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Cooling and Sealing Air System
The cooling and sealing air system provides the necessary air flow from the gas turbine
compressor to other parts of the gas turbine rotor and stator to prevent excessive
temperature buildup in these parts during normal operation and to prevent compressor
pulsation.

The MS-7001FA has a vacuum-operated lubrication system. Therefore, the bearing

sealing function is not utilized. When the gas turbine is operating, air is extracted from the
9th and 13th stages of the axial flow compressor as well as from the compressor
discharge.

Atmospheric air from off-base, centrifugal-type blowers is used to cool the turbine
exhaust frame and No. 2 bearing area.

Cooling and sealing functions provided by the system are as follows:

1. Compressor pulsation protection

2. Cool the internal parts
3. Cool the turbine exhaust frame
4. Cool the No. 2 bearing area
5. Provide an operating air supply for the air-operated valves.

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Cooling and Sealing Air System
The cooling and sealing air system consists of specially designed air passages in the
turbine casing, turbine nozzles, and rotating wheel as well as piping for the compressor
extraction air and associated components.

Associated components used in the system include:

1. Turbine Exhaust Frame Cooling Blowers

2. No. 2 Bearing Area Blower
3. Dual Drive Motors 88TK-1, –2 and 88BN–1, -2
4. Compressor Bleed Valves VA2-1, -2, -3, -4
5. Solenoid Valve 20CB-1, -2 (for control of compressor bleed valves)
6. Compressor Discharge Pressure Transducers 96CD-1, -1B, and -1C

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Cooling and Sealing Air System
Compressor Bleed Subsystem For Pulsation Protection
The pressure, speed, and flow characteristics of the gas turbine axial flow compressor
are such that special equipment and sequencing of the gas turbine components are
required to prevent pulsation of the compressor when the turbine is accelerating,
decelerating, shutdown or tripped. The equipment required to provide this protection is
the compressor bleed valves and IGV subsystem.

Four pneumatically operated compressor bleed valves [VA2-1, -2] bleed 9th stage, [VA2-
3, -4] bleed 13th stage . The valves are designed to be self-opening on the loss of air
supply pressure from 20CB-1, -2.This feature is considered to be fail-safe with respect to
the protection of the compressor.

During turbine startup the [VA2-1 thru -4] are open, allowing 9th and 13th-stage air to be
discharged into the exhaust plenum, thereby eliminating the possibility of compressor
pulsation. When the turbine accelerates to full speed [VA2-1 thru -4] close and allow
normal running operation of the turbine. When a turbine shutdown signal is initiated [VA2-
1 thru -4] are open and 9th and 13th-stage air is again discharged into the exhaust
plenum to prevent compressor pulsation during the turbine deceleration period.

Although the bleed valves appear to be in a parallel redundant arrangement, they are not
redundant. Both valves are required to function to provide adequate pulsation protection.
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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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Cooling and Sealing Air System
Turbine Nozzle Cooling Air Supply Subsystem
The cooling circuit for the turbine components consists of both internal and external
circuits. The 1st and 2nd stage buckets, the 1st stage nozzle, and the 1st stage shroud
are cooled by an internal cooling air circuit, while the 2nd and third stage nozzles are
cooled by an external cooling air circuit.

The internal circuit is supplied by 17th stage and by compressor discharge air, and the
external circuit by 13th-stage extraction air.

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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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Cooling and Sealing Air System (1st-Stg Bucket)

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Cooling and Sealing Air System (Air Cooled Nozzle)

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Cooling and Sealing Air System
Exhaust Frame and No. 2 Bearing Area Cooling Fan Module Subsystem
A cooling fan module consisting of four centrifugal blowers driven by motors, 88TK-1, –2
and 88BN–1, -2. Cooling air is provided to the exhaust frame cooling manifold and the
No. 2 bearing area. Each blower is sized to provide 100 percent of the required flow for
its respective cooling requirement. The motors are controlled to operate in a lead-lag
arrangement so that only one combination of blowers, exhaust frame, and bearing area is
operating when the gas turbine is running.

Two of the blowers [88TK-1,2] supply air for cooling of the exhaust frame and third aft
wheel space. The cooling air enters the exhaust frame through eight radial nozzles on the
outer annulus of the frame. The air cools the outer diameter of the outer exhaust gas
path insulation pack. Some of the cooling air exits the frame at the forward joint with the
third stage bucket shroud. The remainder flows aft, then turns, flowing through and
cooling the radial support struts. The air cools the inner diameter of the inner exhaust gas
path insulation pack and exits the exhaust frame by being dumped into the third stage
bucket aft wheel space. The cooling air also prevents exhaust gas from being aspirated
into the No. 2 bearing sump.

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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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Cooling and Sealing Air System
Exhaust Frame and No. 2 Bearing Area Cooling Fan Module Subsystem (cont)
A similar arrangement of two blowers [88BN-1,2] is used to provide cooling air to the No.
2 bearing area. The discharge of each passes through a diverter type check valve VCK7–
3 before entering the main supply pipe to the No. 2 bearing area. This valve is required
because of the lead-lag operation; otherwise the air from the operating blower would
escape through the non-operating blower, thereby bypassing the cooling circuit.

Pressure switches 63TK-1 and -2 on the exhaust frame blowers, and 63BN-1 and 63BN-
2 on the No. 2 bearing area blowers are used to sense each of the blower’s discharge
pressure. If either blower or motor in the operating set should fail, the loss of discharge
pressure will cause contacts of the respective 63TK or 63BN pressure switch to close,
sending a signal to start the idle set. If a second failure should occur, the turbine will shut
down in a normal shutdown sequence.

Note:
Any failed blower or motor should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible to
preclude the possibility of shutting down the turbine as a result of a second
failure.

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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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Cooling and Sealing Air System
Pressurized Air Supply
Compressor discharge air is used as a source of air for operating various air-operated
valves in other systems. Air for this purpose is taken at the discharge of the compressor
and is then piped to the various air-operated valves. In addition, compressor discharge
pressure is monitored by pressure transducers 96CD-1, 96CD-1B, and 96CD-1C for use
in control of the gas turbine.

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Cooling and Sealing Air System

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