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Effect of Engagement in Power and Frequency Control on the Service Life of

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DOI: 10.1007/s10749-019-01102-z

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DOI 10.1007/s10749-019-01102-z
Power Technology and Engineering Vol. 53, No. 4, November, 2019

EFFECT OF ENGAGEMENT IN POWER AND FREQUENCY CONTROL

ON THE SERVICE LIFE OF STEAM-TURBINE POWER UNITS

R. Aminov1,2 and M. Garievskii1

Translated from Élektricheskie Stantsii, No. 6, June 2019, pp. 11 – 16.

To assess the effect of engagement in power and frequency control on the level of wear of the steam-turbine
power units, a method for calculating the remaining life based on the equivalent operation time is proposed.
By using a power-generating unit equipped with the K-300-240 turbine as an example, a number of equivalent
hours of turbine operation were calculated reflecting the engagement of the power unit in the rated primary
frequency control and automated secondary power and frequency control. The effect of the loading rate of the
steam-turbine power units, operating in the rated and sliding steam pressure modes, on the level of equipment
wear within various ranges of power increase was studied.
Keywords: steam-turbine power unit; power and frequency control; operating mode; service life; equivalent
operation time.

Norms of engaging the power units of the thermal
power plants in frequency and active-power flow control.
The operating modes of the power plants and requirements to
their start/stop characteristics are primarily determined by
the power load parameters of the electric power users. The
engagement of the power units of a thermal power plant in
the rated primary frequency control and automated second-
ary frequency and active-power flow control is defined by
the Unified Energy System operator document [1].
To be engaged in the rated primary frequency control
(RPFC) during a step-wise frequency deviation outside of
the “deadband” of the primary control, which causes the
need to realize the primary power at the level of 5% of Prated
or less, the power unit must ensure the following or better
dynamics of the primary power variation: 2.5% of Prated in
10 sec and 5% of Prated in 30 sec. In case of a step-wise fre-
quency deviation, which causes the need to realize the pri-
mary power at the level of 10% of Prated, the power unit must
guarantee the dynamics of the primary power variation by
demonstrating the characteristics, which meet the following
requirements to the general primary frequency control
(GPFC): 5% of Prated in 15 sec and 10% of Prated in less than
5 min for oil/gas power units, or less than 6 min for coal-
fired power units [1].
Upon engagement in the RPFC, the power unit should
respond to the grid frequency deviations in excess of 20 mHz
(75 mHz in case of GPFC) by proportionally adjusting the
1 Saratov Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SSC
RAS), Saratov, Russia.
2 e-mail: oepran@inbox.ru
active power, while satisfying the respective requirements to
the power variation dynamics at the same time [1].
The power unit engagement in the automated secondary
frequency and active-power flow control (ASFPC) should be
realized by adjusting the power of the power unit of a ther-
mal power plant according to the secondary power setting at
the rate of 1% of Prated per minute [1].
Over the recent years, the average frequency deviation
(Df) within the Unified Energy System (UES) of Russia did
not exceed 25 – 30 mHz, and the number of deviations
stayed within 2 to 4 per hour. The maximum daily deviations
(Df) do not exceed 40 mHz, and their number does not ex-
ceed 2 to 10 per day depending on the region [2]. In 2018,
the total duration of operation of the 1st synchronous zone of
the UES of Russia was 21 min 40 sec (electric current fre-
quency >50.05 Hz) and 1 h 22 min (electric current fre-
quency <49.95 Hz) provided the maximum duration of the
tome period, during which the frequency values exceeded the
50.00 ± 0.05 Hz limits, was 3 min 20 sec [3].
Effect of engagement in power and frequency control
on the temperature conditions. The power variation of a
power unit engaged in power and frequency control is ac-
companied by deviation from the rated values of the boiler
circuit medium parameters. The power control of a turbine
and, hence, a power unit in general can be realized by adjust-
ing the flow rate of steam supplied to the turbine, while
maintaining its constant parameters upstream of the turbine
stop valve (at constant pressure), or by adjusting the steam
flow rate and parameters downstream of the boiler by con-
trolling the boiler pressure and furnace conditions (at sliding

