Media Releases

09/26/2016

Robust TripCon Trip Block from Voith Provides Even More Safety for Turbomachinery Equipment

  • Electro-hydraulic safety control unit for triggering trip valves
  • Triple modular redundancy (TMR) with integrated 2 out of 3 (2oo3) voting
  • Typical shutoff times of < 300 ms can be achieved
TripCon electrohydraulic trip block for releasing trip valves on steam turbines, gas turbines and process safety valves.
Control schematics of the Voith trip block in its basic design.
Crailsheim, Germany: Avoiding overspeed is a fundamental requirement in safety management for gas and steam turbines. The TripCon trip block enables continuous triple modular redundancy from the speed sensor to the hydraulic cylinder of the trip valve. It has a modular and compact design which allows for the economical implementation of all standard safety concepts for turbine control systems. The Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is over 100,000 years. This increases the reliability of the turbine and increases the productivity of the entire system.

The TripCon has a wide pressure range from 6 to 180 bar (87 to 2,610 psi). It is therefore suitable for high-pressure and low-pressure hydraulic systems. Large discharge volumes up to 320 l/min (85 gpm) with a differential pressure of 6 bar (87 psi) enable fast shutdown times – usually less than 300 ms. The TripCon is available in various types. All variants of the trip block have a triple-redundant design with a 2oo3 selection (2 out of 3 voting). An integrated 1oo1 partial stroke test enables a simple check of the function of the trip valve, even during operation. The partial stroke test is available with optional 2oo2 redundancy. An expansion module is also available, which allows the replacement of all solenoid valves during operation.

The trip block is certified with Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL 3 compatible) as per IEC 61508. This responds to the requests of many Voith customers who design products and systems according to this standard. The engineers also paid particular attention to the magnetic forces of the valves. Specially developed valves with very high magnetic forces are used. This makes the TripCon highly resistant to dirt and other contamination in the operating medium – turbine lubrication oil is sufficient in most cases.

Typical applications for the TripCon are trip valves on gas and steam turbines in high-availability plants. Furthermore, the trip block is suitable for retrofitting non-redundant trip systems. Additional applications are conceivable, for example, for water turbines or generally for safety valves in process engineering.

Voith Turbo, a Group Division of Voith GmbH, is a specialist for intelligent drive solutions. Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, mining and mechanical engineering, ship technology, rail and commercial vehicles rely on advanced technologies from Voith Turbo.

Voith sets standards in the markets for energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials, transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs more than 20,000 people, generates €4.3 billion in sales, operates in over 60 countries around the world and is one of the largest family owned companies in Europe.*

* Excluding the discontinued Group Division Voith Industrial Services.