An Expanded Cost of Electricity Model for Highly Flexible Power Plants

2012 ◽  
Vol 135 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Can Gülen ◽  
Indrajit Mazumder
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Renewable Power ◽  
Effective Performance ◽  
The Impact

Cost of electricity (COE) is the most widely used metric to quantify the cost-performance trade-off involved in comparative analysis of competing electric power generation technologies. Unfortunately, the currently accepted formulation of COE is only applicable to comparisons of power plant options with the same annual electric generation (kilowatt-hours) and the same technology as defined by reliability, availability, and operability. Such a formulation does not introduce a big error into the COE analysis when the objective is simply to compare two or more base-loaded power plants of the same technology (e.g., natural gas fired gas turbine simple or combined cycle, coal fired conventional boiler steam turbine, etc.) and the same (or nearly the same) capacity. However, comparing even the same technology class power plants, especially highly flexible advanced gas turbine combined cycle units with cyclic duties, comprising a high number of daily starts and stops in addition to emissions-compliant low-load operation to accommodate the intermittent and uncertain load regimes of renewable power generation (mainly wind and solar) requires a significant overhaul of the basic COE formula. This paper develops an expanded COE formulation by incorporating crucial power plant operability and maintainability characteristics such as reliability, unrecoverable degradation, and maintenance factors as well as emissions into the mix. The core impact of duty cycle on the plant performance is handled via effective output and efficiency utilizing basic performance correction curves. The impact of plant start and load ramps on the effective performance parameters is included. Differences in reliability and total annual energy generation are handled via energy and capacity replacement terms. The resulting expanded formula, while rigorous in development and content, is still simple enough for most feasibility study type of applications. Sample calculations clearly reveal that inclusion (or omission) of one or more of these factors in the COE evaluation, however, can dramatically swing the answer from one extreme to the other in some cases.

An Expanded Cost of Electricity Model for Highly Flexible Power Plants

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Can Gülen ◽  
Indrajit Mazumder
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Renewable Power ◽  
Effective Performance ◽  
The Impact

Cost of electricity (COE) is the most widely used metric to quantify the cost-performance trade-off involved in comparative analysis of competing electric power generation technologies. Unfortunately, the currently accepted formulation of COE is only applicable to comparisons of power plant options with the same annual electric generation (kilowatt-hours) and same technology as defined by reliability, availability and operability. Such a formulation does not introduce a big error into the COE analysis when the objective is simply to compare two or more baseloaded power plants of the same technology (e.g., natural gas fired gas turbine simple or combined cycle, coal fired conventional boiler steam turbine, etc.) and the same (or nearly the same) capacity. However, comparing even the same technology class power plants, especially highly flexible advanced gas turbine combined cycle units with cyclic duties, comprising a high number of daily starts and stops in addition to emissions-compliant low-load operation to accommodate the intermittent and uncertain load regimes of renewable power generation (mainly wind and solar) requires a significant overhaul of the basic COE formula. This paper develops an expanded COE formulation by incorporating crucial power plant operability and maintainability characteristics such as reliability, unrecoverable degradation, and maintenance factors as well as emissions into the mix. The core impact of duty cycle on the plant performance is handled via effective output and efficiency utilizing basic performance correction curves. The impact of plant start and load ramps on the effective performance parameters is included. Differences in reliability and total annual energy generation are handled via energy and capacity replacement terms. The resulting expanded formula, while rigorous in development and content, is still simple enough for most feasibility study type of applications. Sample calculations clearly reveal that inclusion (or omission) of one or more of these factors in the COE evaluation, however, can dramatically swing the answer from one extreme to the other in some cases.

Application of On-Line Optimization Technology to Plant Operation

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodney R. Gay
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Heat Rate ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Plant Operation ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
On Line

Traditionally optimization has been thought of as a technology to set power plant controllable parameters (i.e. gas turbine power levels, duct burner fuel flows, auxiliary boiler fuel flows or bypass/letdown flows) so as to maximize plant operations. However, there are additional applications of optimizer technology that may be even more beneficial than simply finding the best control settings for current operation. Most smaller, simpler power plants (such as a single gas turbine in combined cycle operation) perceive little need for on-line optimization, but in fact could benefit significantly from the application of optimizer technology. An optimizer must contain a mathematical model of the power plant performance and of the economic revenue and cost streams associated with the plant. This model can be exercised in the “what-if” mode to supply valuable on-line information to the plant operators. The following quantities can be calculated: Target Heat Rate Correction of Current Plant Operation to Guarantee Conditions Current Power Generation Capacity (Availability) Average Cost of a Megawatt Produced Cost of Last Megawatt Cost of Process Steam Produced Cost of Last Pound of Process Steam Heat Rate Increment Due to Load Change Prediction of Future Power Generation Capability (24 Hour Prediction) Prediction of Future Fuel Consumption (24 Hour Prediction) Impact of Equipment Operational Constraints Impact of Maintenance Actions Plant Budget Analysis Comparison of Various Operational Strategies Over Time Evaluation of Plant Upgrades The paper describes examples of optimizer applications other than the on-line computation of control setting that have provided benefit to plant operators. Actual plant data will be used to illustrate the examples.

