Turbomachinery Control Optimized for Industrial Power Generation

Designed for the most precise frequency control

Honeywell | CCC solutions are engineered to manage critical turbogenerator operations with precision. When integrated with the public grid, generators rely on droop control to support grid frequency stabilization. In island mode, local generators become the primary source of electricity. When the electrical load fluctuates, millisecond-fast control is essential to quickly respond and maintain the local grid frequency. CCC’s fast-response controllers deliver the most precise frequency control, tailored to meet diverse operational requirements. CCC offers a range of controllers designed to address specific site needs and architectures. Contact us to identify the best solution for your plant.

Efficient algorithms for stable electricity and steam supply

Very often, steam turbines are used to produce electricity and, at the same time, provide steam for plant operations. That is why they have one, and sometimes two, extraction and/or admission steam headers to manage intermediate and low-pressure steam. When the electrical load changes, controllers manipulate the main steam valve to stabilize the grid frequency. However, this means they add or decrease the amount of steam going through the turbine, which can have a severe effect on the steam pressure in the steam headers. CCC has developed robust algorithms to coordinate the control of the main steam valve and extraction valves simultaneously, ensuring very stable steam header pressure while maintaining high precision of the grid frequency.

Safe and repeatable automatic turbine sequencing

Turbine startup and shutdown are two important modes of operation that carry the greatest risk of something going wrong. Over decades of continuous improvement, CCC has developed a very robust set of algorithms to accelerate or decelerate the turbine, pass the critical speeds, and respond to any unforeseen situations such as unstable steam supply or operator actions. These algorithms, tuned by experienced CCC field engineers, make turbine startups and shutdowns safe, reliable, and much faster. They include many internal checks and interlocks to react to any potential situation and will always bring equipment to a safe state if anything goes wrong.

Reliable Control and Seamless Transition Between Island and Grid Operations

The turbine controller operates in coordination with the generator controller to ensure stable performance across all modes. During startups or idle periods, when the generator breaker is open, the turbine controller manages turbine speed. If the generator breaker is closed and the utility breaker is open, either Isochronous or Droop Control is applied:

Isochronous Control: Maintains the unit’s nominal synchronous speed and frequency via a dedicated speed control loop.

Droop Control: Utilizes a generator loop with distinct PID settings and a set point from the generator controller.

When both breakers are closed, Droop Control remains active. If the utility breaker opens while the local bus is exchanging power with the grid, logic controllers adjust outputs and set points, switching one of the local units to Isochronous Control to minimize local bus impact. In cases of sudden, significant load changes, Droop Control stabilizes grid frequency at a defined offset, and generator controls can automatically reduce power set points if limits are exceeded.

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Variety of mechanical retrofit options to find the best-fit solution

CCC has extensive experience retrofitting steam turbine actuators and speed measurement setups. The turn-key solution includes the design, selection of devices, procurement, supervision of installation, and final commissioning of the system. CCC can install new high-pressure hydraulic actuators, together with a new oil station, for both piston valves and main servo valves. CCC can also replace hydraulic actuators with high-speed electric motors to position piston valves or main servo valves. The process starts with an individual assessment of the turbine actuator design, drafting the options, and approving one with the customer. The rest is handled by CCC’s experienced design and engineering teams. CCC works with all major component suppliers and has long-standing relationships with them.

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Compliance with the industrial standards

Some standards are key to obtaining certification or negotiating the best insurance conditions. Honeywell | CCC offers solutions that make control systems compliant with both API-612 (Steam Turbines) and API-670 (Machinery Protection Systems). Necessary components include dual and triple-redundant speed pick-ups, segregation of safety and overspeed systems, and others.

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Turbomachinery Control Optimized for Industrial Power Generation

Designed for the most precise frequency control

Efficient algorithms for stable electricity and steam supply

Safe and repeatable automatic turbine sequencing

Reliable Control and Seamless Transition Between Island and Grid Operations

Variety of mechanical retrofit options to find the best-fit solution

Compliance with the industrial standards