thereby providing a means to effect swell management in start up, and condensate is connected through a feedwater treatment system to a feedwater pump and flow rate is regulated by means of a feedwater control valve connected to said high pressure economizer header, temperature of steam generated is primarily controlled by adjusting the dryout zone position in said once-through circuits, said high pressure split superheater is of an arrangement with the highest temperature section of the superheater rows positioned at the gas turbine exhaust inlet to the heat recovery steam generator, wherein the last tube row is the highest temperature of said split superheater, and said reheater outlet rows are immediately downstream and lower temperature rows of said superheater are downstream of the reheater outlet rows, wherein said split superheater presents the initial heat exchanger tube surfaces to the exhaust gas entering said heat recovery steam generator, thereby resulting in a reduction in temperature in the exhaust gas flowing across said split reheater circuit tubes located immediately downstream to thereby prevent overheating of said reheater, in start up the superheater containing boilerwater evaporating also protects the superheater tubes from overheating, and a bypass arrangement for use in start up of the heat recovery steam generator consisting of the means for bypassing steam from the superheater past the steam turbine directly to the condenser, the bypass arrangement includes a high pressure steam turbine bypass valve to connect steam flow to the said cold headers of the reheater, and steam discharged from the reheater hot headers is connected to said intermediate pressure steam manifold which is connected to an intermediate turbine bypass valve connecting steam to a desuperheater before it is connected into said condenser, if installed, steam from an intermediate steam generator discharge valve is also connected to the cold reheat header, thereby all of the temperature controlled steam generated by the high pressure and intermediate pressure sections of said steam generator can bypass the steam turbine through said reheater to said condenser, thereby cooling said reheater from overheating with temperature controlled steam generated by said high pressure superheater during start up, and the high pressure superheated steam manifold is also connected to an intermediate pressure turbine start admission valve that connects controlled temperature high pressure steam to said intermediate pressure steam turbine section in start up, said intermediate pressure turbine start admission valve connects a portion of the high pressure superheater flow downstream of said normal intermediate steam turbine admission valve, exhaust steam flows from the intermediate turbine section directly into the low pressure steam turbine section which may also receive steam from a low pressure steam generator, said bypass systems are sized to condense all the steam generated from said heat recovery steam generator with said gas turbine at full load, and condensate from said condenser is connected through a water treatment system to a feedwater pump and then through a feedwater control valve regulating water inlet flow to said high pressure economizer headers, in start up said circuit drain control valve can be used to rapidly lower the boiler water level in said last row of tubes in the superheater circuits, whereby in synchronization with improvements herein disclosed will reduce differential thermal stress and prevent overheating of the superheater and reheater components when fast starting the combined cycle power system, the improvement comprising at least a start apparatus with means to control and manage swell water and minimize thermal stresses when starting said combined cycle power system without power holds as the gas turbine is loaded to full power at a rate that is approximately equal to a maximum rate of said gas turbine loading, said start apparatus is a simple weldment of mainly horizontal pipes connected to each said high pressure superheater header discharge nozzle, as part of said apparatus a horizontal drain line connects to said high pressure superheater nozzles, said superheater nozzles are conventionally arranged vertically to connect to said high pressure superheated steam manifold conventionally located exterior of a steam generator casing, the entire start apparatus is thereby arranged exterior of said heat recovery steam generator casing, the exterior location eliminates the need to add new problematic penetrations of the steam generator casing, and all: valves, actuators, sensors and control wiring are thereby exterior and are not exposed to the hot corrosive exhaust gases, in normal operation steam does not flow through any part of said start apparatus thereby preventing loss of the combined cycle power system efficiency caused by water separators, extra pipe length runs or flow turns, said horizontal drain pipes are connected to a horizontal drain manifold of said apparatus and a surge volume of at least 50% of the last row superheater tubes, and surge volume consists of: said high pressure nozzles, said superheater headers, top of said last row of superheater tubes not containing boilerwater in start up, and said apparatus piping, and a swell water carryover drain system is provided by means of said horizontal drain manifold which is equipped with an automatic pot drain valve system, a level sensor in said drain manifold is located above said high pressure superheater headers, whereby when integrated with: a gravity drain system, a geometric arrangement of pipes, said circuit drain system and said automatic pot drain valve system provides a means to ensure all said last row of tubes in said high pressure superheater are filled and vented with boilerwater to an optimum level below the superheater headers to provide space for evaporating swell water in said last row of superheater tubes during start up, and said apparatus has means to control the water level in said last row of tubes in the high pressure superheater circuits, thereby in synchronization with said circuit drain control valve provides a means to position the water level in said last row of superheater tubes prior to starting and during start up, steam pressure entering said start apparatus is controlled by a start apparatus pressure control valve discharging steam to the condenser, said horizontal drain manifold has the means to drain carryover swell water during start up automatically with a pot drain valve system, said start apparatus geometry, volume, valves and drain systems provide a means to manage and control transient swell water carryover and control superheater pressure without pressure and temperature instabilities, thereby preventing damaging cyclical thermal stress, and whereby a stable wet start of the heat recovery system is effected, and superheated steam is generated during the gas turbine acceleration without causing overheating damage and without life reducing high differential temperature stresses of conventional systems that require problematic inter-stage and terminal attemperators for said superheater and reheater, and said start apparatus has a small bypass flow control valve, said bypass flow control valve controls flow used in starting hot said heat recovery steam generators requiring start up shortly after a shutdown, said small bypass valve meters saturated steam flow through said high pressure headers to cool the superheater headers and prevent quench damage in hot start up, and the start apparatus has a nitrogen supply connection from a nitrogen blanketing system, or other nitrogen source, to pressurize said start apparatus and said heat recovery steam generator when said steam generator cools and steam pressure reduces to near ambient air pressure, whereby the nitrogen gas provides a means to allow gas-pressurized-forced draining of said circuits required for fast starts when said heat recovery steam generator is cold.

