Systems and methods for monitoring fouling and slagging in heat transfer devices in coal fired power plants

• US 20060074591A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BL Technologies Inc. (Ashland Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Jammu, Vinay Bhaskar, Vora, Nishith Pramod, Babu, Ravi Yoganatha, Mahajanam, Rama Venkata
• Granted Patent: US 7,286,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0221 Preprocessing measurements, e.g. data collection rate adjustment; Standardization of measurements; Time series or signal analysis, e.g. frequency analysis or wavelets; Trustworthiness of measurements; Indexes therefor; Measurements using easily measured parameters to estimate parameters difficult to measure; Virtual sensor creation; De-noising; Sensor fusion; Unconventional preprocessing inherently present in specific fault detection methods like PCA-based methods

Abstract

A system for isolating effects of one or more process parameters on performance of a heat transfer device is provided. The system includes an efficiency correction unit that is adapted to receive data from the heat transfer device. The data is representative of one or more measurable process parameters or a change in the one or more measurable process parameters of the heat transfer device. The efficiency correction unit is also configured to compute a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device. The normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of one or more process parameters on performance of the heat transfer device.

Claims

1. A system for isolating effects of one or more process parameters on performance of a heat transfer device, comprising:

an efficiency correction unit adapted to receive data representative of at least one measurable process parameter or a change in the measurable process parameter of the heat transfer device, and configured to compute a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of one or more process parameters on performance of the heat transfer device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the efficiency correction unit comprises:

at least one base load filter adapted to remove effects of a varying load on the heat transfer device, wherein the varying load is configured to utilize an output from the heat transfer device to produce useful work;

at least one efficiency calculator adapted to compute an initial efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the initial efficiency is different from the normalized efficiency; and

at least one efficiency normalization unit adapted to apply a normalization model to the data to compute the normalized efficiency for the heat transfer device based on the initial efficiency.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the efficiency correction unit comprises one or more stability filters adapted to validate whether the data is sufficiently stable for application of the normalization model.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data logging unit configured to collect data from the heat transfer device, wherein the data represents at least one measurable process parameter or changes in the measurable process parameter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurable process parameter includes a pressure inside the heat transfer device, a temperature inside the heat transfer device, a mass flow rate of the fuel into the heat transfer device, a mass flow rate of air into the heat transfer device, a mass flow output of gas from the heat transfer device, a higher heating value of the fuel, or a higher heating value of the steam, or combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a maintenance unit adapted to introduce an anomaly reduction medium based on the normalized efficiency to at least one of the heat transfer device, a fuel for the heat transfer device, and a heat circulation medium in the heat transfer device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the anomaly reduction medium provided via the maintenance unit to the heat transfer device includes deposit conditioning additives, combustion catalysts, reflectivity modifiers, or combinations and derivatives thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the anomaly condition includes at least one of a fouling effect, a slagging effect, or a corrosive effect.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the data logging unit comprises a plant information system.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the data logging unit samples data from the heat transfer device at periods ranging from about 5 minutes to about 10 hours.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the efficiency calculator unit computes the initial efficiency based on an output-loss algorithm.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfer device comprises a boiler, a furnace, an air preheater, a furnace waterwall, a superheater, a reheater or an economizer.

53. The tangible, machine-readable media of claim 51, further comprising code adapted to control an introduction of an anomaly removal medium based on the normalized efficiency to at least one of the heat transfer device, a fuel for the heat transfer device, or a heat circulation medium in the heat transfer device.

13. A system for incipient detection of an anomaly condition in a heat transfer device, comprising:

an analysis module adapted to receive data from the heat transfer device, and configured to compute at least one performance indicator indicative of an incipient anomaly condition of the heat transfer device based upon the received data, wherein the data represents at least one of a measurable process parameter or a change in a measurable process parameter in the heat transfer device.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a trend detection module configured to detect the incipient anomaly condition in the heat transfer device based upon the at least one performance indicator.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the incipient anomaly condition in the heat transfer device includes a fouling effect, a slagging effect, a corrosive effect or combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the heat transfer device comprises at least one of a boiler, a furnace, an air preheater, a furnace waterwall, a superheater, a reheater or an economizer or combinations thereof.

17. A system for predicting a performance degradation over time of a heat transfer device, comprising:

a prediction module adapted to receive data from the heat transfer device and configured to compute at least one performance indicator to predict performance degradation of the heat transfer device over time based upon the received data, wherein the data represents at least one of a measurable process parameter or a change in a measurable process parameter in the heat transfer device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a trend detection module configured to detect the incipient anomaly condition in the heat transfer device based upon the at least one performance indicator.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the prediction module further predicts a time to failure of the heat transfer device based on the at least one performance indicator.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the measurable process parameter includes at least one of a pressure inside the heat transfer device, a temperature inside the heat transfer device, a mass flow rate of the fuel into the heat transfer device, a mass flow rate of air into the heat transfer device, a mass flow output of gas from the heat transfer device via a data logging unit, a higher heating value of the fuel, a higher heating value of the steam, or combinations thereof.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the performance indicator is at least one of a mass flow rate of a fuel, a mass flow rate of a gas, an efficiency factor, an effectiveness factor, a gas pressure difference, an air pressure difference, a temperature difference, or combinations thereof.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the anomaly condition in the heat transfer device includes a fouling effect, a slagging effect, a corrosive effect or combinations thereof.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the heat transfer device comprises at least one of a boiler, a furnace, an air preheater, a furnace waterwall, a superheater, a reheater or an economizer.

