METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ENHANCING CONTROL OF POWER PLANT GENERATING UNITS

• Main Authors: WICHMANN LISA ANNE, RACZYNSKI CHRSTOPHER MICHAEL
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.07.2015
• Subjects: BLASTING; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ENGINES; WEAPONS

A control method for optimizing a turndown operation for a power plant having a plurality of generating units. The plurality of generating units each may include either an on-condition or an off-condition during a selected operating period. The method may include: defining competing operating modes, wherein the competing operating modes include different possible combinations regarding which of the plurality of generating units have the on-condition and which have the off-condition during the selected operating period; defining multiple cases for each of the competing operating modes, wherein the multiple cases include varying a value of an operating parameter; receiving performance objectives that include a cost function; receiving an ambient conditions forecast; for the multiple cases of the competing operating modes, simulating the turndown operation with a power plant model given the value of the operating parameter and the ambient conditions forecast; evaluating a simulation result pursuant to the cost function so to select therefrom a preferred case.