9. A method for starting said improved combined cycle power system in accordance with claim 8 wherein said combined cycle is started from a warm condition, typically after an overnight shutdown, with said heat recovery steam generator containing boilerwater at high saturated steam pressure, boilerwater is primarily in the evaporator section and the economizer section, the start up method is to fill all said circuits with boilerwater to an optimum level below said high pressure superheater headers, and the gas turbine is started to full load in the shortest time without holds, the steam generator is concurrently started wet and rapidly generates dry steam during acceleration, and the gas turbine exhaust gas entering said heat recovery steam generator rapidly heats said superheater last row tubes from saturation temperature to superheated steam that is controlled at a low temperature allowable to start and load the steam turbine, thereby cooling said superheater and said reheater while metal components evenly ramp-up from saturated steam temperature as steam flow is regulated by means of a bypass system past the said steam turbine to the condenser, thereby minimizing thermal stresses in the steam generator without the use of problematic attemperators, and loading said steam turbine to full power can be accomplished in minimum time while differential expansion clearances and thrust loads are controlled, the starting method comprising the steps of: a) prior to the gas turbine start, feedwater flow is regulated by said feedwater control valve and pumped into said high pressure economizer headers to displace boilerwater and steam in said economizer and evaporator sections, and conducting boilerwater water to flow through said high pressure superheater header discharge nozzles and through said start apparatus horizontal drain manifold, and water flow continuing vertically upwards in the manifold to a level sensor above said high pressure superheater headers, thereby ensuring all headers and each said last row of tubes in the high pressure superheater are vented and full of saturated boilerwater by means of gravity back-flow into each said header and tubes from the relatively high water level above each header facilitated by the geometric pipe arrangement allowing venting and back-flow; and b) immediately preceding said gas turbine start, the water level from said horizontal drain manifold is lowered to identical levels in each said high pressure header discharge nozzle by draining said horizontal drain manifold by means of opening said pot drain valves, whereby the water level drains to the bottom of said horizontal drain pipe connecting the nozzles to said horizontal drain manifold, and thereby positioning the water level in said header nozzles several feet above each said high pressure superheater header as a result of the geometric arrangement of pipes, thereby providing additional swell surge volume and placing said start apparatus in a ready-to-start status; c) starting said gas turbine and loading the gas turbine to full power at approximately equal to a maximum rate of said gas turbine; d) at the gas turbine flame detection signal, a small specific volume of water is drained from the volume of: said high pressure superheater header discharge nozzle, said header and said top of last row of tubes in said high pressure superheater circuits by means of opening the circuit drain control valve, and the circuit drain valve is maintained open for a specific time period, wherein the time period for opening is a function of boilerwater saturation pressure and percent opening of the flow calibrated drain valve, and thereby removing a specific volume derived from each said circuit, thereby lowering the water level to a specific position near the top of each said last row of tubes in the high pressure superheater, and whereby the level is controlled by a computer predicted drain flow rate from a predictive feedforward algorithm based on measured gas temperature, gas turbine speed and gas turbine characteristics during gas turbine acceleration and loading, and as gas temperature and flow rapidly increase, steam is rapidly generated, earlier than conventional steam generators, early generated steam prevents overheating of said last row superheater tubes as the gas turbine accelerates and is loaded, steam pressure and temperature are controlled by means of modulating open the start apparatus pressure control valve, thereby allowing steam and some swell water to flow into said start apparatus space volume, and concurrently said high pressure circuit drain control valve is modulated opened, and thereby creating space for swell water near the top of each said last row of high pressure superheater tubes as boilerwater is rapidly drained from said circuit drain header to a flash tank, and the rapidly increasing pressure contracts the volume of swell water, whereby the majority of the swell water remains in the increasing space above the water level created in said last row of tubes, and at the same time steam flow is conducted through said start apparatus by modulating open said start apparatus pressure control valve, this steam flow passing through the last row of the high pressure superheater is cooling said last row of the superheater tubes, preventing overheating damage while simultaneously heating said superheater headers from saturation temperature to superheat temperature and thereby minimizing differential temperatures and stress at header-to-tube joints, and concurrently any carryover swell water from said high pressure superheater is drained by means of the start apparatus's horizontal drain manifold through said automatic pot drain valves opening as water accumulates, the last row of superheater tubes containing evaporating boilerwater greatly reduces the exhaust gas temperature upstream of said reheater, thereby preventing overheating damage to the reheater tubes, said feedwater control valve is manipulated to control the position of the dryout zone in said superheater to regulate temperature of the superheated steam to achieve dry steam as soon as possible, and said start apparatus pressure control valve is manipulated, regulating pressure, and when dry steam is sensed in the high pressure superheater discharge, pressure control is transferred by closing said start apparatus pressure control valve synchronized with opening said steam turbine bypass system to the condenser and thereby conducting steam flow from said high pressure superheater past said steam turbine through the reheater, and concurrently said intermediate pressure steam generator superheater section discharge valve is opened conducting steam through the reheater, steam from said hot reheater discharge header flows into said intermediate pressure manifold conducting it through said intermediate steam turbine bypass valve to the condenser, both the high pressure steam turbine and said intermediate turbine bypass valves are manipulated, thereby controlling both the high and intermediate steam pressures by conducting steam to an alternative path to said condenser, whereby steam flowing through said reheater cools said reheater tubes preventing overheating damage and heats said reheater headers, thereby reducing damaging thermal stress at reheater header to tube joints; and e) the discharge steam temperature from said high pressure superheater is increased from saturated boilerwater temperature by means of modulating said high pressure feedwater control valve to a lower flow rate, thereby decreasing water flow into said high pressure circuits and thereby positioning the dryout zone further away from said high pressure steam superheater header, and thereby increasing the area of said superheater and increasing outlet steam temperature which is controlled at a constant allowable low temperature level to permit starting and loading the steam turbine, and by means of opening and modulating said high pressure steam turbine admission valve and said intermediate steam turbine start admission valve, the steam flow to both turbine sections is divided to flow at a rate to each turbine section to conform to allowable criteria for a specific steam turbine section's thermal stresses, rotor clearances, and thrust, as said bypass system controls pressures by means of an alternative steam flow path until substantially all of the steam generated by said high pressure superheater is split between said high pressure steam turbine section and said intermediate steam turbine section, the high pressure steam turbine exhaust is conducted through the reheater and then through said intermediate steam turbine bypass valve to the condenser, and the total flow from the high pressure steam generator to said high pressure and intermediate pressure turbine sections at the low allowable turbine starting temperature is greater than rated flow at the much higher operating temperature and pressure, and wherein the flow is divided to optimize rapid warmup, each turbine section receives about 55% to 65% flow compared to the normal full rated flow at 100% power, and the high pressure steam turbine exhaust flows through a one-way valve through said reheater cold header and the steam temperature is increased in the intermediate steam manifold but flows past the intermediate steam turbine through the bypass system at a flow rate of about 55% to 65% and discharged to the condenser until the intermediate steam temperature exiting the reheater is increased, steam exhaust from the intermediate steam turbine is conducted to a low pressure steam turbine that exhausts directly to said condenser; and f) the temperature of the steam flow from the split high pressure superheater is increased slightly by decreasing the high pressure feedwater flow by means of modulating said feedwater control valve, by this means the location of the dryout zone row in the superheater relocates row by row downstream from an outlet row of the split reheater thereby causing a step increase in gas temperature entering said outlet row of the split reheater, as a result the split reheater outlet steam temperature ramp-rise rate accelerates from said reheater hot header resulting from the high pressure superheated steam temperatures smaller increase, and thereby increasing the temperature of the intermediate pressure steam temperature to an allowable temperature to be admitted to the intermediate steam turbine with a relatively smaller increase in the high pressure steam temperature, and the normal intermediate steam turbine admission valve is modulated open to continued steam flow loading of the remaining flow of about 45% to obtain 100% flow through the intermediate steam turbine, and in synchronization with modulating closed said intermediate steam turbine start admission valve the high pressure turbine admission valve is modulated further open to divert the additional high pressure steam flow made available, and thereby increasing the high pressure steam flow by approximately 45%, and said steam turbine bypass system controls high pressure and intermediate pressure with an alternative path to the condenser modulates reducing flow past the intermediate steam turbine section, and the additional flow is admitted through the high pressure steam turbine section compatible with allowable steam turbine stress and differential expansion until of 100% of the steam flow is admitted to the high pressure steam turbine section and the intermediate steam turbine section at a low allowable start temperature; and g) after substantially all the steam generated by the heat recovery steam generator, except the low pressure steam generator, is admitted into said high pressure steam turbine section and intermediate pressure steam turbine section at the low allowable turbine start temperature, the steam temperature from said high pressure superheater is increased by modulating said feedwater control valve and said bypass systems controlling the heat recovery steam pressure by means of an alternative steam flow path, and said intermediate steam temperature increasing as the high pressure turbine exhaust temperature increases and the dryout zone is relocated towards the full load design conditions, at a rate compatible with allowable steam turbine stress and differential expansion until rated operating temperature and pressure at full power is obtained for said high pressure steam turbine section and said intermediate steam turbine section; and h) applying conventional methods, a low pressure steam generator control system for said low pressure superheater section of said heat recovery steam generator concurrently supplies the additional steam flow to said steam turbine low pressure section to achieve full power and efficiency from said steam turbine.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the heat recovery steam generator is cold, typically after a weekend or longer shutdown of combined cycle power system, and other operations or maintenance, when the boilerwater steam pressure approaches ambient air pressure, prior to the start up method of pumping feedwater into said economizer header to displace boilerwater, said start apparatus nitrogen supply connection is opened and nitrogen is introduced to replace saturated steam as it condenses, the nitrogen is to prevent air ingress and corrosion of said heat recovery steam generator, and sufficient nitrogen is added to maintain adequate motive pressure after it is compressed by boilerwater pumped into said high pressure steam generator circuits, thereby the compressed nitrogen becomes the motivate pressure for draining said high pressure steam generator circuits in start up until sufficient steam is generated to replace the nitrogen as it is discharged to the condenser.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said heat recovery steam generator is hot and the high pressure superheater headers are relatively hot due to shutting down at the high operating temperature, and prior to start up said high pressure superheater header temperature is reduced from the high superheat temperatures to a less damaging warm start temperature close to saturated boilerwater temperature, thereby preventing high thermal quench stresses during filling said high pressure superheater with boilerwater at the much lower saturated steam temperature, if said combined cycle power system is placed on impending dispatch service, immediately after the gas turbine shut down, said small bypass flow control valve in the start apparatus is opened, conducting saturated steam flow past the start apparatus pressure control valve and thereby through the high pressure superheater headers, cooling them at a flow rate limited to prevent carryover of boilerwater from said heat recovery steam generator, and from the start apparatus steam is discharged to said condenser, the steam discharge temperature from said high pressure header is measured by a temperature sensor in one or more of said horizontal drain pipes connected to the high pressure header nozzle of said heat recovery steam generator, as saturated steam flow continues cooling the high pressure superheater headers the steam temperature in the in the horizontal drain pipe is reduced and is an indication of when said high pressure superheater header is ready for a warm start, said small bypass control valve is closed to conserve thermal energy when this temperature is obtained, and said combined cycle power system is in a ready-to-start status.

