LESSON

5
TURBINE THROTTLE, CONTROL &
NON-RETURN VALVES
LECTURE
SUB - OBJECTIVE
At the end of this lesson the trinee !ill "no! the T#r$ine throttle %l%es & Control
%l%es nd Non-Ret#rn %l%es&
'&( )AIN STEA) INLET VALVES
The unit is provided with two throttle valve-steam chest assemblies, one located
along each side of the HP-IP turbine cylinder. Each steam chest has one throttle
valve and three governor valves. The position of these valves is controlled by a
servoactuator or servomotor mounted adjacent to each valve. The servoactuators
respond to control signals from the digital electro-hydraulic !EH" governor system
and the servomotors respond to control signals from Hydraulic #overnors.
The main body of the steam chest combines the throttle valve and governor valves
in a single steel forging. The supports are designed to absorb customer pipe
reactions while maintaining the position of the steam chest and allowing for its
thermal e$pansion. The throttle valve end is supported by a fle$ible %&' frame and
crosstie brac(et assembly. The opposite end is also supported by a fle$ible member.
)oth supports are bolted and doweled to a base plate which is in turn bolted and
doweled to the turbine foundation.
The throttle-stop and governor valve provides double protection at the high pressure
steam inlet of the turbine. The overall space re*uirements are reduced by
combining the throttle valve and steam chest, and maintenance has been facilitated
by having all the operating parts above the turbine floor. The placing of the throttle
valve in the hori+ontal position minimi+es the total angle through which the steam
must turn. The function of the governor valves it to precisely regulate the speed and
load of the turbine by controlling the steam flow. The throttle-stop valve has two
functions. It acts as an emergency stop valve, and it is used to control the speed of
the turbine during the start-up period.
This valve is hydraulically opened and spring closed and operates in the hori+ontal
position. The valve has an integral by-pass capable of opening against full boiler
pressure and will pass appro$imately ,-. of rated steam flow at full boiler pressure.
The by-pass is designed for accurate speed control for full admission starting. The
main plug of the throttle valve is of the unbalanced design and can be opened after
the load or speed control is transferred to the governor valves. The throttle-stop
valve is designed for %bac(-seating' in both the wide open and closed positions to
reduce steam lea(age to a minimum in the open position and to enable the boiler to
be %bottled-up' for short shut downs. & forged strainer prevents foreign objects from
entering the turbine. !uring initial operation additional fine mesh strainers are
added to the permanent strainers.
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The governor valves are of the plug type with diffuser outlets. The valve is loose on
the steam to assure proper valve and seat alignment. The valves are partially
balanced to reduced the force re*uired to lift them. Each valve is hydraulically
opened by means of a servoactuator and provided with a dump valve for the
hydraulic fluid and a heavy spring for *uic( closing. The valve stem bac( seats
when the valve is in the wide open position, thus (eeping the steam lea(age to a
minimum.
*&( )AIN STEA) +I+IN,
The main steam inlet piping is located on both side so the high pressure element at
the governor end. The piping consists of si$ fle$ible piping sections that carry high
pressure and high temperature main steam. The pipes e$pand as they heat up,
resulting in stresses where they are connected to the turbine casing and steam
chest. However, the piping is made long enough to be sufficiently fle$ible to absorb
this thermal e$pansion. The fle$ible main steam piping is welded to the outlets that
are located in the bottom of each steam chest body. The other ends of the pipes are
welded to the steam inlets of the high-pressure section of the high pressure turbine.
These inlets are divided e*ually with half on the bottom base, half located on the top
casing. &ll upper sections of the piping to be bro(en for removal of the cylinder
cover for maintenance. Each flange assembly consists of a male-female flange
coupled with bolts. It contains a soft iron gas(et that is used for steam sealing. The
lowest portion of each pipe normally contains a drain to remove any condensate
from the piping. Piping drains are grouped to one or more common orifice bloc(s.
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-i.& /-5-' Co01lete Unit 2T!o C3linder T#r$ine - ,enertor Unit4
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-i.& /-5-* Arrn.e0ent of T#r$ine Throttle nd ,o%ernor Vl%es, Al-5ho$r +lnt
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6&( NO77LE CHA)BER CO)+ONENTS
The purpose of the 3o++le 4hamber is to receive steam from the inlet pipes and to
support the no++le bloc(s which contain stationary vanes that direct the steam to the
rotating control blading. This component combined with a bolted on no++le bloc(
converts pressure energy Heat Energy" of the main steam into (inetic or velocity
energy energy of motion". The function of the no++le chamber, located at the
control stage inlet, is to provide partial arc admission or full arc admission to the
control stage.
The no++le chamber design features separate no++le chamber construction. The
component includes ?
<. 9egmented no++le chambers that minimi+e thermal stresses resulting from
temperature variations encountered in partial load operation.
,. &lignment maintained by heavy tongue and groove fit between chambers
and inner casing.
&s previously stated, the bolted on no++le bloc( contains stationary vanes blades"
which convert pressure energy to velocity energy and directs the steam to the
rotating control blades.
The HP no++le chambers are welded to the inner cylinder at the inlet end and are
guided with a tongue-and-groove fit to the inner cylinder at the hori+ontal joint,
permitting relative e$pansion movement between each part. The side no++le
chambers in the base, which contain the tongue-and-groove fit to the inner cylinder
base, are fi$ed to the base through fle$ plates. The fle$ plates provide anchoring in
the transverse and a$ial directions while at the same time permitting fle$ibility in the
vertical direction. :our grooves are machined in each no++le bloc( for seals to
minimi+e steam loss in the area of the control stage blading. The two-piece seal has
a loc(ing strip to retain the seal strip in the groove.