479
1570-145X/19/5304-0479 © 2019 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
480
s
T
0.8
ÄT
4
0.6
t0 t
3 component; variation rate (versus time) of this temperature
0.4
2
0.2
1 higher the thermal deformations and stresses. Under certain
0 combinations of factors in case of repeated transient condi-
0 0.2 0.6 1.0 ô0
Fig. 1. Maximum dimensionless force-induced deformation (di-
mensionless thermal stress) as a function of Bi and ô0 parame-
ters when heating a solid cylinder: 1, Bi = 1; 2, Bi = 5; 3, Bi = 20;
4, Bi = ¥ [9].
pressure) [4 – 6]. When engaged in the primary and/or sec-
ondary frequency control, the power units typically operate
in a “modified sliding pressure” mode, i.e., with slightly
open high-pressure control valves of the turbine. The load
control of the power unit is performed by simultaneously ad-
justing the turbine control valves and the flow rates of fuel,
water and air into the boiler.
The main consequence of the variation in temperature of
steam flowing over the turbine components is the occurrence
of the transient temperature distributions resulting in temper-
ature (thermal) deformations and thermal stresses. The more
uneven the temperature distributions, the higher the thermal
stresses. As the temperature difference between the turbine
component surface and the medium increases along with the
heat transfer intensity, so does the rate of surface temperature
increase, while an increase in thickness of the component
causes the rate of its average temperature increase to drop,
thus, resulting in thermal stresses. Considering the above, the
maximum values of the thermal stresses occur within the
most massive components, in the zones of significant varia-
tions of steam temperature and most intensive heat transfer.
In majority of cases, these are the rotor and housing compo-
nents of the High- and Low Pressure Cylinders (HPC and
LPC, respectively) in the control-stage or first-stage zones
[7]. If the thermal stresses are low and together with the
stresses from other loads do not exceed the yield point, they
are considered short-term and disappear as the component
heats up without causing and dangerous consequences [8].
In the concentration zones, the thermal stresses increase
by several times compared to the average stresses in the
same location. This causes plastic deformations in the stress
concentration points (and, hence, residual stresses), the cy-
cling of which results in the development of thermal fatigue
cracks. The most typical locations of the thermal fatigue
crack formation in rotors are the thermal (compensation)
grooves and disk-to-shaft fillets in the HPC and LPC first
stages, and first sections of intermediate and end seals [8, 9].
R. Aminov and M. Garievskii
Procedure for calculating the service life parameters
of steam-turbine power units. The following main factors
determine the levels of thermal stresses and deformations on
the component surfaces: temperature difference between
supplied steam and metal of the steam-side surface of the
difference; presence of stress concentrators on the rotor sur-
face; and intensity of heat transfer from steam to the compo-
nent surface. The higher the values of these parameters, the
tions, reoccurring plastic deformations take place in the dan-
gerous zones of the rotors, which may cause thermal fatigue
cracks in such zones.
Reference [10] provides an analytical solution for the
thermal stresses and deformations for heating a solid (elastic)
cylinder, according to which the values of the axial and cir-
cumferential (hoop) deformations on the cylinder surface are
equal, and their maximum achieved values are determined as
follows:
Äås = –Äåts; Äåt = átÄT,
where s is the maximum dimensionless force-induced defor-
mation; át is the coefficient of linear expansion of the rotor
metal (át = 13.72 × 10–6 K–1 in the considered temperature
range); and ÄT is the temperature variation.
The dimensionless time ô0 is determined by the follow-
ing relationship:
lt 0
t0 = ,
r12rc
where ë is the coefficient of thermal conductivity
(ë = 30 W/(m · K) for rotor steel 25Kh1M1F (P2MA)); ô0 is
the steam temperature rise time; r1 is the rotor shaft radius
(r1 = 265 mm on the considered section of HPC rotor with
stress-relief (“thermal”) grooves; ñ is the metal density (ñ =
= 7820 kg/m3); and c is the specific heat capacity of metal
(c = 470 J/(kg · K)).
The dimensionless deformation s is determined accord-
ing to Fig. 1 based on two dimensionless parameters: ô0
and Bi criteria, where Bi is the dimensionless heat transfer
coefficient from steam to the rotor surface (Bio number)
calculated as:
Bi = ár1/ë,
where á is the heat transfer coefficient of the rotor (assumed
to be equal to 2300 W/(m2 · K) [10]).
Figure 2 shows the relationship between the number of
cycles before failure and the value of force-induced thermal
deformation range Äås at different values of the tensile stress