12. A start apparatus in accordance with claim 8 that has important performance and operational features comprising: a) no increased pressure loss or cycle efficiency reduction caused by said start apparatus when installed in normal combined cycle power system operation; b) all start up sensors, instrumentation, actuators, valves and wiring are installed external of the steam generator casing and thereby removing them from effects of hot corrosive exhaust gas, thereby enhancing: availability, reliability and maintainability; c) no additional problematic steam pipe penetrations of the steam generator casing; d) elimination of problematic inter-stage and terminal superheater and reheater attemperators used in conventional heat recovery steam generators; e) lower thermal stress in fast start heat recovery steam generators for combined cycle power systems resulting in shorter start time, longer cyclic life, higher availability and lower operating costs.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a HRSG in a CC system with a once-through type steam generator, showing a start apparatus connected to the high pressure superheater header discharge nozzle of the HRSG and a circuit drain header and drain valve at the economizer feedwater inflow row that are used in the start method described;

[0020] FIG. 2 is an arrangement of the apparatus piping system above the HRSG casing at the last superheater row with steam flowing upwards to the superheater headers within the casing. The gas turbine exhaust gas is depicted flowing horizontality from left to right into the top of the last row of the vertical high pressure superheater tubes. This is a side view of the apparatus system;

[0021] FIG. 3 is an arrangement of the apparatus piping system looking in the direction of the gas turbine exhaust flow into the last row of the high pressure superheater, at a position ahead of the high pressure superheater. It is labeled view A-A in FIG. 2. This is a front view of the system;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a top view of the start system apparatus installed above the top of the HRSG casing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] While the methods and apparatus are described herein are in the context of a combined cycle used in an electric utility power generation environment, it is contemplated that the method, apparatus, teachings and principles described herein may find utility in other applications such as industrial cogeneration and smaller horizontal tube HRSGs. And, in addition, are applicable to both single- and multi-shaft combined cycle systems. The description herein is therefore set forth only by way of illustration, rather than limitation.

