EHC ( 200MW)Description

Electro Hydraulic Control (EHC) system is equipment control system used for Turbine Control from
Centralized Control Room. Generally it is a control system developed as evolution along with main
Turbine. In EHC system the important functions are 1). Speed Control 2). Load Control 3) Flow Control
4)Load limiting 5) Valve positioning 6)Turbine protection. For achieving these functions Electronics and
Hydraulics are used. The following is a description of 200MW Turbine Control System. In the EHC system
Electronics is used for computations and Hydraulics is used for power positioning of valves. The
important functions are described in the chapter.

1.SPEED CONTROL UNIT

EHC System has redundant speed control unit. There are three permanent magnet
based speed pick ups facing the rotor at turning wheel of 115 teeth. These pick- ups produce AC signal
wave of 5.75KHZ (115x3000/60) frequency at 3000RPM. The frequency of signal wave from speed pick
up is proportional to speed of turbine. out of the three speed pick ups,Two speed pick-ups are used for
control and third pick up is used for speed indications. F/V converter cards are used to convert speed
signal wave to DC voltage 0 to -10V DC for 0-3000 RPM. The 200MW Turbine has speed set points as
valves closed, 200RPM, 1000RPM, 2500RPM, 3000RPM and over speed button. At any steady speed the
speed control unit keeps the turbine control valves open with the speed error, since it is a proportional
controller. The proportionality is “150 RPM error can give 100% control valves open command”.
(150RPM is 5% of 3000RPM. This proportionality is chosen for achieving 5% regulation for grid
frequency control). The steam flow requirement through Turbine also is very small for rolling of Turbine.
Because of high gain and low requirement of steam the speed control error in steady state will be very
small. When the speed set point is changed from say for example, 1000RPM to 2500RPM the speed
control error becomes very large however the acceleration control provided in parallel with speed
control in the speed control unit jumps into action and control valve positions are slowly increased so
that speed is linearly increasing at constant acceleration. The acceleration set points possible from
control room are 100RPM /Min. 200RPM /Min. and 300RPM/Min.. As the set speed is reaching the
speed errors jumps into action to hold the control valves in a position to maintain the set speed. Thus
speed amplifiers will be working during the time between two set points. The speed amplifiers and
acceleration amplifiers are redundant. The minimum control signal will be controlling valves of turbine
out of the four signals. All three speed pick ups are used in Electrical over speed protection (112%) for
turbine. After synchronization, the UCB speed buttons other than 3000RPM set point gets disabled.

2.LOAD CONTROL UNIT:

The load control unit in EHC is open loop control unit. The load set reference is digital from
control room for precise setting. The setting can be varied from -1000 to +1400 for -100% to +140%
from UCB.Digital display of load reference is provided in EHC desk. The load reference is held at zero till
3000 RPM speed button is selected and on load breaker opening the load reference is reset to zero. In
case of load limits operating the load reference runs down at the rate of 25 counts/Sec. The load
reference buttons “increase” and “DECrease” change digital load reference at 0.8counts/Sec. If fast
button is also pressed while increasing the rate will be 12.5 counts/Sec. and while DECreasing 25
counts/Sec. The load reference active operative zone is 0 to +1000 (at 50HZ grid frequency) for 0-100% ,
Turbine control valves opening. The digital load set point is converted to -5V to +7V dc (for -1000 to
+1400 load reference) for using for positioning of control of valves.

The speed control unit output signal is added to the analog (-5V to +7V DC load reference) for
giving to flow control unit as input command signal. It must be noted here that while turbine rolling is in
progress load reference is zero and only speed control unit will be controlling valves. After
synchronization speed control unit output is zero at 50HZ and +100% at 47.5HZ or 2850 RPM (150 RPM
below 3000 RPM) and -100% at 52.5HZ or 3150 RPM(150 RPM above 3000 RPM). Thus 5% turbine
governing is always ensured in EHC system.

