Methods and apparatus for optimizing combined cycle/combined process facilities

• US 20060178782A1
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dieleman, Marco Robert, Pechtl, Peter Anton, Davari, Bijan, Posch, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41885 characterised by modeling, simulation of the manufacturing system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/15 On-site combined power, heat or cool generation or distribution, e.g. combined heat and power [CHP] supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

Methods and systems for operating combined cycle electrical generating plants is provided. The method includes simulating the electrical power plant performance, simulating the steam utilizing process plant performance, parameterizing plant equipment and plant performance using the power plant and process plant simulation results, and solving parameterized simultaneous equations and constraints with an objective function to determine parameter settings that facilitate enhancing an efficiency of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a combined cycle electrical generating plant that includes at least one electrical generating power plant coupled in heat transfer communication to a steam-utilizing process plant, said method comprising:

simulating the power plant performance;

simulating the process plant performance;

parameterizing plant equipment and plant performance using the power plant and process plant simulation results;

solving parameterized simultaneous equations and constraints with an objective function to determine parameter settings that facilitate enhancing an efficiency of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; and

outputting the determined parameter settings to a user via the computer.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein simulating the process plant performance comprises simulating a desalination plant performance.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein simulating the power plant performance comprises monitoring the power plant thermal performance.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein monitoring the power plant thermal performance comprises monitoring the power plant heat rate in real-time.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein simulating the process plant performance comprises characterizing the process plant heat consumption as a function of at least one of a process plant load level, a top brine temperature, a seawater intake temperature, and a top brine heater fouling.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein parameterizing plant equipment and plant performance comprises calculating efficiency for at least one of a gas turbine compressor, a gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), a draft fan, a cooling tower, a condenser, a feed water heater, a brine heater, an evaporator, a flash tank, and a brine blow down.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein solving parameterized simultaneous equations and constraints comprises:

determining a current heat balance for the overall plant;

determining an expected performance using current constraints on operation; and

determining parameters to adjust to modify the current heat balance such that a future heat balance equals the determined expected performance.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein solving parameterized simultaneous equations and constraints comprises:

determining inlet conditions to the overall plant;

predicting an output of the overall based on the determined inlet conditions and a predetermined model of the overall plant;

determining a current output of the overall plant;

comparing the predicted output to the determined output; and

adjusting plant parameters until the determined output equals the predicted output.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising correlating controllable plant parameters plant equipment and plant performance using parameterized equations.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising defining the objective of the optimization using an objective function that includes at least one of minimizing the heat rate and maximizing the profit.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

defining at least one of the physically possible range of operation of each individual piece of equipment; and

defining overall limits using constraints.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein defining overall limits comprises defining at least one of maximum power production, maximum fuel consumption, and maximum water usage for condensation.

13. A computer readable medium encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to:

simulate an electrical power plant performance;

simulate a performance of a steam-utilizing process plant coupled in heat-transfer communication with the electrical power plant;

parameterize overall plant equipment and overall plant performance using the electrical power plant and steam-utilizing process plant simulation results; and

solve parameterized simultaneous equations and constraints with an objective function to determine parameter settings that facilitate enhancing an efficiency of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant.

14. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to simulate a desalination plant performance.

15. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to monitor the power plant thermal performance.

16. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to monitor a power plant heat rate in real-time.

17. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to characterize the process plant heat consumption as a function of at least one of a process plant load level, a top brine temperature, a seawater intake temperature, and a top brine heater fouling.

18. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to calculate efficiency for at least one of a gas turbine compressor, a gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), a draft fan, a cooling tower, a condenser, a feed water heater, a brine heater, an evaporator, a flash tank, and a brine blow down.

19. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to:

determine a current heat balance for the overall plant;

determine an expected performance using current constraints on operation; and

determine parameters to adjust to modify the current heat balance such that a future heat balance equals the determined expected performance.

20. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to:

determine inlet conditions to the overall plant;

predict an output of the overall based on the determined inlet conditions and a predetermined model of the overall plant;

determine a current output of the overall plant;

compare the predicted output to the determined output; and

recommend adjustments to plant parameters until the determined output equals the predicted output.

21. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to correlate controllable plant parameters plant equipment, and plant performance using parameterized equations.

22. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to define the objective of the optimization using an objective function that includes at least one of minimizing the heat rate and maximizing the profit.

23. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to:

define at least one of the physically possible ranges of operation of each individual piece of equipment; and

define overall limits using constraints.

24. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 23 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to define at least one of maximum power production, maximum fuel consumption, and maximum water usage for condensation.

25. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program comprising:

a data acquisition module (DAM) communicatively coupled to a process plant control system;

a plant thermal performance monitor module for calculating a current plant heat-rate communicatively coupled to said DAM; and

an optimizer module for solving simultaneous parametric equations with process plant constraints communicatively coupled to said plant thermal performance monitor module.

26. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 25 further comprising at least one of a database/historian, a heat balance module, an advisor module, and a closed-loop feedback control module.

27. A combined cycle/combined process plant optimizing system comprising:

a first process plant that generates a quantity of waste heat;

a second process plant that utilizes heat as an input to at least one plant process, said second plant in heat-transfer communication with said first process plant; and

a computer operationally coupled to at least one of said first process plant and said second process plant, said computer configured to;

monitor process parameters of said first process plant and said second process plant;

simulate said first process plant performance;

simulate said second process plant performance;

parameterize a plurality of overall plant equipment and overall plant performance using the first and second power plant and process plant simulation results; and

solve parameterized simultaneous equations and constraints with an objective function to determine parameter settings that facilitate enhancing an efficiency of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant.

28. An optimizing system in accordance with claim 27 wherein said first process plant is an electrical generating power plant and said second process plant is a desalination plant.

29. An optimizing system in accordance with claim 27 wherein said process parameters include at least one of a top brine temperature, a re-circulation ratio, a frequency and duration of blow downs, a component inlet and outlet temperatures, a component fluid flow, and a component pressure.

30. An optimizing system in accordance with claim 27 wherein said computer is further configured to recommend adjustments to plant parameters until the determined output equals the predicted output.