24. A method for diagnosing causes of performance degradation of a heat transfer device, comprising:

diagnosing via a knowledge based network at least one probable cause of performance degradation of the heat transfer device based on at least one symptom indicating a change in performance of the heat transfer device.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising analyzing via the knowledge based network the at least one probable cause of performance degradation in the heat transfer device to estimate a time to failure of the heat transfer device.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising validating via the knowledge based network the at least one probable cause based on at least a previous occurrence of the change in performance of the heat transfer device.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the knowledge based network comprises a cause and effect network

28. The method of claim 27, comprising determining a relationship between the probable cause of the performance change and the at least one symptom via the cause and effect network.

29. The method of claim 24, comprising determining at least one of a detectability and an isolation capability for the probable cause of occurrence of the performance change based upon the cause and effect network.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising monitoring the at least one symptom at a plurality of locations on the heat transfer device.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising monitoring the at least one symptom at a plurality of periods in time on the heat transfer device.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one symptom includes a fouling effect, a slagging effect, or a corrosive effect.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising determining a change in performance of the heat transfer device based on an anomaly in at least one of a gas pressure difference, an air pressure difference, or a temperature difference or combinations thereof.

34. A method for isolating effects of one or more process parameters on performance of a heat transfer device, comprising:

providing an efficiency correction unit with data representing one or more measurable process parameters or a change in the one or more measurable process parameters of the heat transfer device;

calculating an initial efficiency of the heat transfer device based on the at least one or more measurable process parameters; and

applying a normalization model to the data to determine a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency, different from the initial efficiency, that isolates the effects of the one or more process parameters of the heat transfer device.

35. The method of claim 34, comprising sampling the data via a plurality of sensors placed proximate to the heat transfer device.

36. The method of claim 34, comprising calculating the normalized efficiency based on at least one of a heating value of a fuel, a flow rate of the fuel, steam pressure, reheat pressure, cold reheat pressure, load factor, or an amount of power generated.

37. The method of claim 34, comprising calculating the normalized efficiency based on corrections effected by stability filters to the initial efficiency.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the normalized efficiency indicates a drop in efficiency due to the one or more anomaly conditions.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising providing an anomaly reduction medium via a maintenance unit to the heat transfer device based on the normalized efficiency, a fuel for theheat transfer device, and a heat circulation medium in the heat transfer device, wherein the anomaly reduction medium substantially reduces the one or more anomaly conditions and wherein the anomaly reduction medium includes deposit conditioning additives, combustion catalysts, reflectivity modifiers, or combinations and derivatives thereof.

40. The method of claim 39, comprising mixing the anomaly reduction medium with a fuel for injection into the heat transfer device via the maintenance unit.

41. The method of claim 39, comprising mixing the anomaly reduction medium to a liquid medium inside the heat transfer device.

42. A method for incipient failure detection of a heat transfer device, comprising:

providing data to an analysis module to compute at least one performance indicator, wherein the data represents at least one of a measurable process parameter or a change in a measurable process parameter in the heat transfer device;

detecting one or more anomaly conditions in the heat transfer device via a trend detection module based upon the at least one performance indicator;

generating one or more prediction models based on at least the one or more anomaly conditions, wherein the at least one prediction model provides one or more probable causes of failure; and

detecting incipient failure of the heat transfer device via the one or more prediction models.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising measuring the one or more anomaly conditions via the trend detection module based on at least one of a trend estimation technique, a hypothesis testing technique, or an exponential filtering technique or combinations thereof.

44. A method for providing an anomaly reduction medium to a heat transfer device, comprising:

providing an efficiency correction unit with data representing one or more measurable process parameters or a change in the one or more measurable process parameters in the heat transfer device;

calculating an initial efficiency of the heat transfer device via an efficiency calculator and based on at least the one or more measurable process parameters; and

providing an anomaly reduction medium to the heat transfer device based on the initial efficiency to substantially reduce the effects of at least one of the anomaly conditions.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising applying a normalization model to the data to determine a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency based on the initial efficiency that isolates effects of at least one of the anomaly conditions.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising providing the anomaly reduction medium to the heat transfer device based on the normalized efficiency to substantially reduce the effects of at least one of the anomaly conditions

47. The method of claim 44, comprising mixing the anomaly reduction medium with a fuel for injection into the heat transfer device via the maintenance unit.

48. The method of claim 44, comprising mixing the anomaly reduction medium to a liquid medium inside the heat transfer device.

49. A tangible, machine readable media for isolating effects of one or more process parameters of a heat transfer device, comprising:

code adapted to to receive data representative of at least one measurable process parameter or a change in the measurable process parameter of the heat transfer device, and configured to compute a normalized efficiency of the heat transfer device, wherein the normalized efficiency represents a corrected efficiency that isolates effects of one or more process parameters on performance of the heat transfer.

50. A tangible, machine readable media for incipient detection of an anomaly condition in a heat transfer device, comprising:

code adapted to receive data from the heat transfer device; and

code adapted to compute at least one performance indicator indicative of an incipient anomaly condition in the heat transfer device based upon the received data, wherein the data represents at least one measurable process parameter or a change in the measurable process parameter.

51. A tangible, machine readable media for predicting a performance degradation over time of a heat transfer device, comprising:

code adapted to receive data from the heat transfer device; and

code adapted to compute at least one performance indicator to predict performance degradation of the heat transfer device over time based upon the received data, wherein the data represents at least one measurable process parameter or a change in the measurable process parameter in the heat transfer device.

52. The tangible, machine readable media of claim 51, further comprising code adapted to estimate a time to failure of the heat transfer device based upon the at least one performance indicator.