START-UP / SHUTDOWN SEQUENCE AND CONTROL

The start-up control brings the gas turbine from zero speed up to operating
speed safely by providing proper fuel to establish flame, to accelerate the
turbine and to do it in such a manner as to minimize the low cycle fatigue of
the hot gas path parts during the sequence. This involves proper sequencing
of command signals to the accessories, starting device and fuel control
system. Since a safe and successful start-up depends on proper functioning
of the gas turbine equipment, it is important to verify the state of selected
devices in sequence. Much of the control logic circuitry is associated not
only with actuating control devices, but enabling protective circuits, and
obtaining permissive conditions before proceeding. A block diagram of
SPEEDTRONIC control circuits, which can interplay to control start-up, is
shown in Figure C-3.1.Also refer the normal start-up flow-chart at the end of
the chapter.

Speed Detectors:
An important part of the start-up/shutdown sequence control of the gas
turbine is proper speed sensing. Turbine speed is measured by magnetic
pickups. The following speed detectors and speed relays are typically used:
 L14HR Zero Speed (approximately 0% speed)
 L14HM Minimum Speed (approximately 20% speed)
 L14HA Accelerating Speed (approximately 50% speed)
 L14HS Operating Speed (approximately 95% speed)
The zero-speed detector, L14HR, provides the signal when the turbine shaft
starts rotating. When the shaft speed is below L14HR,or at zero-speed, l4HR
picks up (fail safe) and the permissive logic initiates clutch engagement and
allows the cranking sequence for the turbine. During the start-up/shutdown
cycle this speed detector provides the signal to permit the ratchet gear to be
placed into service during the automatic start-up/ cool down logic sequence
of the turbine.
The minimum speed detector L14HM indicates that the turbine has reached
the minimum firing speed and initiates the purge cycle prior to ignition. The
dropout of the L14HM minimum speed relay provides several permissive
functions in the restarting of the gas turbine after shutdown.
The accelerating speed relay L14HA pickup indicates when the turbine has
reached approximately 40 to 50 percent in the acceleration cycle and on the
MS5000 is used in the Emergency Lube Oil Pump check out cycle.

C-3-1
Figure C-3.1 Start-up Sequence Flow Diagram

C-3-2
The high-speed sensor L14HS pickup indicates when the turbine is at
operating speed, and that the accelerating sequence is almost complete at
95% speed. This signal provides the logic for the inlet guide vanes to open
and for the compressor bleed valves to close.
The L14HS dropout speed is used to close unmodulated inlet guide vanes,
open the compressor bleed valves and start the AC lube oil pump upon
turbine shutdown. During a normal shutdown the digital setpoint will be
counted down to minimum, the generator breaker will open on reverse
power and the digital setpoint will continue counting down. . Flame will be
maintained until the speed reaches the 14HA dropout, or the fired shutdown
timer times out, whichever comes first, at which point fuel will be cut off by
FSR being driven to zero. .
Should the turbine and generator bog down, L14HS will drop out at the
under-frequency speed setting. The inlet guide vanes will close and the
compressor bleed valves will open. Approximately one second after l4HS
drops out the generator breaker will trip open and the digital setpoint will be
reset to lOO.3%. As the turbine accelerates, l4HS will pick up, and the inlet
guide vanes will open and the compressor bleed valves will close. The
turbine will then require a start signal before the generator is permitted to
synchronize to the system again

Start-up Control
The start-up control operates as an open loop control using preset levels of
the fuel command signal, FSR. The levels are:
 ZERO
 FIRE
 WARM-UP
 ACCELERATE
 MAX
The FSR levels are set in the SPEEDTRONIC start-up control, see Figure C-
3.2 for the outline of start-up sequence control.
Startup control FSR signals operate through the minimum value gate to
insure that other control functions can limit FSR as required.
The fuel command signals are generated by the SPEEDTRONIC control
start-up software. In addition to the three active start-up levels, the software
sets maximum and minimum FSR and provides for manual control of FSR.