intensity concentration factor áó*.
The calculation of the stress concentration factor áó* was
performed according to the equations provided in [10]. The
Effect of Engagement in Power and Frequency Control on the Service Life of Steam-Turbine Power Units
object of calculation was the shaft section of the HPC rotor
(r1 = 265 mm) with stress-relief (“thermal”) grooves (depth:
h = 8 mm, radius: ñ = 1.5 mm, groove pitch: l = 54 mm)
[11]. Given such initial data áó* = 3.88.
The deformation range within a cycle is determined us-
ing the following relationship:
De s = | De¢s - De¢¢s | = |-a ¢DT ¢s¢ + a ¢¢t DT ¢¢s¢¢ |.
where the values marked with (¢) refer to the loading mode,
and those marked with (¢¢) — to unloading mode.
The operation of the high-pressure (HPR) and me-
dium-pressure (MPR) rotors of steam turbines in the steam
injection locations are subject to high-temperature loading,
which demonstrates mixed behavior. Under the variable
modes and frequency control modes and different range of
load variation, the HPR and MPR material in the area, where
structural stress concentrators are located, experiences cyclic
deformation in the wide range of varying deformations and
stresses.
Traditionally, the experimental characteristics of fatigue
resistance of the structural materials are obtained for the fol-
lowing two zones: low-cycle fatigue zone (from 102 to 104
cycles prior to failure) and multi-cycle fatigue zone
(from 105 to 108 cycles prior to failure). In the low-cycle
fatigue zones, the number of loading cycles before crack
appearance is determined based on the experimental curves
obtained from the results of tensile/compression testing of
the samples under restricted symmetric cycle and constant
temperature [12].
The experimental low-cycle fatigue data can be de-
scribed with high degree of correlation by a power function
using double logarithmic coordinates [13]:
N = exp{c[ln(1000Äå)]k},
where N is the average experimental number of cycles prior
to failure; c, k are the experimental constants (c = 10.56 and
k = –0.57 for steel Ð2ÌÀ); and Äå is the deformation range
within a cycle.
When thermal power units operate in the RPFC mode,
additional deviations of torque on the turbine shaft are possi-
ble, which are caused by the turbine response to grid fre-
quency deviations exceeding the specified deadband of the
primary control. When operating in the ASFPC mode, addi-
tional deviations of steam temperature on the rotor surface in
the steam injection zone are possible due to the variations in
active power within ±5% of the rated power as specified by
the central system of automated frequency and power flow
control.
The torque deviations from the average value, associated
with the variation in the rotor angular velocity may cause
damage to the shaft material resulting from a multi-cycle
fatigue under the asymmetric loading cycle conditions.
The power variation during operation in the ASFPC mode
can lead to the formation of variable thermal stresses on the
481
1.0
áó* = 1
2
Äås, %
0.1 3
4
áó* = 5
0.01
10 100 1000 Np
Fig. 2. Steel P2MA thermal fatigue diagram [9].
high-pressure rotor surface in the steam injection zone,
which do not cause low-cycle fatigue damage, but may lead
to rotor material damage due to a multi-cycle fatigue under
the asymmetric loading cycle conditions [14].
Reference [13] provides the generalized relationship
(including a multi-cycle fatigue zone) between the number
of cycles before failure and the deformation range within a
cycle under various loading parameters:
N = exp{c[ln(Äå/ÄåRd) + 1]è},
where a and b are the coefficients depending on the loading
parameters.
The relationship between deformations and stresses is
described by the following formula:
ÄåRd = 2ÄóRd/E,
where E is the modulus of elasticity of steel.
The effect of asymmetry of the loading cycle and scale
factor on the endurance limit of the component is accounted
for by coefficients kR and kd, respectively, which allow esti-
mating the ultimate amplitude of the component cycle by us-
ing the endurance limit ó–1 of a smooth sample during sym-
metrical cycle based on the following equation [13]:
ÄóRd = kRkdó–1.
The effect of the operating modes on the remaining life is
accounted for by the equivalent operation time (equivalent
depletion of the service life). To determine such time, differ-
ent operating events and operation times are estimated under
different temperature conditions with the assessment of indi-
vidual (estimated) coefficients [15]. In this case, the informa-
tion about the rate of service life reduction of the entire
power unit of a thermal power plant and its individual com-
ponents can be used not only for selecting a better repair
strategy, but also for structural and operational optimization
of the power plant [16, 17]. To calculate the equivalent de-
482 R. Aminov and M. Garievskii