Short-Term Optimization of a Combined Cycle Power Plant Integrated With an Inlet Air Conditioning Unit

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weimar Mantilla ◽  
José García ◽  
Rafael Guédez ◽  
Alessandro Sorce
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Environmental Load ◽  
Turbine Inlet ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Under new scenarios with high shares of variable renewable electricity, combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) are required to improve their flexibility, in terms of ramping capabilities and part-load efficiency, to help balance the power system. Simultaneously, liberalization of electricity markets and the complexity of its hourly price dynamics are affecting the CCGT profitability, leading the need for optimizing its operation. Among the different possibilities to enhance the power plant performance, an inlet air conditioning unit (ICU) offers the benefit of power augmentation and “minimum environmental load” (MEL) reduction by controlling the gas turbine inlet temperature using cold thermal energy storage and a heat pump. Consequently, an evaluation of a CCGT integrated with this inlet conditioning unit including a day-ahead optimized operation strategy was developed in this study. To establish the hourly dispatch of the power plant and the operation mode of the inlet conditioning unit to either cool down or heat up the gas turbine inlet air, a mixed-integer linear optimization (MILP) was formulated using MATLAB, aiming to maximize the operational profit of the plant within a 24-hours horizon. To assess the impact of the proposed unit operating under this dispatch strategy, historical data of electricity and natural gas prices, as well as meteorological data and CO2 emission allowances price, have been used to perform annual simulations of a reference power plant located in Turin, Italy. Furthermore, different equipment capacities and parameters have been investigated to identify trends of the power plant performance. Lastly, a sensitivity analysis on market conditions to test the control strategy response was also considered. Results indicate that the inlet conditioning unit, together with the dispatch optimization, increases the power plant’s operational profit by achieving a wider operational range, particularly important during peak and off-peak periods. For the specific case study, it is estimated that the net present value of the CCGT integrated with the ICU is 0.5% higher than the power plant without the unit. In terms of technical performance, results show that the unit reduces the minimum environmental load by approximately 1.34% and can increase the net power output by 0.17% annually.

Gas Turbine With Constant Volume Heat Addition

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Can Gu¨len
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Brayton Cycle ◽  
Heat Addition ◽  
Volume Heat

Increasing the thermal efficiency of fossil fuel fired power plants in general and the gas turbine power plant in particular is of extreme importance. In the face of diminishing natural resources and increasing carbon emissions that lead to a heightened greenhouse effect and greater concerns over global warming, thermal efficiency is more critical today than ever before. In the science of thermodynamics, the best yardstick for a power generation system’s performance is the Carnot efficiency — the ultimate efficiency limit, set by the second law, which can be achieved only by a perfect heat engine operating in a cycle. As a fact of nature this upper theoretical limit is out of reach, thus engineers usually set their eyes on more realistic goals. For the longest time, the key performance benchmark of a combined cycle (CC) power plant has been the 60% net electric efficiency. Land-based gas turbines based on the classic Brayton cycle with constant pressure heat addition represent the pinnacle of fossil fuel burning power generation engineering. Advances in the last few decades, mainly driven by the increase in cycle maximum temperatures, which in turn are made possible by technology breakthroughs in hot gas path materials, coating and cooling technologies, pushed the power plant efficiencies to nearly 40% in simple cycle and nearly 60% in combined cycle configurations. To surpass the limitations imposed by available materials and other design considerations and to facilitate a significant improvement in the thermal efficiency of advanced Brayton cycle gas turbine power plants necessitate a rethinking of the basic thermodynamic cycle. The current paper highlights the key thermodynamic considerations that make the constant volume heat addition a viable candidate in this respect. First using fundamental air-standard cycle formulas and then more realistic but simple models, potential efficiency improvement in simple and combined cycle configurations is investigated. Existing and past research activities are summarized to illustrate the technologies that can transform the basic thermodynamics into a reality via mechanically and economically feasible products.