C-3-3
Figure C-3.2 Startup Sequence Control Outline

C-3-4
Pressing the switches for “MANUAL CONTROL” and “FSR GAG RAISE
OR LOWER” allows manual adjustment of FSR setting between FSRMIN
and FSRMAX.
While the turbine is at rest, electronic checks are made of the speed
ratio/stop valve, the gas control valve, the accessories, and the voltage
supplies. At this time, the operator display will be normal and the
“SHUTDOW STATUS” will be displayed on the CRT. Activating the Master
Operation Switch L43 from “OFF” to an operating mode will activate the
ready circuit. If all protective circuits and trip latches are permissive the
“STARTUP STATUS” and “READY TO START” messages will be
displayed, indicating that the turbine will accept a start signal. Depressing
the “START” Master Control Switch (Ll.START) and “EXECUTE” will
introduce the start signal to the logic sequence.
The start signal energizes the Master Control and Protection circuits (the
“L4” circuit) and starts the necessary auxiliary equipment. The “L4” circuit
permits pressurization of the trip oil system and engages the starting clutch.
With the “L4” circuit permissive and the starting clutch engaged, the starting
device starts turning. Startup status message “STARTING” will be displayed
on the CRT. See point “A” on Figure C-3.3.
When the turbine ‘breaks away’ (starts to rotate), the L14HR signal
deenergizes starting clutch solenoid 20CS and shuts down the hydraulic
ratchet. The clutch then requires torque from the starting device to maintain
engagement. The turbine speed relay L14HM indicates that the turbine is
turning at the speed required for proper purging and ignition in the
combustors. Gas fired units, that have exhaust configurations which can trap
gas leakage (i .e. boilers), have a purge timer, L2TV. The purge time is set to
allow about four changes of air through the unit to ensure that any
combustible mixture has been purged out of the system. The setting for
L2TV is normally 1 minute. The starting means will hold speed until L2TV,
which was started with the L14HMsignal, has completed its cycle. Units
which do not have extensive exhaust systems may not have a purge timer,
but rely on the starting cycle and natural draft to purge the system. The
L14HM signal or completion of the purge cycle (L2TVX) ‘enables’ fuel
flow, ignition, sets firing level FSR and initiates the firing timer L2F. See
point “B” on Figure C-3.3. When the flame detector output signals indicates
flame is established in the combustors, (L28FD), the warm-up timer L2W
starts and the fuel command signal is reduced to the “WARM-UP”
FSR1evel. The warm-up time is provided to minimize the thermal stresses of
the hot gas path parts during the initial part of the start-up.

C-3-5
Figure C-3.3 Typical Start-up Curve

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If flame is not established by the time the L2F timer times out, typically 60
seconds, the unit can be given another start signal, but firing will be delayed
by the L2TV timer to avoid fuel accumulation in successive attempts. This
sequence occurs even on units not requiring initial L2TV purge.
At the completion of the warm-up period (L2WX), the start-up control
ramps FSR at a predetermined rate to the setting for “ACCELERATE
LIMIT”. The start-up cycle has been designed to moderate the highest firing
temperature produced during acceleration. This is done by programming a
slow rise in FSR. See point “C” on C-3.3. As fuel is increased, the turbine
begins the acceleration phase of start-up. The clutch is held in as long as the
starting device provides torque to the gas turbine. When the turbine overruns
the starting device, the clutch will disengage, shutting down the starting
device. Speed relay l4HA indicates the turbine is accelerating.
The start-up phase ends when complete sequence is reached (see point “D”
on Figure C-3.3) i.e. L14HS is picked up; FSR is controlled by the speed
loop and the auxiliary systems have been shut down.
The start-up control software establishes the maximum allowable levels of
FSR signals during start-up. As stated before, other control circuits are able
to reduce and modulate FSR to perform their control functions. In the
acceleration phase of the start-up, it is possible, but not normal, to reach the
temperature control limit. The CRT display will show which parameter is
limiting or controlling FSR.
The minimum FSR limit in the MARK IV system prevents the control
circuits from driving the FSR below the value which would cause flameout
during a transient condition. For example, with a sudden rejection of load on
the turbine, the speed control system loop would want to drive the FSR
signal to zero, but the minimum FSR setting establishes the minimum fuel
level that prevents a flameout.

