Methods and apparatus for optimizing combined cycle/combined process facilities
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of operating a combined cycle electrical generating plant that facilitates optimizing the combined cycle electrical generating plant performance and 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 to determine power plant simulation results;
simulating the process plant performance to determine process plant simulation results;
parameterizing plant equipment and plant performance using the power plant and process plant simulation results;
determining a current condition in the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant;
determining an expected performance for the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant;
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;
outputting the determined parameter settings to a user via the computer;
tracking power plant and process plant equipment degradation to facilitate identifying changes in plant power and heat rate; and
recommending adjustments to the parameter settings based on identified changes in plant power and heat rate, wherein the adjustments facilitate modifying the current condition of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant to substantially equal the expected performance of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant.
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Accused Products
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.
75 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of operating a combined cycle electrical generating plant that facilitates optimizing the combined cycle electrical generating plant performance and that includes at least one electrical generating power plant coupled in heat transfer communication to a steam-utilizing process plant, said method comprising:
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simulating the power plant performance to determine power plant simulation results; simulating the process plant performance to determine process plant simulation results; parameterizing plant equipment and plant performance using the power plant and process plant simulation results; determining a current condition in the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; determining an expected performance for the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; 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; outputting the determined parameter settings to a user via the computer; tracking power plant and process plant equipment degradation to facilitate identifying changes in plant power and heat rate; and recommending adjustments to the parameter settings based on identified changes in plant power and heat rate, wherein the adjustments facilitate modifying the current condition of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant to substantially equal the expected performance of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer readable medium for optimizing overall plant performance in a combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant, the computer readable medium encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to:
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simulate an electrical power plant performance to determine electrical power plant simulation results; simulate a performance of a steam-utilizing process plant coupled in heat-transfer communication with the electrical power plant to determine steam-utilizing process plant simulation results; parameterize overall plant equipment and overall plant performance using the electrical power plant and steam-utilizing process plant simulation results; determine a current condition in the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; determine an expected performance for the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; 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; output the determined parameter settings to a user; track power plant and process plant equipment degradation to facilitate identifying changes in plant power and heat rate; and recommend adjustments to the parameter settings based on identified changes in plant power and heat rate, wherein the adjustments facilitate modifying the current condition of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant to substantially equal the expected performance of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A combined cycle/combined process plant optimizing system for a combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant comprising:
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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 to determine first process plant simulation results; simulate said second process plant performance to determine second process plant simulation results; parameterize a plurality of overall plant equipment and overall plant performance using the first and second process plant simulation results; determine a current condition in said combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; determine an expected performance for said combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; 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; output the determined parameter settings to a user; track process plant equipment degradation to facilitate identifying changes in plant power and heat rate; and recommend adjustments to the parameter settings based on identified changes in plant power and heat rate, wherein the adjustments facilitate modifying the current condition of said combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant to substantially equal the expected performance of said combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification