Many steam turbines are controlled by antiquated mechanical hydraulic control (MHC) systems resulting in control issues, unplanned outages due to failures and wear, and high maintenance costs. In addition, the experienced personnel required to operate and maintain these systems are rapidly disappearing and finding replacement parts is increasingly difficult. The main barrier to upgrading to a modern electrohydraulic control (EHC) system is the exceptionally large capital investment in the demolition of the old system, installation of the new system, and updates to the plant control system. The single largest expense when modernizing a control system is typically the installation of new welded high-pressure piping for the hydraulic system.
The Siemens Energy iSER™ Actuators solve these challenges at a significantly lower cost. Their self-contained design of these electrohydraulic actuators eliminates the main costs of piping installation while providing the precision control needed for operation and increasing the reliability, safety, and flexibility that turbine owners desire. In addition, Siemens Energy iSER Actuators offer advantages over modern EHC systems, including eliminating virtually all leak points, greatly improved diagnostic capabilities, and enabling of predictive instead of reactive maintenance.
