Managing Flexibility in the Operation of Your Turbines
Transcript of Managing Flexibility in the Operation of Your Turbines
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Managing Flexibility in the Operation of Your TurbinesWaterpower Week 2021 | Atkinson / Foust / Ort | 2021-04-27
Voith Hydro North America Contributors
Thomas Ort
(contributor)
Mechanical Design Engineer
Voith Hydro, Inc.
Jason Foust
(contributor)
Lead Hydraulic Design Engineer
Voith Hydro, Inc..
Carl Atkinson
(contributor and presenter)
Director, Sales and Marketing
Voith Hydro, Inc.
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Grid FlexibilityWhat is it?
The shift to a greater fraction of renewable
energy sources for electricity generation and the
evolution of grid operations and electricity use
trends are redefining the needs from the electric
generation fleet.
Grid operators are modifying the regulatory
structures and revenue mechanisms for
generators to address these changing needs.
Source: Argonne National Lab Report ANL/DIS-14/7 “Modeling and Analysis of Value of
advanced Pumped Storage Hydropower in the United States”
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Generation flexibilityHydropower
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Hydropower units are uniquely capable
of addressing many grid flexibility needs.
• Regulation
• Ability to cycle without notification
• Black start
• Inertial support
• Reactive power support
However, not all units are equally
capable of providing these capabilities.
Age and design make a difference.
Source: PJM’s Evolving Resource Mix and System Reliability, March 2017
Hydro power basicsSite characteristics
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Storage Run-of-river
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Energy Conversion
Francis and Kaplan unitsTraditional design characteristics
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Focus Francis Kaplan
Storage: Upper Reservoir Run-of-River
Application: Med Head/ Low Flow Low Head/High Flow
Runner Type: Fixed Adjustable
Traditional Operation: Peak/Full Load Power Control/Flow Control (Flexible)
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Age of generating facilitiesDesign limitations
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• Units designed before 1980
likely had not fatigue design
guidelines or parameters
defined.
• Significant cyclic loading was
not expected in the course of
typical operation.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory
Modernization of Francis and Kaplan unitsBest opportunity to address flexibility
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Operation
• Power uprate
• Efficiency improvements
• Improved cavitation performance
• Lifecycle extension
• Improved reliability
• Operating range
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Modernization – other considerationsEnvironmental mitigations
Modernization presents an
opportunity to address
environmental issues that
may limit future flexibility:
• Water Quality
• Oil and grease
• Fish Passage
Modernization – other considerationsIntegration of intermittent renewables
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With increased wind and solar
integration, flexible generation is a
necessity
• Modernization projects often target
a wider range of continuous
discharges for Francis machines
• Kaplan machines are being
operated in Automatic Generation
Control (AGC) and Primary
Frequency Control (PFC)
Operational Flexibility
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Source: https://www.powermag.com/developments-in-energy-
storage-could-spell-the-end-of-the-duck-curve/
Hydro turbines - areas of concern Cavitation, noise and vibration
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Off-design operation results in excess
cavitation, noise and vibration. Francis
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Hydro turbines - areas of concern Increased stress and fatigue
Rapid operational changes
increases stress and fatigue.
Francis
Francis and Kaplan unitsFlexible design
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Natural Aeration Robust Runner Quantizer Filter
Application: Francis/Kaplan Application: Francis/Kaplan Application: Kaplan
Improves hydraulics and
addresses source of dynamic
loads at off-design conditions
Allows runner to withstand
increased dynamic
off-design conditions
Reduces blade movements
by defining discrete blade
position set points
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Flexible operationFrancis trailing edge aeration
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• Trailing edge aeration has been used in the field for 25+ years with
focus on a typical turbine operating range (Q/Qopt ≥ 60%)
• Trailing edge aeration has a large impact during off-design
operation
– reduced pressure fluctuation, noise and vibration
– significant efficiency improvement at low loads
• Trailing edge aeration is a comprehensive solution for wide
operation, offering several advantages over traditional solutions
(vacuum breaker aeration, compressed air systems or robust
runner design)
Flexible operationKaplan frequency control
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F(1) Intelligent, non-linear filter for measurement of grid frequency
F(2) Quantization of runner blade setpoint
HyConTM – Quantizer available with the Voith standard governor (patent pending)
Grid frequency
Wicket gates
Runner blades
Governor
_ +F(1)
F(2)
Controller
Turbine designRequirements and their interaction
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Component Stresses
Bearing Pressures
Max Output
Pressure Pulsations
Servomotor Capacity
Mode of Control
Governor Capacity
Blade Timing
Environmental Aspects
Cavitation
Blade Opening Tendency
Efficiency
Operating RangeDependencies between requirements
creates a tangled mess
Hyd
rau
licG
ove
rno
r/HP
UM
echanic
al
Reuse of Geometry
Runaway Speed
Managing FlexibilityHydropower turbines
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Hydropower is absolutely capable of
addressing grid flexibility needs.
Newer units can be designed to meet high
capability demands for cycling, rapid start, wide
operating range and other key characteristics.
Rehabilitation of older units requires additional
care and design verification to confirm the
entire machine is capable of the increased
loading factors.
Failure may be accelerated by using older
designs in newer applications without
confirmation of these capabilities.
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Thank you!
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Contact:
Carl Atkinson
Director, Sales (US)
Phone 717.792.7891