[0024] The HRSG is configured using a once-through type steam generator modified by adding a start apparatus including a start apparatus and a circuit drain system. This configuration eliminates the drum and most thick headers, a major source of thermal stress in starting and shutting down HRSGs. The HRSG is a vertical carbon steel tube once-through steam generator flow configuration without a steam drum. By means of a wet start method a start time to full-steam-flow shorter than conventional HRSGs is achieved without damaging differential temperatures. The steam turbine is also loaded to full power in a shorter time than conventional. An embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic of a CC with a typical three pressure reheat HRSG 25 with the addition of a start apparatus system 1 and circuit drain header and a circuit drain valve 16. The apparatus 1 and drain system 16 are also well matched to a simple single pressure supercritical reheat CC or dual pressure supercritical CCs.

[0025] The embodiment, FIG. 1 includes a gas turbine system 18 comprising a compressor, a combustor fuel system and a turbine section that typically drives a generator (not shown). In a single shaft system,(not shown) the steam turbine would drive the same generator through an over-riding clutch arrangement. The start system is equally applicable to a single shaft system or a separate steam turbine driven generator. Exhaust gases discharging from the gas turbine, which may include supplementary firing, enter the HRSG 25 ducting and housing 19. Numerous safety valves, drain valves, vents, emissions control equipment, instrumentation and other components commonly known in steam plant art are not included to describe the essentials of the invention clearly.

[0026] In this embodiment FIG. 1 steam produced in the HRSG 25 at three pressure levels and is conducted to the steam turbine system to produce work in the high pressure HP steam turbine 13, the intermediate IP turbine section and the LP low pressure turbine section to drive a generator (not shown). The steam flow to the IP turbine comes from the reheater 3 and mixed with steam from the intermediate pressure steam generator IPSG. Steam expanded from the intermediate turbine exhaust is mixed with steam from the low pressure steam generator LPSG and exhausted to the LP low pressure turbine for expansion into a vacuum in the condenser that may be used for deaeration in many CCs. Condensate in the condenser is pumped by the condensate pump to the feedwater treatment system 30 to continue the Rankine Cycle flow. Only the high pressure steam circuits and intermediate pressure reheat circuits are described in detail to illustrate the main benefits of the invention. The two other steam generators, the low pressure steam generator (LPSG) and the intermediate pressure (IPSG) are shown in phantom outlines in approximate relative positions in the gas flow path through the HRSG. The feedwater preheater 29 is also used in many HRSGs (and is shown in thin vertical dash lines FW heater) to heat feedwater before entering the HRSG. The two lower pressure steam generators typically have heat transfer sections interspersed throughout the high pressure steam generator 25 which are not illustrated to help appreciate the invention which employs the high pressure circuit system to start up rapidly with low stress. In FIG. 1 the high pressure system flow is shown in heavy solid lines starting at the main high pressure manifold 10. The reheat-intermediate pressure steam flow is illustrated with heavy dash lines 3 and 7. Water starting in the condenser hot well as vacuum deaerated condensate is conducted to the condensate pump and then through a full flow condensate polishing system 30 including: filters, full flow condensate polishing deionizing system, pH, oxygen and carbon dioxide control systems and all volatile treatment feedwater suitable for a once-through steam generator with carbon steel tubes. From the condensate water treatment system 30 the feedwater is pumped through the preheater 29 and conducted to the high pressure feed pump 4, a feedwater control valve 15 and into the economizer feedwater header 5. From the header, the feedwater is distributed uniformly by orifices at the inlet of each identical circuit of the steam generator. In accordance with and embodying principles of the present invention, at least the high pressure section of the HRSG is a once-through type steam generator. Each circuit is the same, constructed with serpentine all tubular flow path of feedwater from the economizer 5 header through the evaporator 26 then as high pressure steam through the first superheater and then discharging in the final superheater in the last row of the superheater 2. The last row of the superheater is placed at the gas turbine 18 exhaust gas inlet to the once-through circuits where turbine exhaust gas enters the HRSG casing 19 illustrated with thin dash lines. This places the final high pressure superheater 2 in the highest gas temperature. The final reheat section is arranged downstream of the final high pressure superheater 2 where gas entering it is cooled by the superheater section. The location of the final superheater 2 and the final reheater row constitute the best embodiment of this invention and the heat transfer surfaces are arranged to facilitate steam turbine warming. All other sections as disposed in FIG. 1 may be located in different places with in the high pressure circuit to optimize performance for specific gas turbines or other reasons and are not essential to the benefits described by the invention. One or more high pressure sections are located farther downstream in the gas flow direction dispersed with other lower pressure heat transfer sections to maximize performance and steam turbine starts. In this example a second or lower temperature high pressure superheater is shown upstream of the inlet row of the reheater 3. Other sections such as double reheater, catalytic convertors, and maintenance spaces between heat exchange sections may also be arranged within the steam generator of the HRSG. If others are incorporated, or not, the benefits of the concept will still be realized. Any number of other sections can be easily located into the concept by replacing the U-bends with longer jumper tubes. The number of vertical heat transfer tube rows shown in once-through flow path 25 is to illustrate the concept and many more rows are used in practice. In normal full power CC operation superheated steam is conducted from the high pressure header 14 through the header discharge nozzle 9 to the high pressure steam manifold 10 and then through the main steam piping system to the admission valve 48 of the high pressure steam turbine HP. After extracting work in the high pressure turbine, lower temperature and pressure steam is conducted through a check valve to the cold reheater header and flows through serpentine heat transfer tubes to the hot reheater header 3. From this header, it is conducted into intermediate pressure manifold 7 where it is mixed with steam from the intermediate steam generator (IPSG) discharge valve 45. Intermediate steam is connected to the IP turbine through the normal IP turbine admission valve 47 from manifold 7. During start cycles steam is also conducted to the intermediate steam turbine section (IP) by opening IP turbine's start admission valve 49 during the turbine loading at the low steam temperature phase of the turbine startup operations. Turbine bypass valves 46, 35 and 12 permit steam to bypass the high pressure turbine and intermediate turbine when the turbines admission valves 47, 48 and 49 are initially closed and provide an alternate steam flow path to the condenser through the reheater 3 during starts to cool it in the initial phase of HRSG startup. The reheater 3 discharge enters the intermediate pressure manifold 7 and steam flows through a bypass valve 35 (while the intermediate turbine is isolated by closing its admission valve 47) through a desuperheater 31 to the condenser. During normal operation, bypass valves are closed and high pressure steam expands through the high pressure turbine HP discharging through a one way valve into the reheater cold header. The reheater hot header 3 then discharges the heated steam into the intermediate pressure manifold 7 and then through admission valve 47 to the intermediate steam turbine IP. After expanding in the IP turbine, steam exhausts into the low pressure turbine LP expanding to a vacuum completing the cycle as condensate in the hotwell of the condenser. The condenser may be used to remove oxygen and CO2 or the HRSG may have a deaerating heater incorporated in the low pressure section. A condensate pump conducts the water from the condenser to a full flow condensate polishing system and all volatile water treatment systems 30 to lower total dissolved solids to levels acceptable for a once-through steam generator. The feedwater treatment system may use the latest-state-of-the-art membrane technology such as RO deionization, oxygen control, CO2 removal, that could reduce low pressure steam system complexity in deaeration steam systems. The purified condensate then flows through the feedwater heater 29 typical in many CCs. From the heater it enters the feedwater pump 4 and the feedwater control valve 16 immediately upstream of high pressure economizer header 5. The CC is typical to conventional technology systems throughout except for innovations described herein. Other components such as numerous safety valves, fuel heating sub-systems, jacking gear, seal systems, instrumentation, auxiliary boiler, drains and vents are not shown since they are conventional and well understood by those trained in the art.

