Update on ITB Status:
Background: Previous field
testing of ITB identified numerous
Ice Harbor Unit 3 test was conducted 6-8 Feb. IH Unit 6
testing was conducted 10-12 Feb. Both tests wo screens installed. Test schedule for w/
screens testing tbd, but
likely late-April or early May. Testing was conducted using traditional
methods, i.e. initial on-cam pass followed by off-cam fixed blade angles at
incremental gate openings (6 blade angles tested for Unit 3 , 7 blade angles for unit 6).
ITB was run in parallel with HDC data acq equipment for Unit 3 test
only (using lastest version of program --- ITB
Rev 1 ver 43). ATEC provided W-K xducer and manifold was used in paralled
to our Statham diff press transducer. (I had stopped by McNary and picked
up x-ducer, buggy, crate and all). ITB
installation and initial setup took longer than anticipated due to an old
version of the interface between ITB and signal
conditioner being used. Once the proper
interface was located and installed, proceeded to calibrate W-K xducer without any difficulty. The previously
observed computational problems and system crashes observed when balancing
valve is opened have been corrected.
Attempted to use ITB during Unit 6 test also, but Murphy
showed up and was unable to get W-K x-ducer output
read into ITB. Attempts to isolate problem (i.e. to identify whether
transducer/signal conditioner/ power suppply within
signal conditioner/interface between ITB and signal conditioner or the cabling
between each of these was the source of problem) to correct proved
unsuccessful. Unfortunately, also could not figure how to
feed 0.5-2.5 V output from our Statham (4-20 mA with 127 ohm scaling
resistor) directly into ITB.
Unit 3 testing went very well. Repeatability was very good,
on average +/- 0.1% or better in terms of relative efficiency, based on HDC
data acq methods. Well defined blade angle profiles and overall unit
performance profile obtained. Results indicate performance improvements
on the order of 0.5% -1 .0% obtainable. Tom Freeman
on-site for Unit 3 test and reduced data near real-time (i.e.
as near real-time as our acquisition methods
allow). I established test points for 6-7 Feb testing. I pretty
much let Tom run the show on 8 Feb. He did very well as Chief of Test for
the day (conducting test, i.e establishing gate blade
positions to be tested, directing unit movements with operator/mechanic,
data reduction). Tom also calibrated W-K x-ducers
and results were superb --- we can discuss further, but suffice to
say his eyeball is far more calibrated than mine.
For each test day, ITB was started-up at the beginning of each
day and after limits defined, data collection initiated. ITB
essentially ran in the background, collecting it's
data, throughout each test day. No program crashes experienced on any
test day. To obtain values from GDACS addresses, the ITB OPC was
"connected" during testing, but blade perturbation routine was not
initiated at any time.
During the first day of testing, the ITB logged data using
"RECORD STEADY STATE" option, resulting in the same "rolling
average" routine for data logging as before (McNary U9
test), i.e. large volumes of data being logged with each data point logged
based on largely duplicated data. After discussing with Doug Albright the
following morning, discovered I needed to toggle to the correct data logging
option. As result of our McNary comments, "RECORD DATA POINT"
option had been added and included in version 43. Data on 7
& 8 Feb was collected using "RECORD DATA POINT" option, reducing
data set logged to discreet points as we had requested.
On return to office, I provided all raw data logged
to Doug. In looking at the ITB data set here in the office (and
discussing same with Doug) discovered the number of first and
second pass points were left at default values. I should have
increased 1st and 2nd pass points from default values of 5 points to
200 (forgot that this values were increased at McNary). If I had done so,
each data point logged would have been representative of
2-3 minutes of steady state operation. With default settings, each
point logged, although discreet, is representative of 5 seconds of steady
state operation.
Attempted using MathCad
for data analysis, using similar methods used to evaluate McNary ITB data set.
However, due to 5 sec sampling, noise is too large and MathCad cannot interpolate
3-D contours. Have had better success using EXCEL to
process
As far as proof of concept, it's clear ITB
is capable of collecting the data necessary to develop cam information.
The major deficiencies identified from McNary test of ITB (system
crashes and streamlining of data logged) have been addressed.
Regarding "ToDo List" generated
from McNary testing (copy attached): Except for item's #1, #2, #10 and possibly #12, remaining items have been
corrected.
Items #1 and #2 both require blade perturbation, the code for which
was not installed in Ice Harbor Unit 2. Further, Item #1 was not critical
to system functionality and Item#2 is a GDACS issue rather than an ITB
issue.
Item #10 is in regards to the piping for exisitng
W-K manifold being too large, permitting air into system. Existing
manifold used as is with flushing methods modified to prevent air from
entering. Large diameter hoses to tubine put
were eliminated, short hose used to maintain water column/back pressure on
downstream side of flushing valves, eliminating possibility of air
entering system when flushing.
Item #12 is in regards to constants used to convert flow transducer
voltage ouput to an engineering value (feet of
deflection or cfs). These constants still revert to default values when system is shutdown. However, this may have been
user error in that constants were never stored, which may have to be done
manually, and then reloaded on start up. I need to clear this up with
Doug.
More to come
Dan