3. LOAD LIMITS:

The load limits provided are a) Manual load limiter b)Vacuum unloader c) Initial pressure limiter.
In case of any load limiter operating audio- visual annunciation appears in control room.

a) Manual load limiter can be used to limit load to any value from 100% to zero % depending
on constraints in power generation like fan or pump non availability , for 100% generation.
The manual load limiter setting is displayed in EHC desk analog indicator.

b) Vacuum unloader permits 100% final load references at vacuum more than 647 mm Hg and
2% load reference at 597 mm Hg and below, load reference falls from 100% to 0% linearly
from 647 mm Hg to 597 Hg. In case of any CW pump tripping the fall in condenser vacuum
leads to vacuum unloader action reducing steam dumping to condenser. However LP Bypass
closure must be ensured for saving vacuum parameter. Vacuum unloader has IN and OUT
option for keeping in service and for eliminating from service.

c) Initial pressure limiter permits 100% final load reference for 135 Kg/cm and above main
steam pressure and 2% load reference for 120 Kg/cm and below MS pressure. The
relationship is linear between 135 and 120 Kg/cm for final load reference of 100% to
2%.Initial pressure limiter has also IN and OUT selection facility like vacuum unloader.Initial
pressure limiter IN selection can be made only after reaching rated main steam pressure 150
KG/CM2.

FLOW CONTROL UNIT

This unit has two important functions:-

1. CV IV Co-ordination depending on start up.

2. Compensation of non linear flow characteristics of control valves of HP Turbine and IP
Turbine.
The flow control unit receives speed +ve load signal after comparison with load limits
manual load limiter, initial pressure limiter and vacuum unloader for minimum. The HP Turbine 06
Nos. control valves are cam operated in a phased manner with a single Hydraulic power cylinder.
The mechanical phasing is done to achieve balance in steam flow radially and to obtain linear steam
flow into HP Turbine with power cylinder movement as nearly as possible. To obtain optimum
linearity the characteristic in fig – is set in CV multislope generator in EHC. The six valves move
linearly in a phased manner from 10% to 100% movement of power cylinder.

M/s. Ansaldo Turbine has two start ups.

1. Cold start up 2. Hot start up. In cold start up the CV multislope generator output
proceeds to HP control valve positioning unit to obtain the respective HP CV position. In hot start up
till 20% turbine load set point is reached HP CVs are held at 0% (power cylinder at +10%) and IVs are
opened 15% signal percentage extra to compensate for non availability of HP Turbine. Blow down
valve and ventilating valves are kept opened to ensure vacuum in HP Turbine in the rolling of
Turbine to ensure churning and overheating of turbine blades is avoided. Rolling of Turbine takes
place through IV1 and IV2 by IP and LP Turbine. As 20% Turbine load set signal is reached the 15% of
the present Turbine load signal is slowly with drawn to IVs and HP CV are slowly opened as if it was
in a cold start up. These two actions will be taking place in a balanced manner not to have a much
difference in Turbine load. So HP Turbine comes into service with adequate flow and hence churning
is avoided. When the HP control valves power cylinder is crossing 10% position blow down valve and
ventilating valves get closed. So that HP Turbine is isolated from condenser.

The speed load signal to intercept valves from CV IV coordination unit is processed in IP dead
band generator. The dead band is a function of main steam pressure signal. Please refer diagram .
The dead band does’nt exist if main steam pressure is 150Kg/cm.Sq. The slope of the IP dead band
generation output is varied by RH pressure input if HPLP bypass is in service in hot start up.. The
signal after the above gain modification proceeds to IV multislope generators.

To compensate non linearity in IV flow. IV multislope generators are set as per the given
figure. To test the RH safety valves signal can be simulated to close IV control valves slowly to obtain
pressure increase in reheater.

The CV IV open demand signals are O to -5V for 0 – 100% at the flow control unit outputs. The
valve amplifier card which is at the input of each of valve positioning unit converts the O to -5V
signals to 0 to +5V for 0-100% open demand. The valve amplifier also gives provision of on line
testing facility of IV1 and IV2, A ramp generation is used to increase from 0 to +5V in case of ‘Test’
command and IV closes slowly as the valve amplifier output is reaching OV from +5V and on release
of ‘Test ‘ and after stop valve opening the IV opens back slowly as the ramp generation output
comes down from +5V to OV. Since in this EHC system each control valve is being operated directly
testing facility is easily available.