[0027] The high pressure steam generator 25 is a once-through type heat transfer circuit constructed of long vertical finned tubes. Each circuit is independently supported from the top with a high degree of flexibility to expand downward. The tubes also have significant space to expand upwards in some rows of each circuit with rows connected by top and bottom U-bends or jumper tubes. The result is a continuous, all tubular, independent circuit of water to steam that flows directly from the high pressure water economizer inlet header 5 through a flow restrictor then though the economizer and into the evaporator section 26. The evaporator section position 26 adjusts to the optimum location in the circuit primarily depending on the gas turbine load (the turbine's mass flow, exhaust gas temperature and other factors). The location is a result of the controls that calculate of the optimum steam flow for conditions and load requirements that sets adjusts the feedwater flow control valve 16 to a predicted feedwater rate. The feedwater flow rate is the main HRSG control parameter is set immediately. The actual slow feedback response of the steam temperature corrects for secondary degradations in turbine, heat transfer, or other factors that produce errors in the predictive water flow rate. To lower superheated steam temperature from header 14 feedwater is increased into header 5 resulting in a proportional steam flow increase. From the evaporator 26 dry steam flows through the superheater and is discharged into high pressure header 14 and to the main high pressure manifold 10. This is the only high temperature header in the high pressure steam circuit and is specifically protected from thermal stress by the arrangement and methods described herein in start up and transient operation. The controls also protect against sudden large steam temperature reductions that could result in quenching thermal stress. Transients such as gas turbine trips from high power or unintended opening of a bypass valve may cause sever thermal stress. By opening a high flow capacity circuit drain valve 16 the dryout zone immediately increases the length of the superheater as the dryout zone retreats toward the economizer outlet header 5 (similar to a high capacity bottom blow in suddenly flooded drum boilers). This moves the dryout zone rapidly away from header 14 reducing its differential temperature stress and preventing possible quench damage.

[0028] In normal full power CC operation steam produced in the HRSG high pressure steam circuits flows from the high pressure superheater header 14 through the header discharge nozzle 9 to the main high pressure steam manifold 10 mounted on top of the HRSG, external of the casing, from which steam is conducted by valves and lines to the high pressure steam turbine mounted at ground level. In normal operation the high pressure steam flows through high pressure admission valve 48 and is expanded in the high pressure turbine and discharged through a one-way valve to the reheater cold header and is discharged from the reheater hot header 3. IPSG discharge valve 45 additionally discharges intermediate pressure superheated steam into the cold header of reheater 3 After passing through the reheater, steam is conducted into the intermediate pressure manifold 7 and conducted to the intermediate steam turbine IP admission valve 47. From expanding in the IP turbine, the steam is mixed with steam from the LPSG to the low pressure turbine LP. The low pressure turbine steam exhausts into the condenser, completing the steam-to-water Rankine Cycle as condensate in the hotwell of the condenser. The low pressure system is not described in detail to better illustrate the high pressure and intermediate pressure systems that are the main systems of this wet start method. Bypass systems are provided around each turbine section and are discussed in detail in the next selection.

