Siemens Energy

Master Thesis: Optimized start/stop cycle for maximized gas turbine life

A Snapshot of Your Day

We are in the middle of an energy transition towards more renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.

Unfortunately, wind and solar power are difficult to control and predict. Since power production and power usage must be in balance at any point in time, we need power production capacity to compensate for renewable power production fluctuations.

Gas turbines are a perfect fit for that task. They can start and vary load quickly and support the power grid during phases of insufficient renewable power production. Small and medium-sized gas turbine are particularly well suited since they can be installed close to areas of renewable power production to minimize the need for power transmission grids.

The challenge is to make the gas turbine survive despite the frequent starts and load cycling. Historically our gas turbines have been operating to provide base load power (i.e. few starts, mostly full load) and have been optimized with respect to such a load profile. To support the energy transition to more renewables, we must instead design our turbines to survive many more start and stop cycles.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• We have simulation methods that enable life-time assessment of our gas turbine components. For a given start-and-stop cycle we can predict how many cycles a particular component in the gas turbine can survive before mechanical failure. We call this the “cyclic life” of a component.
• To increase the cyclic life of a component, one could change the component design or material. This is however not in the scope here. In this study, we instead focus on what can be done to improve the cyclic life by modifying the way we operate the engine.
• In other words, how should we control the gas turbine during start and stop to maximize the cyclic life of the components, assuming that some aspects are fixed (for example the total time from a still-standing engine to full load is limited).
• The thesis will contain the following tasks:
  • Perform a literature study to gather understanding on how the start and stop procedure of a gas turbine influences component lifetime, and to see what has been done by others to optimize the start/stop cycle.
  • Get introduced to simulation tools available at Siemens Energy, in particular:
    • A simulation tool representing the engine control system, i.e. using control parameters such as load rate over time as input and yielding operating parameters such as pressures and temperatures in the turbine as output.
    • A simulation tool performing thermo-mechanical analysis using operating parameters such as pressure and temperature as input and predicting the cyclic load on different engine components as output.
  • Derive a simulation model that yields component cyclic life for a given start/stop cycle by integrating the above-mentioned simulation tool into an automated tool chain by using for example HEEDS.
  • Optimize the start/stop cycle to maximize the cyclic life of the considered components.
  • Different simulation models and optimization approaches should be considered and compared.

What You Bring

• Student at Master level with experience in programming.
• You are interested in working in a multidisciplinary environment with many different people.
• You have basic knowledge of numerical analysis and optimization.
• You are curious to test out approaches and come up with own ideas – the task you will be working with has not been performed by anybody else in the company.

About the Team

We are a team of roughly 20 people working with turbine aerodynamics, heat transfer, and the secondary air system. For this task, however, you will have interfaces to people beyond our group (e.g. engine control and performance, life time analysis). You will be appointed several people from different disciplines to support you during your assignment.

Our Gas Services division offers Low-emission power generation through service and decarbonization. Zero or low emission power generation and all gas turbines under one roof, steam turbines and generators. Decarbonization opportunities through service offerings, modernization, and digitalization of the fleet.

We can offer you employment benefits such as: reduction of working hours, advance vacation, health care allowance and an eventual possibility to a flexible working place.

Who is Siemens Energy?

At Siemens Energy, we are more than just an energy technology company. We meet the growing energy demand across 90+ countries while ensuring our climate is protected. With more than 99,000 dedicated employees, we not only generate electricity for over 16% of the global community, but we’re also using our technology to help protect people and the environment.

Our global team is committed to making sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy a reality by pushing the boundaries of what is possible. We uphold a 150-year legacy of innovation that encourages our search for people who will support our focus on decarbonization, new technologies, and energy transformation.

Find out how you can make a difference at Siemens Energy: https://www.siemens-energy.com/employeevideo

Our Commitment to Diversity

Lucky for us, we are not all the same. Through diversity, we generate power. We run on inclusion and our combined creative energy is fueled by over 130 nationalities. Siemens Energy celebrates character – no matter what ethnic background, gender, age, religion, identity, or disability. We energize society, all of society, and we do not discriminate based on our differences.

Application

Don’t hesitate – apply via https://jobs.siemens-energy.com/en_US/jobs , id nr 264986 no later than 2024-11-01!

Ongoing selection is applied, the role might be filled before last application date.

For questions about the role, please contact Viktor Thyberg on viktor.thyberg@siemens-energy.com

For questions about the recruitment process please contact the responsible recruiter Ermina Imamovic on ermina.imamovic.ext@siemens-energy.com

We refrain from all contact with staffing and recruitment companies, or advertising brokers.

Location: Finspång

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Anders Häll, Unionen, +46122-887514
Simon Von Eckardstein, Sveriges Ingenjörer, +46122-842 24
Jan Lundgren, Ledarna, +46122-812 33
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