Product Bulletin: PB3-09-0031-GT-EN-01 30 July 2009

Title: Combustor Basket, Flashback Thermocouple with Top Hat Page 1 of 6

Extension Pipe, Upgrade, W501F and SGT6-5000F

Product Bulletin

Combustor Basket, Flashback Thermocouple

with Top Hat Extension Pipe, Upgrade, W501F
and SGT6-5000F

Document Number: PB3-09-0031-GT-EN-01

Gas Turbine

Answers for energy.

3-09-008843-01
© Siemens Energy, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. Siemens Confidential Information
Copyright Siemens Energy, inc. 2009. All rights reserved.
Product Bulletin: PB3-09-0031-GT-EN-01 30 July 2009
Title: Combustor Basket, Flashback Thermocouple with Top Hat Page 2 of 6
Extension Pipe, Upgrade, W501F and SGT6-5000F

Siemens Energy, Inc. wants to be your first choice for Power Generation Technology
and Energy Solutions. Our business is powered by people who understand that your loyalty
depends on accurate, safe, on-time performance that meets your requirements.

Increasing the productivity and reliability of your assets is our goal. This Product
Bulletin is just one example of the many ways we intelligently innovate existing technology to
improve plant performance.

Your success is our success. Choose Siemens for your product and service needs. Our
knowledgeable people will integrate seamlessly with your team to support your business for
the long term.

This Product Bulletin is confidential to Siemens Energy, Inc. (“Siemens”). Neither this
document nor any information contained in it is to be reproduced, transmitted, disclosed, or
used otherwise in whole or in part without the written authorization of Siemens.

The information, recommendations and descriptions in this document are based on Siemens
experience and judgment with respect to the operation and maintenance of the equipment
described in this Bulletin and should not be considered as all-inclusive or covering all
contingencies. NOTHING IN THIS BULLETIN SHALL CONSTITUTE A WARRANTY OR
REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND, WHETHER STATUTORY, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED,
OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR OTHERWISE.

3-09-008843-01
© Siemens Energy, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. Siemens Confidential Information
Product Bulletin: PB3-09-0031-GT-EN-01 30 July 2009
Title: Combustor Basket, Flashback Thermocouple with Top Hat Page 3 of 6
Extension Pipe, Upgrade, W501F and SGT6-5000F

Executive Summary

The purpose of this Product Bulletin is to inform W501F and SGT6-5000F customers of the
availability of a more robust combustor basket flashback thermocouple (TC). The upgraded
design includes an extension pipe that moves the thermocouple connection several inches
away from the top hat, which is intended to lower vibration and facilitate operational
verification of the thermocouple. The upgraded thermocouple is factory sealed to reduce
moisture contamination and incorporates a quick-connect feature to reduce the opportunity
for loose connections.

Equipment Type: Gas Turbine – W501F & SGT6-5000F

Implementation Action: Next combustion outage of sufficient

duration

Required Plant Condition: Shutdown, cool down, off turning gear

Parts Required: First time assembly kit

Upgraded flashback thermocouple
Extension Pipe

Parts Modification / Repair Required: None

Controls Modification: None

Special Tools Required: None

Skills Required: I&C / Electrical

3-09-008843-01
© Siemens Energy, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. Siemens Confidential Information
Product Bulletin: PB3-09-0031-GT-EN-01 30 July 2009
Title: Combustor Basket, Flashback Thermocouple with Top Hat Page 4 of 6
Extension Pipe, Upgrade, W501F and SGT6-5000F

BACKGROUND
Flashback thermocouples are mounted in Refer to Figure 2 for the thermocouple
each combustor assembly to measure locations within the Top hat housing.
temperature changes inside the
combustor basket that could indicate flash
back conditions. Flashback occurs when Top hat and
the flame profile in a combustor basket support housing
travels back into the fuel nozzle and
combustor swirler area where the high
temperature flame has the potential to
damage fuel nozzle and combustor Flashback
baskets. Thermocouple
Compression
Fitting
Two flashback thermocouples are
mounted in each top hat support housing.
Each thermocouple is routed through a
guide tube and enters the combustor
basket through a small hole in the basket
forward of the fuel nozzle and basket
Figure 2. Top Hat and Support Housing
swirler area.
Assembly
Properly operating thermocouples detect
the occurrence of flashback and, when
detected, the control system will alarm Figure 3 illustrates the positions of the
and if warranted, will cause the unit to internal components of the top hat and
automatically reduce the load on the support housing assembly.
system. Figure 1 shows the location of
the top hat support housings.
Thermocouple and Swirler
extension pipe Nozzles
Top hat and support housings
Basket

Thermocouple guide tube

Figure 3. Top Hat and Support

Housing Assembly Internal
Operational experience has revealed that
the flashback thermocouples may
experience performance degradation due
Figure 1. Top Hat and Support to factors including the following:
Housing Locations
3-09-008843-01
© Siemens Energy, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. Siemens Confidential Information
Product Bulletin: PB3-09-0031-GT-EN-01 30 July 2009
Title: Combustor Basket, Flashback Thermocouple with Top Hat Page 5 of 6
Extension Pipe, Upgrade, W501F and SGT6-5000F

1. Loose connections to the terminal Control wiring side Thermocouple side

block.
2. Damage from over-crimping the field
wiring connections.
3. Internal shorts to the terminal head.
4. Vibration. Connector retaining clip
5. Moisture contamination.
Figure 4. Sealed Quick Connect Plug

4. The thermocouple design has been

TECHNICAL INFORMATION changed from a grounded tip to an
ungrounded tip. This allows electrical
The upgraded flashback thermocouple continuity verification of the
has the following features. magnesium oxide insulation
resistance, allowing straightforward
1. The single element design eliminates troubleshooting of the thermocouple
the field interconnection of the circuit.
thermocouple wire to the stranded
control system lead wire. This design Flashback thermocouple
also eliminates the point of
interconnection as a source of
moisture contamination and is
expected to reduce incidents of
thermocouple degradation or failures
due to vibrations and internal shorts.

2. The thermocouple wire is 100%

annealed. The increased flexibility of
the thermocouple wire can reduce the
chance of damage as the
thermocouple is handled and installed. Figure 5. Thermocouple Installation
without Extended Pipe
3. The thermocouple wire is connected
directly to the thermocouple connector
in the new design. Flashback thermocouple
extension pipe
The factory sealed “quick-connect”
thermocouple connector can facilitate
installation and reduce the opportunity
for vibration induced shorts and
moisture contamination. Refer to
Figure 4. Refer to Figure 5 for the
installation view for the upgraded
flashback thermocouple and Figure 6
showing the extension pipe view.

Figure 6. Installation View showing the

Extended Pipe

3-09-008843-01
© Siemens Energy, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. Siemens Confidential Information
Product Bulletin: PB3-09-0031-GT-EN-01 30 July 2009
Title: Combustor Basket, Flashback Thermocouple with Top Hat Page 6 of 6
Extension Pipe, Upgrade, W501F and SGT6-5000F

POTENTIAL BENEFITS RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The upgraded thermocouple design Siemens recommends the installation of
eliminates terminal head connections this robust flashback thermocouple and
at the combustor basket top hat and extension pipe during the next combustion
simplifies the thermocouple system of system outage.
parts.
Please contact your Siemens Energy, Inc.
2. The pipe extension that supports the service representative for further
upgraded thermocouple protrudes information.
through the top hat insulation which
allows easier and faster replacement
of the thermocouple.

3. The upgraded design can increase the

reliability of the flashback thermo-
couple system.

3-09-008843-01
© Siemens Energy, Inc. 2009. All rights reserved. Siemens Confidential Information