[0029] This section describes the stress start apparatus 1 is a horizontal arrangement that provides surge expansion volume adjoining each superheater header. The apparatus 1 is fabricated of relatively small diameter pipes that provide a means to: fill and control the water level in the superheater, manage start surge, drain swell water and control pressure in the initial start. An overnight shutdown results in a warm start from several hundred degrees F. and a few hundred psig saturated steam pressure. The start sequence is dependent on filling the HRSG with saturated boilerwater using start apparatus system 1. The apparatus system 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 as a pipe weldment of high pressure ASME Section 1 Boiler Code pipes. The plane of the paper in FIG. 2 is parallel to the plane of gas turbine exhaust flowing horizontally from left to right, illustrating the high pressure superheated last row 2 where the gas enters the HRSG 25. The drawing shows an arrangement of the apparatus piping system on top of the HRSG 25 external to the casing 19 at the last superheater row 2. Steam flows upwards from the last row 2 to the superheater headers 14 within the casing 19 (shown as thin dash lines) with the horizontal flow of the gas turbine exhaust gas flowing across the tubes of row 2. The last row of the high pressure superheater tubes 2 is shown in the lower right corner of FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an arrangement of the start apparatus looking from the gas turbine in the same direction as the turbine exhaust flow into the vertical tube HRSG from a position just ahead of the high pressure superheater (shown as view A-A in FIG. 2). FIG. 3 illustrates the vertical steam drain line down from the loop barrier of the horizontal drain manifold 8 to the pressure control valve 12 at ground level (L distance to ground adds to surge volume). A small drain bypass valve 33 actuated by (LE) 24 level indicator drains any condensate accumulation around valve 12 in operation due to heat loss from the pipe. From valve 12 the steam discharge from the start apparatus is directed through desuperheater 51 to the condenser (FIG. 1). The system is configured without an obstruction, expansion, contraction or turn in the normal flow path from headers 14 to the main steam manifold 10. As a result, the system does not cause an additional pressure flow loss in normal CC power production. FIG. 4 a top view looking down shows the geometric horizontal plane relationship between the headers 14 and the drain manifold 8 to provide swell expansion volume and drainage closely coupled to each header. Two headers are shown for illustration but other headers would be added in an identical arrangement for larger HRSGs. Since the start apparatus 1 is external to the casing 19 mounted on the top of the HRSG, it does not require additional case penetrations. There is one penetration of the casing 19 for each header nozzle as a normal part of the conventional HRSG arrangement. Although one header discharge nozzle is illustrated per header, large HRSGs may use two or more discharge nozzles in some installations.

[0030] A warm start method is described in detail and is expected to be the most common in future CC power plants. Cold and hot starts are similar, with minor differences described later. To minimize start times and cycling damage, the HRSGs are bottled up to maintain to maintain as high a temperature as possible. In a warm start, typically after an overnight shutdown, the superheater 2 contains stagnant saturated steam resulting from spin-down cooling and hours of HRSG heat loss. The saturated boilerwater is primarily located in the evaporator circuits 26 and is below normal operating pressure but still several hundred degrees above ambient conditions. Saturated steam from the evaporator section 26 tubes directly replaces any condensing steam in superheater 2. The unique method used to start requires the superheater 2 be completely filled with saturated boilerwater to minimize differential temperatures. Prior to starting, the CC condensate water from feedwater treatment system 30 is pumped into each circuit by feedwater pump 4. To fill the superheater, feedwater is pumped into the HRSG of the once-through type from the economizer inlet header 5 and displaces the saturated water in the evaporator 26, forcing it into the superheater. The flow is controlled by feedwater control valve 15, conducted through high pressure once-through circuits from the economizer header 5 through the evaporator 26 and then sequentially flows through the superheater header 14 and into the start apparatus 1. The feed water flow rate controlled by valve 15 enters from the economizer header 5 distributing it uniformly into each circuit by the inlet flow restrictors installed in each of many parallel flow serpentine circuits. The boilerwater flows in each identical circuit, filling the superheater tubes 2 and header 14. In the header, it mixes with the saturated water from the other circuits and flows vertically through the header discharge nozzle 9 to the horizontal drain pipe 11, discharging into the drain manifold 8. (Steam flow in normal CC operation would flow vertically up in header discharge nozzles 9 into the main high pressure steam manifold 10 that is now bottled up due to the turbine admission and bypass valves being closed. Water flow continues into the system until level element (LE) 21 signals the feedwater control valve 15 to stop the water flow in the upward vertical loop section of piping when the drain manifold 8 is full (FIGS. 2 and 3). The level is controlled at (LE) 21, several feet above the horizontal drain pipe 11 junction to the header nozzle 9 (see FIG. 3). This ensures that if one or more circuits were slow to fill when pumping water into economizer header 5, they would be completely filled by gravity back flow from horizontal drain manifold 8, back through nozzles 9 into each header 14, thereby filling and venting thereby all the last row of tubes 2 of the high pressure superheater circuits. It should be noted that any water over flow from the top of the drain manifold 8 loop will automatically drain through a small automatic drain valve 33 if level sensor 24 (LE) detects water at the bottom of the loop (see FIG. 3). The (LE) 21 level is well below the main high pressure steam manifold 10, preventing water from reaching the main high pressure steam manifold. The next step in the start sequence is to lower the water level in each header to exactly the same level. This is accomplished by remotely opening the pot drain valves 22 on the bottom of the horizontal drain manifold 8. When valves 22 are opened, the system completely drains manifold 8 of water. As a result, levels of water in each of the vertical header nozzle discharge pipes 9 are drained to their connection point with pipe 11 (see FIG. 2). The superheater headers 14 and their nozzles 9 are now full of saturated boilerwater at the same level approximately two feet above the high pressure superheater header 14. As a consequence, a known quantity of water now occupies the volume consisting of headers 14 plus the header discharge nozzles 9 up to the level at the intersection to horizontal drain pipe 11. Although only two headers are illustrated in FIG. 2 the same method is used with many headers typical of large HRSGs. It is important to start at the same level for uniform control of pressure and temperature during a start cycle. The system surge volume includes the empty manifold 8 plus a larger expansion volume after the loop barrier in the vertically downward leg of the steam discharge pipe upstream of the start apparatus system's pressure control valve 12 near ground level (see FIG. 3). In FIG. 3 the total volume is shown as L=VOL plus headers 14, pipes 11 and manifold 8. A volume equal to at least half of the internal volume of the tubes in the final row of tubes in superheater 2 is adequate for pressure control and damping during the start sequence. This volume is provided by a pipe less than half the diameter of the main steam manifold 10. Therefore, it is less than half the wall thickness to minimize the manifolds thermal cycling stress.

