Moog Actuator Eliminates Hydraulic Infrastructure

A new failsafe electro-mechanical actuator system from motion control specialist Moog scores on several counts over hydraulic systems that currently dominate the market for power generation control applications. It eliminates the hydraulic infrastructure and provides safer, more compact and more cost-effective performance. Designed for use in conjunction with Moog's decentralized motion-control system and application software for homing, diagnostics and safety functions, the actuator is particularly suitable for installation in harsh gas turbine environments.
Hydraulic systems are popular for their capability to reliably shut down in failure situations, providing ample ability to close valves against gas pressure. However, they also pose cost, complexity and space challenges. Moog's new actuator is the first electro-mechanical failsafe mechanism to meet performance and safety requirements, while reducing installation and maintenance costs. The actuator ensures highest safety level via a decoupled spindle/spring arrangement. It eliminates hydraulic and pneumatic auxiliary systems, including piping, further reducing installed cost, interface complexity and installation and commissioning time. It improves fire protection via a full electric turbine approach on all axes.

Turbine access control features are located on a Moog Servo Controller, thus freeing processing power for other functions and increasing flexibility while allowing for pre-tested hardware. Integral remote control and field bus capability enable preventative maintenance and monitoring for reduced operational costs. The failsafe actuator controls the flow characteristics of the process valve defined by the position commands of the turbine controller. In safety-relevant systems, spring-controlled systems are used to close/open the valve at emergency condition to a safe position. The actuator employs flexible interfaces for command and feedback between the turbine controller and the Motion Controller, including CANopen, Profibus and 4-20 mA.