Overspeed protection systems have been on rotating machinery for decades, but their design over the years has changed from mechanical to electronic. However, their concept and function remains the same, aiming to safely shut down the turbine.

Turbine overspeed events can result in a severity type loss of the turbine. Plants that experience an overspeed event can have significant business interruption impacts as catastrophic turbine repairs will often exceed 12 months or more.

Ryan Wood, Risk Engineer for Munich Re Facultative & Corporate provides contextual knowledge to the known risks and exposures associated with steam turbine overspeed protection systems in his white paper titled, “Steam turbine overspeed protection:
Overspeed protection systems and maintenance practices.”