[0031] At the combustor flame detection signal from the gas turbine the circuit drain valve 16 is opened to drain a specific volume of boilerwater from its position above the header in nozzle 9. The hydraulically locked water is pressure drained by saturated steam in the apparatus from each circuits first in let row of the economizer to a flash tank 17. From 17 it is conducted to the condenser (or a feedwater storage tank equipped with nitrogen sparging). The rate of circuit drain flow volume depends upon the of the measured steam pressure and the flow characteristics of circuit drain valve 16 to remove a calculated volume to position the boilerwater level in each tube 2 to 5 feet below the header at the top of the final superheater tubes 2. This action thereby creates additional surge volume in each tube of row 2. In seconds after flame detection, the first row of water filled high pressure superheater 2 tubes are exposed to high temperature exhaust gases, the drain valve 16 is opened and water level near the top of the last row of superheater tubes 2 is lowered farther down into the tubes at a controlled rate by drain valve 16 providing space for swell water expansion. As the turbine accelerates the water in the final superheater 2 tubes rapidly heats and starts to boil and its volume swells, mostly flowing down into the additional space being created. Start apparatus pressure control valve 12 opens controlling the rising steam pressure flow to desuperheater 51. The rapidly Increasing steam pressure concurrently shrinks the steam bubbles in the swell water thereby reducing swell volume proportional to pressure and forcing the dryout level farther down into the last row 2, thereby reducing carryover. Some swell water carryover, droplets and mist not retained in the expanding steam space at the top of the last row of superheater tubes 2 are carried over to nozzle 9 and horizontal drain pipe 11 and into drain manifold 8. When its drain pots sense water (LE) 23 the drain pot valves 22 open automatically, draining water from manifold 8. The majority of wet steam will flow over the pipe loop water barrier and flow through the high capacity apparatus pressure control valve 12. Valve 12 will modulate to control the steam pressure ramp rise-rate and discharge through desuperheater 51 to the condenser. Concurrently, the circuit drain valve 16 flow continues reducing the level of water in the last row of superheater tubes 2 causing the dryout level to move down and away from headers 14. The header 14 and top of the tubes 2 start at the same saturation temperature, but steam flow generated cools the tubes and heats the headers and minimizes differential temperatures. Circuit drain valve 16 has control of steam temperature rise rate by adjusting the dryout zone location farther from headers 14, thereby increasing the effective area of the tubes superheating the steam. Adequate expansion volume is quickly generated in superheater 2 thereby reducing and eliminating carryover water into the manifold 8. The dryout zone continues to move farther away from the final superheater header 14 through the following rows of superheater and reheater tubes. These rows are located upstream of the hot reheater 3 and cool gas temperature at the reheater to prevent overheating of its tubing. Water flow drains through a one-way valve in each circuit to ensure circuit-to-circuit boiling stability during start transients. With this method and configuration, the system 1 starts steam flow at a relatively low saturated steam temperature that is initially driven by the saturation pressure and then rapidly increases as superheater area is added in a controlled method by drain valve 16. By means of the circuit drain valve 16, the dryout zone location in the final superheater tubes is adjusted farther from the header 14 to control steam outlet temperature during the start sequence. Pressure is controlled by apparatus discharge valve 12 as steam temperature starts at saturation and ramps up the header and tube temperatures concurrently to minimizing damaging differential temperatures. The need for interstage attemperators to limit tube temperature is eliminated by adjusting the position of the dryout zone. The position of the dryout zone is controlled by a computed predictive algorithm drain flow rate that constantly transports the dryout zone to an optimum position during gas turbine acceleration and loading. The calculations incorporate key turbine and steam generator characteristics plus real time measurements of turbine and steam parameters. Adjustments to the algorithm output results are made by incorporating superheater outlet temperature and pressure feedback to limit pressure. As the gas turbine accelerates and is loaded as fast as possible, the exhaust gases rapidly rise to approximately 1100 F. (depending on the turbine type). The superheater 2 filled with boilerwater and evaporating water reduces the gas temperature hundreds of degrees at the reheater located immediately downstream, protecting its tubes from over temperature. When dry superheated steam flow is sensed during gas turbine acceleration, start apparatus pressure control valve 12 is ramped closed as steam turbine bypass valves 46 and 35 are opened and modulated to discharge the steam generated through reheater 3 to control pressure. Steam from the intermediate pressure steam generator IPSG, when dry is also conducted through the reheater 3 by its discharge valve 45. The steam discharge from the hot reheater outlet header 3 is conducted to intermediate pressure manifold 7 and on through bypass valve 35 to a desuperheater 31 to condition the steam for the condenser. The turbine admission valves 47, 48 and 49 are kept in closed position and all steam generated is bypassed to the condenser. The relatively low temperature steam from the high pressure superheat headers 14 flows through the reheater 3 and cools its tubes while warming its headers. This prevents reheater 3 tubes from overheating and causing damaging differential thermal stress between tubes and headers. At rated speed, the gas turbine is loaded to full power as fast as possible. By modulating the feedwater control valve 15 the dryout zone is shifted away from the outlet header 14 and a higher temperature high pressure steam is generated by modulating the feed water valve and drain valve 16 to produce an allowable temperature to start the steam turbine.

[0032] (A low pressure steam generator LPSG system also employs a bypass system to conduct low pressure steam around the LP turbine, controlling steam flow during start up using conventional methods and not detailed to illuminate the unique start method herein.)

