Method and system for advising operator action

Abstract

A system and computer-implemented method for monitoring and diagnosing anomalies in a wheel-space of a gas turbine is implemented using a computer device coupled to a user interface and a memory device and includes storing a plurality rule sets in the memory device, the rule sets relative to the wheel-space, the rule sets including at least one rule expressed as a relational expression of a real-time data output relative to a real-time data input, the relational expression being specific to a temperature of the wheel-space. The method also includes receiving real-time and historical data inputs from a condition monitoring system associated with the gas turbine, the data inputs relating to sources providing heat to the wheel-space and estimating a wheel-space temperature value using the inputs relating to a temperature of the wheel-space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for monitoring and diagnosing anomalies in a wheel-space of a gas turbine, the method implemented using a computer device coupled to a user interface and a memory device, the method comprising:
 storing a plurality of rule sets in a memory device, the rule sets relative to the wheel-space, the rule sets comprising at least one rule expressed as a relational expression of a real-time data output relative to a real-time data input, the relational expression being specific to a temperature of the wheel-space;   receiving real-time and historical data inputs from a condition monitoring system associated with the gas turbine, the data inputs relating to sources providing heat to the wheel-space; and   estimating a wheel-space temperature value using the inputs relating to a temperature of the wheel-space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the estimated wheel-space temperature to an actual measured wheel-space temperature; and   generating an advisory message using the comparison, the advisory message comprising troubleshooting activities relating to the wheel-space temperature.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving inputs representative of heat contained in at least one of hot gas from a combustion process of the gas turbine, bleed cooling air from an axial compressor of the gas turbine, and rotor windage effects. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising setting an initial estimated baseline for the wheel-space temperature is equal to a temperature of the axial compressor bleed cooling air compensated using at least one of a temperature of hot gas from the combustion process and rotor windage effects. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the estimated wheel-space temperature online using a polytropic efficiency of the axial compressor and the axial compressor bleed cooling air temperature. 
     
     
         6 . A wheel-space monitoring and diagnostic system for a gas turbine comprising an axial compressor and a low pressure turbine in flow communication, said wheel-space monitoring and diagnostic system comprising:
 a wheel-space temperature rule set, the rule set comprising a relational expression of a real-time data output relative to a real-time data input, the relational expression being specific to inputs relating to sources of heat in the wheel-space.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said rule set is configured to determine an estimated wheel-space temperature value using the inputs relating to sources of heat in the wheel-space. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said rule set is configured to receive inputs representative of heat contained in at least one of hot gas from the combustion process, axial compressor bleed cooling air, and rotor windage effects. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein an initial estimated baseline for the wheel-space temperature is equal to a temperature of the axial compressor bleed cooling air compensated using at least one of a temperature of hot gas from the combustion process and rotor windage effects. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the estimated wheel-space temperature is determined online using a polytropic efficiency of the axial compressor and the axial compressor bleed cooling air temperature.