Power plant performance management systems and methods

• US 5,794,446 A
• Filed: 10/28/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Basic Resources, Inc (Sempra)
• Original Assignee: Basic Resources, Inc (Sempra)
• Inventors: Earley, James N., Hooper, Jeffrey D., Stinson, John S., Stigall, Billy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US08/738,932
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 60/646, 60/657, 60/660, 60/676, 60/678, 165/11.1, 364/509
• US Class Current: 60/646
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 7/345 Control or safety-means particular thereto

Abstract

A steam powered electric power generating station to provide electricity comprises a steam turbine positioned in a steam turbine shell, equipment, such as a heater, a first and a second temperature detector, and a computer. The steam turbine has necessary blades and a rod to turn an electrical generator to create electricity. The steam turbine shell mechanically coupled to receive steam to turn the at least one blade steam turbine. The equipment is mechanically coupled to the steam turbine shell to receive steam from the steam turbine shell and receives feed water through an entry port and releases feed water heater through an exit port. The first temperature detector is positioned to detect a first temperature of the feed water prior to entering the equipment via the entry port. The second temperature detector is positioned to detect a second temperature of the feed water after exiting the first piece of feed water via the exit port. The computer is electrically coupled to the first temperature detector and to the second temperature detector and compares the first temperature to the second temperature to generate a temperature difference which is used to monitor station performance. Related processes comprise detecting a first temperature of feed water immediately before the feed water has entered heating equipment and a second temperature of the feed water immediately after the feed water has entered the heating equipment; comparing the first temperature to the second temperature to generate a temperature difference therebetween comparing the temperature difference with a preferred temperature difference to determine whether the temperature difference is within an approved range from the preferred temperature difference; generating a warning signal to alert the power plant operator if the temperature difference is not within the approved range; and taking corrective action to keep the station operating at desired efficiency levels.

Claims

1. A steam powered electric power generating station to provide electricity, comprising:

(a) a burner to process fuel to generate heat;

(b) a boiler which is heated by said heat to convert feed water into steam;

(c) a steam turbine that is connected to said boiler via a first steam line extending from said boiler to said steam turbine to receive said steam created by said boiler, said steam turns said steam turbine, said steam turbine powers an electrical generator, said electrical generator generates said electricity;

(d) a heater to heat said feed water generated from said steam remaining after said steam is condensed after turning said steam turbine, said heater to receive a portion of said steam from said steam turbine via a second steam line extending from said steam turbine to said heater to heat said feed water;

(e) a first temperature detector positioned to detect a first temperature of said feed water prior to being heated by said heater;

(f) a second temperature detector positioned to detect a second temperature of said feed water after being heated by said heater; and

(g) a computer electrically coupled to said first temperature detector to receive said first temperature and to said second temperature detector to receive said second temperature, said computer compares said first temperature to said second temperature to generate a temperature difference and compares said temperature difference with a preferred temperature difference to determine whether said steam powered electric power generating station is operating at desired efficiency levels.

2. The steam powered electric power generating station of claim 1, wherein said computer compares said temperature difference with a second preferred temperature difference to determine whether said heater has an excess amount of condensation inside said heater.

3. The steam powered electric power generating station of claim 1, wherein said fuel is pulverized coal and said burner is adapted to burn said pulverized coal to process said fuel to generate said heat.

4. The steam powered electric power generating station of claim 1, wherein said fuel is lignite and said burner is adapted to burn said lignite to process said fuel to generate said heat.

5. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) a first level detector in said steam turbine electrically coupled to said computer, said first level detector in said steam turbine activated when condensation in said steam turbine reaches a first level, said computer monitors said first level detector and triggers a warning signal to a plant operator monitoring said steam powered electrical power generating station when said first level detector is activated.

6. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) a first level detector in said heater electrically coupled to said computer, said first level detector in said heater activated when condensation in said heater reaches a first level, said computer monitors said first level detector and triggers a warning signal to a plant operator monitoring said steam powered electrical power generating station when said first level detector is activated.

7. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) a third temperature detector positioned in said second steam line to detect the temperature of said steam being transported to said heater via said second steam line, said third temperature detector electrically coupled to said computer, said computer compares a third temperature detected from said third temperature detector to a standard temperature to determine if steam is being transported via said second steam line and whether condensation is present in said second steam line.

8. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 1, wherein said first temperature detector periodically detects said first temperature at a first interval.

9. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 8, wherein said first interval is two seconds.

10. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 8, wherein said second temperature detector periodically detects said second temperature at a second interval.

11. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 10, wherein said first interval and said second interval are approximately equal to one another.