[0033] The bypass valves 46 and 35 will control the high pressure and intermediate pressure through desuperheater 31 as an allowable temperature to start the steam turbine reached. Flow through bypass system is modulated so as to control the steam pressure and provide an alternate path for steam while turbine admission valves are modulated during turbine loading. Steam temperature is kept constant at a low allowable admission temperature for starting the IP and HP section of the turbine. This temperature is (for example at approximately 700 F.) or if the turbine instrumentation shows the turbine bowl metal temperature is higher a constant temperature slightly above the bowl measured temperature (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,133). This temperature set point is maintained by regulating water flow into the HRSG by adjusting the feedwater control valve 15 that controls temperature by the position of the dryout zone. Steam flow is generated rapidly as the gas turbine is loaded as fast as possible to full power. The steam turbine is started by modulating the steam turbine high pressure admission valve 48 and intermediate pressure turbine start admission valve 49 while controlling the high pressure steam to a constant allowable temperature (for example at approximately 700 F.). Since the intermediate pressure start valve 49 all so operates from the high pressure steam line it will also be at 700 F. Actual steam flow at the low 700 F. temperature is greater than 130% of rated flow at the rated temperature, typically 1050 F. to 1100 F. The low allowable start temperature limits thermal stress, differential expansion and thrust load in both turbine sections. The flow to the turbine sections is modulated and increased at a rate compatible with turbine stress and clearance criteria. The HP turbine section flow is increased by modulating admission valve 48 and the bypass valves to about 65% of rated flow and intermediate turbine admission start valve 49 modulating flow to 65% into the IP turbine section while maintaining about 700 F. The differential pressure drop expanding across each turbine section is concurrently balanced to maintain an acceptable force on the thrust bearing. At the condition with about 65% flow in both turbines the temperature of steam in the intermediate pressure manifold 7 is too low to admit flow through the normal admission valve 47. To raise the intermediate steam temperature, the HP temperature is increased to about 800 F. (for example) to raise the reheater 3 discharge temperature into manifold 7. (The 800 F. example temperature used is a function of the heat exchange row arrangements.) Decreasing the flow into the high pressure circuits by feedwater control valve 15 moves the dryout zone in the superheater towards its normal position in the evaporator. The dryout zone transfers row-by-row toward its normal position in the evaporator section 26. Early in the transfer process the dryout zone row relocates downstream of the hot discharge of reheater row at header 3 outlet row. This accelerates the rate of gas temperature increase entering the reheater 3. Combined with increasing HP turbine exhaust steam temperature and increasing gas temperature the reheater temperature discharge also increases into the intermediate manifold 7. When the reheater 3 discharge temperature in manifold 7 rises to about 700 F., the IP turbine admission valve 47 is modulated open to provide steam flow from the reheater hot header 3 at 700 F. into the IP turbine from intermediate pressure manifold 7. Intermediate turbine start valve 49 is synchronized with valve 47 and valve 49 is modulated closed to eliminate flow from it, the start valve. The IP turbine admission steam flow temperature is kept constant at about 700 F. Steam flow to the HP turbine is kept constant at approximately 800 F. Steam flow into the IP and HP sections is now increased to 100% of the rated flow by manipulating valve 47 and 48 at rates compatible to turbine stress, clearance and thrust bearing criteria. Bypass valves are concurrently modulated to control the intermediate steam pressure. With full flow in both turbine sections the high pressure steam temperature is increased to full rated power (typically about 1050-1100 F.) by manipulating the feedwater flow rate with valve 15. The temperature rise rate is limited by the allowed stress and clearance criteria of either the high pressure or intermediate pressure turbine sections. The pressure across each section is regulated during the increase in temperature to maintain the thrust balance required. As the dryout zone is adjusted to the normal position in the high pressure evaporator 26, both turbine stages advance to full rated steam temperature and load as bypass valves 46 and 35 are modulated to the shut position. The intermediate pressure reheated superheat in steam manifold 7 automatically follows the expanded high pressure turbine exhaust to its rated temperature (depending on the gas turbine and other factors). This procedure enables full steam turbine loading while controlling stress in shell and rotor heating as well as maintaining allowable differential expansion clearances.

[0034] Cold starts are usually infrequent and may be less than 50 per year. In cold starts, the once-through through type HRSG is protected with nitrogen blanketing to prevent air ingress as steam pressure falls close to ambient air pressure after a long period of shutdown. All steam spaces not filled with boiler water over long shutdowns or maintenance periods are blanketed with at least 5 psig nitrogen gas via a single nitrogen line connection in the high pressure steam manifold 10 and apparatus system 1. The same start method is used as described above, except, as water fills the nitrogen gas space, the gas is compressed by flow from the feedwater pump 4 and is used as the motive pressure to drain and lower the level in the last row of high pressure superheater tubes 2. When sufficient steam pressure is generated during turbine acceleration, it takes over as the motive pressure to drain the circuits through drain control valve 16. The start apparatus system 1 is positioned to be closely coupled to the high pressure steam outlet header 14 and is also filled with compressed nitrogen. In the prestart sequence, feedwater control valve 15 will control feedwater flow into the circuits. Water is pumped into the economizer header 5 forcing treated boilerwater from the economizer and evaporator to fill the superheater 2 and apparatus system 1 to level LE 21 in drain manifold 8. When the HRSG is started completely empty after a long layup the nitrogen gas will be vented to keep its pressure sufficiently low to prevent excessive gas loading of the condenser's gas removal system during starts. At this condition, the start method described above for a warm start is the same, once the start apparatus is filled with water and compressed nitrogen maintained over approximately 60 psig.

[0035] Hot starts are necessary for CC support of variable power sources such as solar and wind where weather can cause loss of power to the grid in minutes. If the CC is on an hourly dispatch service to support variable power, the start method for hot is the same as the warm method described above, except the high pressure superheater header 14 temperature is lowered to improve thermal fatigue life. At the time of gas turbine shut down, the superheater header 14 may be 400 to 600 degrees F. above saturated steam temperature of the water in the evaporator. If the combined cycle must start within minutes, the superheater header may be too hot to avoid thermal shock stress when it is filled with saturated water. To minimize stresses in this condition, saturated steam flow through the header is initiated immediately after gas turbine shutdown to reduce header 14 temperatures. Shutdown spin cooling will have caused the superheater tubes to be force cooled to saturated steam temperature and condense the steam in the tubes. At shutdown the final rows 2 of tubes contain greater than 10% by volume of saturated condensate at the bottom U-bend bends. The start apparatus has a small bypass flow control valve 33 (FIG. 3) to meter low flow rates of steam. It is modulated to accurately manage flows at lower flow rate than possible with the high capacity apparatus pressure control valve 12. Valve 33 bypasses saturated steam flow around valve 12 to cool the headers 14 to near saturation steam temperature. Valve 33 controls the rate flow around valve 12 to prevent condensate carryover or droplets. Flow rate is maintained sufficiently low to prevent liquid carryover quenching the header 14. At low flow rates, gravity separation allows only a fine mist to exit the long vertical tubes. As the condensate water is evaporated, saturated steam flows at hundreds of degrees below the header temperature, cools the headers, and the metal approaches saturation temperature. When the header 14 discharge steam temperature sensor 32 (see FIG. 2) in horizontal drain pipe 11 indicates header temperature has been lowered adequately by the steam temperature discharging from the header, valve 33 is closed to conserve thermal energy for the next start. The start method after lowering the header temperature is identical to the warm-start method described above.

[0036] While the apparatus and method has been described in connection with a certain embodiment related to the most serious problems now afflicting HRSGs and is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications such as: a supercritical steam HRSGs U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,162 SUPERCRITICAL STEAM COMBINED CYCLE AND METHOD, horizontal tube HRSG with once-through circuits, intermediate and low pressure sections of HRSGs, Benson flow path HRSGs, supplementary fired HRSGs and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention by one of ordinary skill in the art to the appended claims.