Development of a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine/Steam Plant for Training Marine and Power Engineers

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Peter Sarnacki ◽  
Richard Kimball ◽  
Barbara Fleck
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Power Industry ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Steam Plant

The integration of micro turbine engines into the engineering programs offered at Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) has created a dynamic, hands-on approach to learning the theoretical and operational characteristics of a turbojet engine. Maine Maritime Academy is a fully accredited college of Engineering, Science and International Business located on the coast of Maine and has over 850 undergraduate students. The majority of the students are enrolled in one of five majors offered at the college in the Engineering Department. MMA already utilizes gas turbines and steam plants as part of the core engineering training with fully operational turbines and steam plant laboratories. As background, this paper will overview the unique hands-on nature of the engineering programs offered at the institution with a focus of implementation of a micro gas turbine trainer into all engineering majors taught at the college. The training demonstrates the effectiveness of a working gas turbine to translate theory into practical applications and real world conditions found in the operation of a combustion turbine. This paper presents the efforts of developing a combined cycle power plant for training engineers in the operation and performance of such a plant. Combined cycle power plants are common in the power industry due to their high thermal efficiencies. As gas turbines/electric power plants become implemented into marine applications, it is expected that combined cycle plants will follow. Maine Maritime Academy has a focus on training engineers for the marine and stationary power industry. The trainer described in this paper is intended to prepare engineers in the design and operation of this type of plant, as well as serve as a research platform for operational and technical study in plant performance. This work describes efforts to combine these laboratory resources into an operating combined cycle plant. Specifically, we present efforts to integrate a commercially available, 65 kW gas turbine generator system with our existing steam plant. The paper reviews the design and analysis of the system to produce a 78 kW power plant that approaches 35% thermal efficiency. The functional operation of the plant as a trainer is presented as the plant is designed to operate with the same basic functionality and control as a larger commercial plant.

Assessment of Gas Turbine and Combined Cycle Power Plant Performance Degradation

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Hepperle ◽  
Dirk Therkorn ◽  
Ernst Schneider ◽  
Stephan Staudacher
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Heat Rate ◽  
Performance Degradation ◽  
Empirical Method ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Performance Data ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Water Steam

Recoverable and non-recoverable performance degradation has a significant impact on power plant revenues. A more in depth understanding and quantification of recoverable degradation enables operators to optimize plant operation. OEM degradation curves represent usually non-recoverable degradation, but actual power output and heat rate is affected by both, recoverable and non-recoverable degradation. This paper presents an empirical method to correct longterm performance data of gas turbine and combined cycle power plants for recoverable degradation. Performance degradation can be assessed with standard plant instrumentation data, which has to be systematically stored, reduced, corrected and analyzed. Recoverable degradation includes mainly compressor and air inlet filter fouling, but also instrumentation degradation such as condensate in pressure sensing lines, condenser or bypass valve leakages. The presented correction method includes corrections of these effects for gas turbine and water steam cycle components. Applying the corrections on longterm operating data enables staff to assess the non-recoverable performance degradation any time. It can also be used to predict recovery potential of maintenance activities like compressor washings, instrumentation calibration or leakage repair. The presented correction methods are validated with long-term performance data of several power plants. It is shown that the degradation rate is site-specific and influenced by boundary conditions, which have to be considered for degradation assessments.

Equivalent Availability Measurement for Combined-Cycle Power Plants: A New Approach

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter Lampert ◽  
Robert F. Steele ◽  
Markus Rosenfelder ◽  
Salvatore DellaVilla
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Power Industry ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Data Service ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Available Energy ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reliability And Availability

The Equivalent Availability Factor (EAF) is the most important RAM characteristic in statistics for benchmarks and guarantees for power plants. It represents an energy ratio of the amount available in a period and the theoretical maximum. Representing the impact of scheduled and forced outages of components along with any deratings, a large number of parameters are involved from design, operation to the environment. In 1993, ABB and SPS commenced a cooperation on the fields of data procurement and recording. ABB brought large experience as a power plant supplier, SPS its competence as the leading firm specialized on RAM data service for the power industry worldwide. In May 2000 ALSTOM affiliated the whole power generation division of ABB. ALSTOM and SPS agreed to complete their periodic reports on time based reliability and availability data with EAF data. As the available energy must be calculated from the attributes of its components — in contrast to the effective produced energy that can be measured — the question of accuracy arises. Starting from the definition formula set as standard by ISO 3977/9 (former ANSI/IEEE 762), different methods have been considered to find the most suitable approach. The accuracy of comparisons of plants of different designs and operation modes and the ability to interpret the results is a measure for the suitability of the model chosen. Finally, some recommendations to handle and apply the EAF in the power plant business are given.