12. A steam powered electric power generating station to provide electricity, comprising:

(a) a steam turbine positioned in a steam turbine shell, said steam turbine having at least one blade and a rod joined to said at least one blade, said rod adapted to turn an electrical generator to create electricity, said steam turbine shell adapted to receive steam to turn said at least one blade of said steam turbine via a first steam line connected to said steam turbine shell;

(b) equipment connected to said steam turbine shell to receive steam from said steam turbine shell via a second steam line extending from said steam turbine shell to said equipment, said equipment receives feed water through an entry port and releases feed heater through an exit port, said equipment performs certain operations on said feed water;

(c) a first temperature detector positioned to detect a first temperature of said feed water prior to entering said equipment via said entry port;

(d) a second temperature detector positioned to detect a second temperature of said feed water after exiting said equipment via said exit port; and

(e) a computer electrically coupled to said first temperature detector to receive said first temperature and to said second temperature detector to receive said second temperature, said computer compares said first temperature to said second temperature to generate a temperature difference and compares said temperature difference with a standard temperature difference to determine whether said steam powered electric power generating station is operating at desired efficiency levels.

13. The steam powered electric power generating station of claim 12, further comprising:

(f) a burner to process fuel to generate heat; and

(g) a boiler which is heated to convert feed water into said steam, wherein said steam is transported to said steam turbine via said first steam line.

14. The steam powered electric power generating station of claim 13, wherein said fuel is pulverized coal and said burner is adapted to burn said pulverized coal to process said fuel to generate said heat.

15. The steam powered electric power generating station of claim 13, wherein said fuel is lignite and said burner is adapted to burn said lignite to process said fuel to generate said heat.

16. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 12, further comprising:

(h) a first level detector in said steam turbine shell that is electrically coupled to said computer, said first level detector in said steam turbine shell is activated when condensation in said steam turbine shell reaches a first level, said computer monitors said first level detector and triggers a warning signal to a plant operator monitoring said steam powered electrical power generating station when said first level detector is activated.

17. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 12, further comprising:

(h) a first level detector in said equipment that is electrically coupled to said computer, said first level detector in said equipment is activated when condensation in said equipment reaches a first level, said computer monitors said first level detector and triggers a warning signal to a plant operator monitoring said steam powered electrical power generating station when said first level detector is activated.

18. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 12, further comprising:

(h) a third temperature detector positioned in said second steam line to detect a temperature of said steam being transported to said equipment from said steam turbine shell via said second steam line, said third temperature detector electrically coupled to said computer, so that said computer receives said third temperature, said computer compares a third temperature detected from said third temperature detector to a standard temperature to determine whether or not condensation is in said second steam line.

19. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 18, further wherein said computer monitors said third temperature and triggers a warning signal to a plant operator monitoring said steam powered electrical power generating station.

20. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 12, wherein said first temperature detector periodically detects said first temperature at a first interval.

21. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 20, wherein said first interval is two seconds.

22. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 20, wherein said second temperature detector periodically detects said second temperature at a second interval.

23. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 22, wherein said first interval and said second interval are approximately equal to one another.

24. The steam powered electrical power generating station of claim 12, wherein said equipment is selected from a low pressure feed water heater, a high pressure feed water heater, a deaerator, and an auxiliary coolers condenser.

25. A process of alerting the power plant operator of a hazardous condition, comprising:

(a) detecting a first temperature of feed water immediately before said feed water has entered heating equipment;

(b) detecting a second temperature of said feed water immediately after said feed water has exited said heating equipment;

(c) comparing said first temperature to said second temperature to generate a temperature difference between said first temperature and said second temperature;

(d) comparing said temperature difference with a preferred temperature difference to determine whether said temperature difference is within an approved range from said preferred temperature difference;

(e) generating a warning signal to alert said power plant operator if said temperature difference is not within said approved range; and

(f) taking corrective actions to keep said steam powered electric power generating station operating in such a manner that said temperature difference is within said approved range from said preferred temperature difference.

26. The process of claim 25, further comprising:

(g) detecting a condensation level within said heating equipment;

(h) comparing said condensation level with a preferred condensation level to determine whether said condensation level exceeds said preferred condensation level; and

(i) generating a warning signal to alert said power plant operator if said condensation level exceeds said preferred condensation level.

27. The process of claim 25, wherein said heating equipment utilizes steam to heat said feed water, wherein said heating equipment receives said steam from a steam turbine via a steam line.

28. The process of claim 27, further comprising:

(g) detecting a third temperature of said steam in said steam line; and

(h) comparing said third temperature to a standard temperature to determine if steam is being transported via said steam line and whether condensation is present in said steam line.

29. The process of claim 25, wherein said first temperature is periodically detected at a first interval and said second temperature is periodically detected at a second interval.

30. The process of claim 29, wherein said first interval and said second interval are equal to two seconds.