Method for remote on-line advisory diagnostics and dynamic heat rate when used for input/loss performance monitoring of a power plant

• US 6,799,146 B1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exergetic Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Exergetic Systems LLC
• Inventors: Lang, Fred D
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARBEE, MANUEL L
• Application Number:
  US10/179,670
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 702/22-25, 702/30-32, 702/45, 702/50, 702/182-185, 702/187, 702/188, 165/11.1, 431/12, 700/27, 700/86, 700/274, 700/275, 700/282, 700/287, 708/2, 73/350.2, 731/12, 731/13
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 35/18 Applications of computers to steam boiler control
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/002 using electronic means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2221/08 Preheating the air
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2221/10 Analysing fuel properties, e.g. density, calorific
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/40 Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2225/22 heat losses
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/003 using detectors sensitive to combustion gas properties F23N5/02, F23N5/18 - F23N5/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/042 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/06 Remote monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0267 Fault communication, e.g. human machine interface [HMI]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/52 Outage or fault management, e.g. fault detection or location

Abstract

The operation of a fossil-fueled thermal system is quantified by a method for continuously monitoring the thermal system at a location remote from the system, advising the system operator of corrections, improvements and warnings which improve system operations, such advise may include diagnostic information, Dynamic Heat Rate and notice of tube failures.

Claims

1. A method for quantifying the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system which produces a gross electrical generation, through its system heat rate and other thermal performance parameters when its fuel chemistry, fuel heating value and fuel flow are determined from any one of the available Input/Loss methods being executed on a Calculational Engine, the method for quantifying the operation comprising the steps of:

before on-line operation of the Calculational Engine, the steps of

developing a time weighting function applicable to the data collection methods associated with the thermal system,

determining a natural periodicity of the thermal system; and

thereafter

operating the Calculational Engine on-line, the steps of operating on-line including the steps of

obtaining a set of Operating Parameters appropriate to the understanding of the thermal system, including the gross electrical generation,

exercising a selected method from one of the available Input/Loss methods resulting in fuel chemistry, fuel heating value and fuel flow,

computing a total exergy flow and shaft power input to the thermal system based on the set of Operating Parameters and results from the selected Input/Loss method,

calculating a Fuel Consumption Index for Power based on the gross electrical generation and the total exergy flow and shaft power input to the thermal system, and

determining a time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power based on the time weighting function and the natural periodicity of the thermal system if appropriate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of exercising the selected method includes the step of

exercising a selected method which is The Input/Loss Method resulting in fuel chemistry, fuel heating value and fuel flow.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining the Fuel Consumption Index for Power includes the step of

obtaining a set of Fuel Consumption Indices based on the set of Operating Parameters and results from the selected Input/Loss method.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of before on-line operation includes the additional step, of

establishing a set of selective integration rules to be applied to data obtained while on-line;

and

wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional step, of

determining a Dynamic Fuel Consumption Index for Power based on the set of selective integration rules and the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional step, after the step of determining the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power, of

reporting the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power for the purpose of understanding the thermal system and improving system heat rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of reporting the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power, within the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line, includes the step of

communicating with a Remote Engine data from the Calculational Engine, such data to include the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power for the purpose of understanding the thermal system and improving system heat rate.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional step, after the step of determining the Dynamic Fuel Consumption Index for Power, of

reporting the Dynamic Fuel Consumption Index for Power for the purpose of understanding the thermal system and improving system heat rate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional steps, after the step of determining the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power, of

obtaining an environmental differential heat rate,

obtaining a system heat rate based on the environmental differential heat rate and the Fuel Consumption Index for Power, and

reporting the system heat rate for the purpose of understanding and improving the thermal system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional steps, after the step of determining the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power, of

obtaining an environmental differential heat rate,

obtaining a time weighted system heat rate based on the environmental differential heat rate and the time weighted Fuel Consumption Index for Power, and

reporting the time weighted system heat rate for the purpose of understanding and improving the thermal system.

10. A method for quantifying the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system which produces a gross electrical generation, through a system heat rate and other thermal performance parameters when its fuel chemistry, fuel heating value and fuel flow are determined from any one of the available Input/Loss methods being executed on a Calculational Engine, the method for quantifying the operation comprising the steps of:

before on-line operation of the Calculational Engine, the steps of

developing a time weighting function applicable to the data collection methods associated with the thermal system,

determining a natural periodicity of the thermal system; and

thereafter

operating the Calculational Engine on-line, the steps of operating on-line including the steps of

obtaining a set of Operating Parameters appropriate to the understanding of the thermal system, including the gross electrical generation,

exercising a selected method from one of the available Input/Loss methods resulting in a fuel energy flow of the thermal system,

calculating the system heat rate based on the gross electrical generation and the fuel energy flow of the thermal system, and

determining a time weighted system heat rate based on the system heat rate, the time weighting function and the natural periodicity of the thermal system if appropriate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of exercising the selected method includes the step of

exercising a selected method which is The Input/Loss Method resulting in the fuel energy flow of the thermal system.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of obtaining the system heat rate includes the steps of

obtaining a set of Fuel Consumption Indices based on the set of Operating Parameters and results from the selected Input/Loss method,

obtaining a set of differential heat rates based on the set of Fuel Consumption Indices, the set of Operating Parameters, and results from the selected Input/Loss method.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of before on-line operation includes the additional step, of

establishing a set of selective integration rules to be applied to data obtained while on-line;

and

wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional step, of

determining a Dynamic Heat Rate based on the set of selective integration rules and the time weighted system heat rate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional step, after the step of determining the Dynamic Heat Rate, of

reporting the Dynamic Heat Rate for the purpose of understanding the thermal system and improving system heat rate.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line includes the additional step, after the step of determining the time weighted system heat rate, of

reporting the time weighted system heat rate the purpose of understanding the thermal system and improving system heat rate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of reporting the time weighted system heat rate, within the step of operating the Calculational Engine on-line, includes the step of

communicating with a Remote Engine data from the Calculational Engine, such data to include the time weighted system heat rate for the purpose of understanding the thermal system and improving system heat rate.