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8&( TURBINE CONTROL VALVES
8&' )AIN STO+ VALVES 2THROTTLE VALVES4 2-I,URE /-5-64
2ocated in the steam piping upstream of the control valve chest. They control the
flow of steam to the turbine during start-up under full arc admission.
:low is over disc and through seat. 2ow flow throttling is infre*uent, so flow
direction is satisfactory.
They act as a second line of defense against turbine over-speed. The disc or plug is
guided to assure correct approach to the seat and prevent e$cessive sideways
movement.
<. @4ageA in the stop valve is a baffle to prevent e$cessive buffeting and steam
impact against the valve disc.
,. The spindle is slender, to reduce pac(ing friction load, and therefore the
bottom support is beneficial.
=. 2ea(off lines ta(e away steamBwater mi$tures that get past the pac(ing and
close clearances of the valve stem.
Each valve is e*uipped with an internal by-pass inside the main valve.
!uring start-up, the hydraulic cylinder beneath the stop valve first opens a small pilot
valve in the center of the main disc. The piloting action has two functions.
To relieve over-disc pressure and allow easier main valve opening. )y-pass is
needed to allow the main valve open under full line pressure.
Thic( cross sections of casing and rotating elements need slow warm-up and
cooling to prevent thermal fatigue and early crac(ing in cycling service. This is a
given fact of turbine design and metallurgy.
Therefore passages to and from the pilot valve, which is called a %bypass valve' are
ade*uate for warm-up flow to the turbine first stage. The pilot valve can bac(seat
when open, to prevent loss of closure pressure on top of the main disc. /nce warm-
up is completed, done at a rate that will not cause e$cessive thermal stress in the
turbine casing, the main stop valve can open and deliver steam to the control valve.
Testing the free operation of the valves should be done in accordance with plant
procedures. Throttle valves stem :reedom Test"
<. Testing consists of stro(ing the valve a certain distance off itAs bac( seat.
,. Testing can be done with the unit carrying load since both main stop valves
have full flow capacity.
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8&* TURBINE CONTROL VALVES
2ocated in the main steam chest between the turbine no++le bloc( and the main
stop valves.
1egulate steam flow into the turbine to suit load re*uirements.
4arefully designed and adjusted with respect to itAs governor system.
The valves are subject to the full steam line pressure and temperature with
conse*uent large attendant forces and may be re*uired to control accurately over a
range of steam flow from very small to very large.
E$cessive pressure drop across the control valve cannot be tolerated as any
pressure drop at all represents a loss of energy, reducing the efficiency of the
turbine.
Dalves and valve seats incorporate special shapes or contours to minimi+e losses
through pressure drop.
There are a number of different valve designs applied to control valves depending
upon the steam conditions, flows and cost.
These principal types are venturi valves, poppet valves, double-lift valves, balanced
valves, spool valves and grid valves.
3ote that the valve stems are sealed to prevent steam lea(age by utili+ing either a
soft pac(ing or a very close fitting bushing composed of an inner and outer section.
9oft pac(ing, while easily renewed during maintenance wor(, is subject to cause
shaft stic(ing if the pac(ing gland nuts are tightened e$cessively. This is particularly
true if stems under this type of pac(ing become worn, pitted or eroded.
9ince the conse*uences of valve stic(ing are so serious in turbine e*uipment, the
tendency has been to apply hard, bushing-type valve stem seals.
Hard pac(ing is generally designed using different material, from that used in the
valve stem, to produce favorable rubbing characteristics without galling metal to
metal welding due to friction".
The steam seal bushing, or valve stem, or both are usually nitrided hardened".
3itrided valve stems and bushings e$hibit high resistance to wear, erosion, corrosion
and damage due to foreign material such as scale or boiler compound.
The small amount of steam lea(ing past the inner bushing, or seal, is then piped to a
waste header through valve stem lea(off piping.
3ote the following characteristics of control valves.
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In the closed position, it must form a positive seal against steam flow to prevent
uncontrolled steam from entering the turbine.
In the closed position, it is held shut by full steam pressure and re*uires a very large
force to lift it from itAs seat.
This force, due to the steam pressure differential across the seat, will be reduced as
the valve lifts or increases itAs travel.
&cts as the first line of defense against turbine overspeed. Individual steam leads
from each valve to the inlet bowl section of high pressure turbine. Each valve is
operated by a spring closing, oil operated servo-motor.
<. 9ervo-motor is operated by hydraulic li*uid through servo-valve.
,. 9ervo-valve receives itAs signal from flow control unit of the electro-hydraulic
control system.
These valves should also be tested as per plant policy and procedures.
Testing causes greater thermal stress in the turbine. Testing of these valves
temporarily reduces power output of generator.
8&6 TURBINE E9TRACTION - NON RETURN VALVES
<. To prevent turbine overspeed due to steam energy in e$traction system.
,. 2ocated in all e$traction steam pipes.
=. Either free swing or power assisted chec( valves.
>. E$traction chec( valves do not insure protection of turbine from water
induction from lea(ing feed water heater but will reduce the amount of
induction.
-. 6otor operated stop valves for each e$traction line will provide protection
against water induction.
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-i.& /-5-6 Co0$ined Sto1-Throttle Vl%e
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-i.& /-5-8 T#r$ine Sto1 Vl%e
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-i.& /-5-5 Co0$ined Sto1-Throttle Vl%e nd Control Vl%es
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-i.& /-5-: T#r$ine Control 2Re.#ltin.4 Vl%e
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-i.& /-5-/ T#r$ine Control Vl%es 2Be0 Control Vl%es4
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-i.& /-5-; Hi.h Te01ert#re Inlet
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-i.& /-5-< T#r$ine Non-ret#rn Vl%e
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