100 found for each type of start or load variation from the follow-
1 ing expression:
80
2
ai, h (equivalent)

60
ái = ôlife/[N]i,
3
40
where ôlife is the service life established by the technical
manufacturing specifications (for steam turbines, it relates to
20 the rotor as the most critical part of the turbine, and consti-
tutes 220,000 h for 50 – 300 MW turbines with 13 – 24 MPa
0 steam pressure); [N]i is the allowable number of ith type
50 60 70 80 90 N, %
loading cycles according to the low-cycle fatigue curves.
Fig. 3. Equivalent hours of operation per cycle (unloading from The time factor of the equivalent depletion of the service
100% of Nrated with subsequent loading to 100%) for different life, which accounts for metal creep, is determined for each
ranges and rates of power variation at a constant initial pressure: 1, mode using the following equation:
1%/min (3 MW/min); 2, 0.95%/min (2.85 MW/min); 3, 0.9%/min
(2.7 MW/min). b j = t life t*j ,

pletion of the service life ôeq, the following equation is sug-
gested [18, 19]:
N Y
t eq = å a i n i + å b j t j ,
i =1 j =1
where N is the total number of starts of different types or
load variations (including the situations when the power unit
is engaged in the power and frequency control); ai is the time
factor of the equivalent operating hours for starting or vary-
ing the ith type load, h; ni is the number of starts or variations
of the ith type load; Y is the total number of operating modes;
bj is the time factor for an operating mode with the jth type
load; and ôj is the operation time with the jth type load, h.
The time factor of the equivalent depletion of the service
life, which accounts for a low-cycle metal fatigue, can be
where t*j is the time before failure under the jth type load
calculated using a long-term strength equation.
Results of calculating the remaining life of a steam-
turbine power unit. Table 1 summarizes the results of cal-
culating the permissible loading cycles of the Ê-300-240 tur-
bine rotor and factors of equivalent depletion of the service
life considering the engagement of the power unit in the pri-
mary frequency control (constant-pressure mode operation).
The calculations were performed for the planned power level
of 285 MW (primary power variation: ±5% of Nrated) and
270 MW (primary power variation: ±10% of Nrated).
As can be seen from the data provided in Table 1, when
the power unit equipped with the Ê-300-240 turbine is en-
gaged in the primary frequency control, a single power varia-
tion cycle constitutes 0.22 h (equivalent time) for ±5%
power variation (permissible number of cycles before fail-
ure — about 910,000), and 0.74 h (equivalent time) for
±10% power variation (permissible number of cycles before

TABLE 1. Results of Calculating the Remaining Life of the K-300-240 Turbine Rotor When the Power Unit is Engaged in the Primary Fre-
quency Control
Primary power variations, % of Nrated
Parameter
+5% –5% +10% –10%
Initial power level, MW 285 285 270 270
Power variation, MW* 15 15 30 30
Power variation time, min** 0.5 0.5 5 5
Dimensionless time ô0 0.0035 0.0035 0.0349 0.0349
Dimensionless deformation s 0.613 0.613 0.591 0.591
Temperature variation t, °C 7.6 7.1 14.7 12.8
Deformation (loading “–” and unloading “+”) Äås, % –0.0064/0.0064 0.006/–0.006 –0.012/0.012 0.0104/–0.0104
Deformation within a cycle Äås, % 0.0128 0.012 0.024 0.0208
Allowable number of loading cycles [Np]*** 870732 949185 225087 338887
ai factor, h (equivalent) 0.23 0.21 0.89 0.59
ai factor (average), h (equivalent)**** 0.22 0.74
* With power variation dynamics according to the requirements [1].
** During loading, and the same time during unloading.
*** At a safety ratio of 5.
**** The difference is due to a non-linear relationship between temperature and power.
Effect of Engagement in Power and Frequency Control on the Service Life of Steam-Turbine Power Units
failure — about 282,000). If, after the primary power is real-
ized with the required dynamics of power variation, the
steam-turbine power unit will be unloaded/loaded to the
scheduled planned levels at an optimal rate (2 – 5 MW/min
and 1 – 4 MW/min for unloading and loading modes, re-
spectively, according to [20]), the time factor of the equiva-
lent depletion of the service life ai will constitute: 0.21 h
(±5% of Nrated) and 0.57 h (±10% of Nrated) of equivalent
time.
Figure 3 shows the results of calculating the equivalent
depletion of the turbine rotor service life per cycle (unload-
ing from 100% of Nrated with subsequent loading to 100% at
a rate of 1%/min) for various power variation ranges. As can
be seen from Fig. 3, when operating at a constant initial pres-
sure, a significant depletion of the turbine rotor service life
occurs only during the power variation cycle with deep un-
loading. The operation at a sliding pressure (not shown) re-
sults in an insignificant depletion of the service life: a single
power variation cycle (unloading from 100% of Nrated to 50%
with subsequent loading to 100% at a rate of 1%/min) corre-
sponds to 0.08 h (equivalent time).
CONCLUSIONS
1. To assess the effect of engagement in power and fre-
quency control on the level of wear of the steam-turbine
power units, a method for calculating the remaining life
based on the equivalent operation time is proposed. By using
a power-generating unit equipped with the K-300-240 tur-
bine as an example, a number of equivalent hours of turbine
operation were calculated reflecting the engagement of the
power unit in the rated primary frequency control and auto-
mated secondary power and frequency control.
Engagement of the power unit in the primary frequency
control does not result in significant depletion of the service
life: a single power variation cycle constitutes 0.22 h (equiv-
alent time) for ±5% power variation and 0.74 h (equivalent
time) for ±10% power variation.
2. The effect of the loading rate of the steam-turbine
power units, operating in the rated and sliding steam pressure
modes, on the level of equipment wear within various ranges
of power increase was studied.
A significant depletion of the turbine rotor service life
when operating at a constant initial pressure occurs only dur-
ing the power variation cycle with deep unloading. The oper-
ation at a sliding pressure results in an insignificant depletion
of the service life: a single power variation cycle (unloading
from 100% of Nrated to 50% with subsequent loading to 100%
at a rate of 1%/min) corresponds to 0.08 h (equivalent time).
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