Steam turbine system with steam turbine clutch

Abstract

A steam turbine system and method of operating a steam turbine system including a steam generator coupled to a high pressure section and a low pressure section. The steam turbine system may further include to a first portion of a drive shaft coupled to the high pressure section and a clutching device for releasably coupling to a power generator coupled to the first portion of the drive shaft. The steam turbine system may also include a second portion of the drive shaft for coupling to the power generator coupled to the low pressure section. The method may be implemented using a controller of the steam turbine system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A steam turbine system comprising:
 a steam generator coupled to a high pressure section and a low pressure section;   a first portion of a drive shaft coupled to the high pressure section;   a clutching device for releasably coupling to a power generator coupled to the first portion of the drive shaft; and   a second portion of the drive shaft for coupling to the power generator coupled to the low pressure section.   
     
     
         2 . The steam turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator. 
     
     
         3 . The steam turbine system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a high pressure throttle valve between the steam generator and the high pressure section;   a high pressure bypass valve between the steam generator and the low pressure section; and   a low pressure throttle valve between the high pressure section and the low pressure section.   
     
     
         4 . The steam turbine system of  claim 3 , wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator. 
     
     
         5 . The steam turbine system of  claim 4 , wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are opened and the high pressure bypass valve is closed. 
     
     
         6 . The steam turbine system of  claim 4 , wherein in response to the clutching device being disengaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are closed and the high pressure bypass valve is opened. 
     
     
         7 . The steam turbine system of  claim 1 , wherein the clutching device is engaged during a high energy supply operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged during a low energy supply operating condition. 
     
     
         8 . The steam turbine system of  claim 7 , wherein the high energy supply operating condition consists of a period of time wherein steam comprises at least one of: a high pressure steam and a high temperature steam; and wherein the low energy supply operating condition consists a period of time wherein steam comprises of at least one of: a low pressure steam and a low temperature steam. 
     
     
         9 . The steam turbine system of  claim 1 , further comprising a concentrated solar power system operably coupled to the steam turbine system. 
     
     
         10 . The steam turbine of  claim 9 , wherein the clutching device is engaged during a daytime operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged during a nighttime operating condition. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a steam turbine system, the method comprising:
 delivering steam from a steam generator to at least one of a high pressure section and a low pressure section;   engaging or disengaging, by a controller, a clutching device which is releasably coupled to a power generator via a first portion of a drive shaft from the high pressure section; and   supplying power to the power generator via a second portion of the drive shaft which is coupled to the power generator from the low pressure section.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged by the controller, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged by the controller, the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 utilizing a high pressure throttle valve between the steam generator and the high pressure section;   utilizing a high pressure bypass valve between the steam generator and the low pressure section; and   utilizing a low pressure throttle valve between the high pressure section and the low pressure section.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged by the controller, the first portion of the drive shaft supplies power from the high pressure section to the power generator and in response to the clutching device being disengaged by the controller the first portion of the drive shaft does not supply power from the high pressure section to the power generator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein in response to the clutching device being engaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are opened by the controller and the high pressure bypass valve is closed by the controller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein in response to the clutching device being disengaged, the high pressure throttle valve and the low pressure throttle valve are closed by the controller and the high pressure bypass valve is opened by the controller. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the clutching device is engaged by the controller during a high energy supply operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged by the controller during a low energy supply operating condition. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the high energy supply operating condition includes at least one of: a high pressure steam and a high temperature steam; and wherein the low energy operating condition includes at least one of: a low pressure steam and a low temperature steam. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a concentrated solar power system operably connected to the steam turbine system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the clutching device is engaged during a daytime operating condition and the clutching device is disengaged during a nighttime operating condition.