Method for improving the control of power plants when using input/loss performance monitoring

• US 6,868,368 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• 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): Assouad, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suarez, Felix
• Application Number:
  US10/357,905
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 702/30, 702/31, 702/45, 702/50, 702/136, 702/182, 702/183, 702/179, 702/188, 166/302, 585/1, 700/285, 122/10
• US Class Current: 702/188
• 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

Abstract

This invention relates to a fossil-fired thermal system such as a power plant or steam generator, and, more particularly, to a method for improving the control of a power plant or steam generator through use of computed output obtained from any of the Input/Loss methods. Typically such computed output may consist of As-Fired fuel flow, fuel heating value, fuel Firing Correction, and other similar terms which might effect the operating control system of a power plant or steam generator.

Claims

1. A method for quantifying the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system when being monitored by one of the Input/Loss methods through which improvement to the thermal system'"'"'s Distributed Control System (DCS) is achieved, the method for quantifying the operation comprising the steps of:

calculating a fuel flow rate associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods, resulting in a computed fuel flow rate,

supplying the DCS with the computed fuel flow rate as an input signal, and

controlling the fossil-fired thermal system in an improved manner through the DCS by making use of the computed fuel flow rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the fuel flow rate, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel flow rate associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using The Input/Loss Method, resulting in a computed fuel flow rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the fuel flow rate, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel flow rate associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods which makes use of CEMS Data, resulting in a computed fuel flow rate.

4. A method for quantifying the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system when being monitored by one of the Input/Loss methods through which improvement to the thermal system'"'"'s Distributed Control System (DCS) is achieved, the method for quantifying the operation comprising the steps of:

calculating a fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods, resulting in a computed fuel heating value,

supplying the DCS with the computed fuel heating value as an input signal, and

controlling the fossil-fired thermal system in an improved manner through the DCS by making use of the computed fuel heating value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using The Input/Loss Method, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods which makes use of CEMS Data, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.

7. A method for quantifying the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system when being monitored by one of the Input/Loss methods through which improvement is achieved to the operation of a Boiler Master associated with controlling the thermal system, the method for quantifying the operation comprising the steps of:

calculating a Specific Energy Released from Combustion associated with the fossil-fired thermal system based on a fuel heating value determined by one of the Input/Loss methods, resulting in a computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion,

supplying the Boiler Master with the computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion as an input, and

controlling the fossil-fired thermal system in an improved manner through the Boiler Master by making use of the computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of calculating the Specific Energy Released from Combustion, comprises a step of:

calculating the Specific Energy Released from Combustion associated with the fossil-fired thermal system based on a fuel heating value determined by The Input/Loss Method, resulting in a computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of calculating the Specific Energy Released from Combustion, comprises a step of:

calculating the Specific Energy Released from Combustion associated with the fossil-fired thermal system based on a fuel heating value determined by one of the Input/Loss methods which makes use of CEMS Data, resulting in a computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion.

10. A method for quantifing the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system when being monitored by one of the Input/Loss methods through which improvement to the thermal system'"'"'s Distributed Control System (DCS) is achieved, the method for quantifing the operation comprising the steps of:

obtaining a boiler efficiency associated with the fossil-fired thermal system which is independent of the thermal system'"'"'s fuel flow rate,

obtaining a boiler absorption efficiency associated with the fossil-fired thermal system,

calculating a fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods, resulting in a computed fuel heating value,

determining a Firing Correction associated with the fossil-fired thermal system,

calculating a fuel flow rate associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods, resulting in a computed fuel flow rate,

calculating an Energy Released from Combustion associated with the fossil-fired thermal system based on the boiler efficiency, the boiler absorption efficiency, the computed fuel heating value, the Firing Correction, and the computed fuel flow rate resulting in a computed Energy Released from Combustion,

supplying the DCS with the computed Energy Released from Combustion as an input signal, and

controlling the fossil-fired thermal system in an improved manner through the DCS by making use of the computed Energy Released from Combustion.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using The Input/Loss Method, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods which makes use of CEMS Data, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of obtaining the boiler efficiency, comprises a step of:

calculating the boiler efficiency associated with the fossil-fired thermal system which is independent of the thermal system'"'"'s fuel flow rate using The Input/Loss Method.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of calculating the fuel flow rate, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel flow rate associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using The Input/Loss Method, resulting in a computed fuel flow rate.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of calculating the fuel flow rate, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel flow rate associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods which makes use of CEMS Data, resulting in a computed fuel flow rate.

16. A method for quantifying the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system when being monitored by one of the Input/Loss methods through which improvement to the thermal system'"'"'s Distributed Control System (DCS) is achieved, the method for quantifying the operation comprising the steps of:

obtaining a boiler efficiency associated with the fossil-fred thermal system which is independent of the thermal system'"'"'s fuel flow rate,

calculating a fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods, resulting in a computed fuel heating value,

calculating a Specific Energy Released from Combustion associated with the fossil-fired thermal system based on the boiler efficiency and the computed fuel heating value resulting in a computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion,

supplying the DCS with the computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion as an input signal, and

controlling the fossil-fired thermal system in an improved manner through the DCS by making use of the computed Specific Energy Released from Combustion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using The Input/Loss Method, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods which makes use of CEMS Data, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of obtaining the boiler efficiency, comprises a step of:

calculating the boiler efficiency associated with the fossil-fired thermal system which is independent of the thermal system'"'"'s fuel flow rate using The Input/Loss Method.

20. A method for quantifying the operation of a fossil-fired thermal system when being monitored by one of the Input/Loss methods, through which improvement is achieved to the Distributed Control System (DCS) as used for operational control of the fossil-fired thermal system, the method for quantifying the operation comprising the steps of:

obtaining a fuel flow rate associated with the fossil-fired thermal system,

calculating a fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods, resulting in a computed fuel heating value,

calculating an Energy Released from Combustion associated with the fossil-fired thermal system based on the fuel flow rate and the fuel heating value, resulting in a computed Energy Released from Combustion,

supplying the DCS with the computed Energy Released from Combustion as an input, and

controlling the fossil-fired thermal system in an improved manner through the DCS by making use of the computed Energy Released from Combustion.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using The Input/Loss Method, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of calculating the fuel heating value, comprises a step of:

calculating the fuel heating value associated with the fossil-fired thermal system using one of the Input/Loss methods which makes use of CEMS Data, resulting in a computed fuel heating value.