Fired Shutdown
A normal shutdown is initiated by selecting the Master STOP button and
EXECUTE. This will produce an L94X signal. If the generator breaker is
closed, when the stop signal is initiated, the digital setpoint counts down to
reduce FSR and load at the normal rate until the reverse power relay
operates to open the generator breaker. When this occurs, the digital setpoint
will continue to count down to the minimum for shutdown, which allows the
turbine to slow down until l4HA drops out at about 50% speed. When

C-3-7
Figure C-3.4 Typical Shutdown Curve

C-3-8
L14HA drops out, fuel is shut off by clamping FSR to zero and tripping the
stop valve closed.
During coast down, on units having motor driven atomizing air booster
compressors, the booster is started at L14HS drop out to prevent exhaust
smoke during the shut down. Units not having motor driven boosters may
require higher fuel shut off speed to avoid smoke.
Fired shut down (Figure C-3.4) is an improvement over the former fuel
shutoff at L14HS drop out. By holding flame until lower speed (approx.
50%) there is a significant reduction in the strain developed on the hot gas
path parts at the time of fuel shutoff.

ALGORITHMS & SOFTWARE

The start-up control is an open loop system which increases the fuel stroke
reference as the turbine start-up sequence progresses to pre-assigned
plateaus. Figure C-3.5 shows the start-up algorithm FSRSU located in
Controllers <R>, <S> and <T> and the median select algorithm
MEDIAN_REF_SYNCH_C located in Communicator <C>.
The algorithm output FSRSU is enabled when the master protective L4 logic
becomes a “1”. This occurs simultaneously with the energizing of the fuel
stop valve solenoids. The fuel reference is held at 0 while the air flow is
increased through the combustion chamber. Logic L83SUFI steps FSRSU to
the fire level specified by constant FSKSU_FI when the ignition
transformers are energized. Fuel is maintained at this level until
approximately 2 seconds after flame is detected. At this time, logic
L83SUWU steps the fuel down to the warm-up level specified by constant
FSKSU WU in order to reduce the thermal shock to the turbine’s hot gas
path parts.
After the warm-up period expires, logic L83SUAR raises the fuel limit to the
acceleration level defined by constant FSKSU_AR. A comparator detects
whether the difference between, the fuel level setpoint FSKSU_AR and the
fuel command FSRSU is greater than the allowable dead band FSKSU_DB,
and if it is, the comparator selects a ramp function to slowly increase the fuel
reference to the acceleration level. This is accomplished by adding the value
of FSRSU during the last sampling of the algorithm to the rate constant,
FSKSU_IA, and using the sum as the new fuel reference. Since the
algorithm is sampled 4 times per second, the slope of the acceleration fuel
schedule is 4 x FSKSU_IA per second. Eventually, the difference between

C-3-9
the acceleration limit FSKSU_AR and the fuel reference FSRSU decreases
to less than the dead band established by FSKSU_DB which causes the
comparator to disable the ramp and use the acceleration limit as the fuel
reference. The governor is now on speed control.
Logic L83SUMX will initiate another ramp to the maximum fuel limit
determined by constant FSRMAX. This occurs when the breaker closes on
generator drives and usually when the turbine start-up sequence is complete
on mechanical drives.
Logic L4REC is used to preset FSRSU to the median value FSRSUC as
calculated by Communicator <C> when a Controller, i.e., <R>, <S> or <T>
is restarted.

C-3-10
Figure C-3.5 SOFTWARE of Start-up Control

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