VALVE POSITIONING UNIT

Three valve positioning units are existing in EHC to control HP control valve positions,
IV1 and IV2 control valve positions. The three valve positioning units receive valve position demands
from flow control unit. The three valve positioning units are identical in design. So one valve
positioning unit is described as follows. The valve position demand is received from the flow control
unit as set point. The valve position feedback is received from a system of two sets of LVDT’s and
demodulators with maximum selection. The feedback which gives more valve open feedback is
taken into consideration since this will lead to lesser valve opening due to EHC than with the other
feedback. Each valve positioning unit consists of a cylinder amplifier, Actuator Amplifier, Transistor
driver and two power transistor electronic modules. The valve position demand and the selected
valve position feedback get added in the cylinder amplifier. The valve position demand 0-100% is
represented by 0 to +5V DC voltage.

The valve position feedback is +5V to OV for 0-100% valve position so that always sum
of valve position demand and feedback is +5V. The fall safe bias -5V is added to the above sum so
that cylinder amplifier output is OV if valve position demand and feedback are matching. The output
of cylinder amplifier is called actuator position demand. The cylinder amplifier is having a variable
gain feature through a FET circuit. If error is more gain is less and if error is less gain is more.

The Actuator amplifier gets actuator position demand from the cylinder amplifier and actuator
position feedback from a set of LVDT (inside pilot valve actuator) and demodulator. The normal
actuator position feedback is +10.5V to -4.5V in the output of demodulator for HP CV pilot valve
actuator and +8.4V to -6.6V for IP CV pilot valve actuators. The positive feedback represents close
stroke and negative feedback represents open stroke. Actuator position feedback OV represents
ports closed position of pilot so that no oil entry or exit takes place in the hydraulic cylinder. The
actuator amplifier in the turbine service condition produces the output current demand from the
inputs actuator position demand and actuator position feedback. The actuator amplifier in case of a
turbine trip or PLU receives high close stroke demand ignoring the valve position demand and
actuator amplifier leads to fast closing of control valves.

The Transistor driver card receives the current demand and current feedback. The current
feedback is average current flowing through the pilot valve actuator motor coil. This module drives
power Transistors driving the motor coil. The Transistors Q1, Q4 conduct at a time and Q2, Q3
conduct at a time so that current flows through motor coil M .If Q1 and Q4 are conducting current
flows from left to right and if Q2 and Q3 are conducting current flows from right to left. The
switching power Transistors are switched at 2KHZ frequency. The small series resistor develops the
current feedback signal to Transistor driver. The actual current through motor M is pulsating
current. The net average current is estimated in Transistor diver. The actuator, to remain stationary
the positive pulse width and the negative pulse width durations must be equal so that net current is
zero. If the actuator has to be moved in closed stroke then the positive pulse widths are to be
increased and correspondingly the negative pulse widths are to be DECreased so that net current is
positive. Similarly if the actuator is to be moved in open stroke then the negative pulse widths are to
be increased and positive pulse widths are to be reduced correspondingly so that net average
current is negative. The Transistor driver module achieves the above by switching Q1,Q4 and Q2, Q3
for different quantum of time depending on requirement at 2KHZ frequency. Please observe the
gaps between the positive pulse and negative pulse in the Fig. These gaps are provided so that all
four transistors do not conduct at a time and hence short circuiting of +38V and OV is avoided. The
transistors represented by Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 are in 2Nos. power transistor cards in each valve
positioning unit.

The pilot valve actuator has a rotary to translatory motion conversion in it. The clockwise
rotation of coil leads to downward movement of pilot (leads to valve closing) and anticlockwise
rotation of coil leads to upward movement of pilot(leads to valve opening). The rotary motion to
translator motion is through volute box which has ball screw mechanism for minimum friction. The
total stroke of pilot valve actuator is 50mm. For more details of hydraulic operation please refer
notes “A glance through governing system of 3x200MW Turbines”

The spring in pilot valve actuator and gravity ‘g’ lead to pilot valve movement
downwards in case of loss of power to pilot valve actuator causing respective control valve closure.
In case of “loss of power” to HPCV pilot valve actuator or both IP CV pilot valve actuators turbine will
be tripped by EHC.