Systems and Methods for Generating Solution Recommendations for Power Plant Operation

• US 20150058090A1
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Pandey, Achalesh Kumar, Kauffman, Eric, Kleinhample, Richard, Kish, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,940,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating solution recommendations for power plant operation can be provided by certain embodiments of the disclosure. In one embodiment, a system may include a processor configured to collect power plant operational data from power plant components. The power plant operational data may be analyzed to identify cost factors for the power plant components. Based at least in part on the power plant operational data and the cost factors, upgrade opportunities for the power plant components may be determined. Financial values may be calculated for the upgrade opportunities. Based at least in part on the financial values, recommendations may be generated using a product interaction database and provided as an electronic output to a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting, by a processor, power plant operational data from one or more power plant components, the power plant operational data being related to one or more operating parameters associated with at least one type of operation of a power plant;

analyzing, by the processor, the power plant operational data to identify one or more cost factors for the one or more power plant components;

determining, by the processor, based at least in part on the power plant operational data and the one or more cost factors, one or more upgrade opportunities for the one or more power plant components;

calculating, by the processor, financial values for the one or more upgrade opportunities;

based at least in part on the financial values, generating, by the processor, one or more recommendations using a product interaction database; and

providing, by the processor, the one or more recommendations as an electronic output to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more recommendations are generated for one or more of a power plant component, a power plant unit, or a plurality of power plant units.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the financial values is based at least in part on market data and user input data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user input data includes weights for the one or more cost factors.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the product interaction database includes a catalogue of hardware and software products for the power plant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the product interaction database includes compatibility scores for one or more combinations of hardware and software products for the power plant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more recommendations include a compatible combination of hardware and software products selected from the product interaction database to provide a financial benefit to the user based at least in part on a power plant configuration and the one or more cost factors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the power plant operational data is collected by an on-site monitoring system and is transferred to a server associated with a recommendation provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more cost factors include one or more of the following:

a full load output, full load hours, part load hours, minimum load hours, start reliability, operating reliability, run emissions reduction, asset wear, outage interval extension, outage duration reduction, start fuel savings, start time duration, start emissions reduction, startup precision, fuel type flexibility, ramp rate, or turndown.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more solution recommendations include an electronic visualization or an electronic report.

11. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory comprising computer-readable instructions for execution by the processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

collect power plant operational data from one or more power plant components, the power plant operational data being associated with one or more operating parameters associated with at least one type of operation of a power plant;

analyze the power plant operational data to identify one or more cost factors for the one or more power plant components;

determine, based at least in part on the power plant operational data and the one or more cost factors, one or more upgrade opportunities for the one or more power plant components;

calculate financial values for the one or more upgrade opportunities;

based at least in part on the financial values, generate one or more recommendations using a product interaction database; and

provide the one or more recommendations as an electronic output to a user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more solution recommendations are generated for one or more of a power plant component, a power plant unit, or a plurality of power plant units.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the calculating of the financial values is based at least in part on market data and user input data.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the product interaction database includes a catalogue of hardware and software products for the power plant.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the product interaction database includes compatibility scores for one or more combinations of hardware and software products for the power plant.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the user input data includes weights for the one or more cost factors.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more recommendations include a compatible combination of hardware and software products selected from the product interaction database to provide a financial benefit for the user based at least in part on power plant configuration and the one or more cost factors.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the power plant operational data is collected by an on-site monitoring system and is transferred to a server associated with a recommendation provider.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more cost factors include one or more of the following:

full load output, full load hours, part load hours, minimum load hours, start reliability, operating reliability, run emissions reduction, asset wear, outage interval extension, outage duration reduction, start fuel savings, start time duration, start emissions reduction, startup precision, fuel type flexibility, ramp rate, or turndown.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, perform the following operations:

collecting power plant operational data from one or more power plant components, the power plant operational data being associated with one or more operating parameters associated with at least one type of operation of a power plant;

analyzing the power plant operational data to identify one or more cost factors for the one or more power plant components;

determining, based at least in part on the power plant operational data and the one or more cost factors, one or more upgrade opportunities for the one or more power plant components;

calculating financial values for the one or more upgrade opportunities;

based at least in part on the financial values, generating one or more recommendations using a product interaction database; and

outputting the one or more recommendations to a user.