On-Line Control of Stresses in the Power Unit Pressure Elements Taking Account of Variable Heat Transfer Conditions

Coal-fired power units, now balancing power shortages in the power system, must be characterised by increasingly higher flexibility of operation. This means faster start-ups and the capacity for frequent decreases and increases in the power output. These processes cause large temperature gradients in elements of the power unit and the turbine and lead to an increase in the stress level. At such an operating regime it is impossible to ensure safety based on start-up characteristics only—it becomes necessary to constantly monitor stress levels in critical areas of machinery and equipment elements. The stress level in turbine elements can be monitored on-line using algorithms based on Green’s functions and Duhamel’s integral. This paper presents examples of modifications of stress calculations in turbine valves and casings during start-ups. By modifying basic algorithms, it is possible to take into account the impact of the variability of heat transfer coefficients on the thermal stress level. Additionally, individual Green’s functions and correction factors were determined for specific stages of start-ups. Due to modifications, it is possible to obtain satisfactory agreement with the results obtained from FEM-based calculations for the entire heating process. Equations are also given that enable estimation of values of the heat transfer coefficient in turbine valves. The proposed modification of the algorithm will substantially improve the accuracy of stress modelling in transient states of the turbine operation. On-line stress monitoring will enable an increase in the flexibility of the power unit operation and facilitate operational control, ensuring safety of individual elements at the same time. The stress values calculated in the on-line mode can also be used to estimate fatigue life consumption and forecast the residual lifetime of individual components.