Evaluation of Impact Loads of Clutch Engaging Within Single Shaft Applications for Power Generation

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Lu¨neburg ◽  
Meinolf Klocke ◽  
Stefan Kulig ◽  
Frank Joswig
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Steam Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Impact Loading ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Mass Model ◽  
Inertia Effects ◽  
The Impact

Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPP) in single shaft arrangements consist of a gas turbine, a generator and a steam turbine on one shaft line. In order to enhance the plant availability and operational flexibility, Siemens Fossil Power Generation introduces a switchable clutch between steam turbine and generator. The clutch is a synchronous self-shifting device that engages automatically at rated speed as soon as the steam turbine overruns the gas turbine-generator. It disengages automatically when the steam turbine speed drops below the speed of the gas turbine. A rather complicated mechanism consisting pawls and ratchets and a thread of helical splines including damper mechanisms is used to provide the required coupling functions. The primary reason for the clutch is to ensure independent gas turbine and steam turbine operation below steam turbine rated speed. The clutch is especially advantageous during startup and gas turbine simple-cycle operation. Next to these advantages, the clutch engaging processes could introduce significant impact loading to the shaft components which differ from other. Next to the normal engaging process fault cases like engaging processes after gas turbine trip at high acceleration values due to the gas turbine compressor losses must be sustained by all rotor train components. This paper documents a nonlinear torsional analysis of the single shaft arrangement to assess the impact loading due to clutch engaging processes. A dynamic three-mass-model of the clutch including nonlinear stiffness and damping functions is set up and applied for the simulations. The coupling of the translatory and the rotatory inertia effects of the main sliding component of the clutch has been taken into account. Different load case scenarios in different single shaft component arrangements respectively different inertia ranges of the steam turbine rotor train are investigated in detail by the transient analyses. Based on this procedure, it is ensured that the mechanical layout of the single shaft components is sufficiently designed to withstand all operational loads under normal and faulty operating conditions.

An Economic Assessment Method of Gas Turbine Power Cycles by Means of Genetic Algorithms

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alcides Codeceira Neto ◽  
Pericles Pilidis ◽  
Anestis I. Kalfas
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Algorithms ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Performance Assessment ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Exergy Method

The Performance assessment of power plants involves a large number of equations with many variables taking part in the whole calculation. The assessment method described here takes into account a process for optimising a conventional gas turbine combined cycle power plant from the point of view of power plant performance calculations and economic analysis. The process requires optimisation of the whole thermal power plant based on cost considerations. The performance assessment of power plants uses the exergy method and considers the overall plant exergetic efficiency and the exergy destruction in the various components of the plant. The exergy method highlights irreversibility within plant components, and it is of particular interest in this investigation. Generally, the optimisation procedure to determine an optimal solution for a problem considers constraints imposed to some variables and requires the use of an optimisation technique. This paper is precisely concerned with the use of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) as a recommended tool for applying the optimisation process of the whole power plant based on minimising costs of products. Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are adaptive methods which may be used to solve search and optimisation problems. They are based on the genetic processes of biological organisms and do not require complicated mathematical calculations like the evaluation of derivatives necessary to be considered in conventional optimisation techniques.

Integration and Performance Assessment of Hydrogen Fired Combined Cycle Power Plant With PSA Process for CO2 Capture in a Pre-Combustion IGCC Power Plant

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok D. Dave ◽  
Sina Rezvani ◽  
Ye Huang ◽  
David McIlveen-Wright ◽  
Neil Hewitt
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Coal Gasification ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Feed Composition ◽  
Shift Reaction ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Igcc Power Plant

The Pre-combustion IGCC Power Generation technology presents novel challenges in terms of gas turbine operation. The hydrogen-rich gaseous fuel has much higher heating value than conventional syngas. In a state of the art precombustion IGCC power plant, the fuel utilised in a gas turbine is generated on-site by a coal gasification unit followed by gas clean-up, water-gas (sour) shift reaction and CO2 sequestration. The Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) process is techno-economically promising option for separation of hydrogen from the syngas. However, the PSA process is inherently transient in nature. Performance of PSA process is dependent on the process configuration and various devised different PSA process configurations and reported the purity and recovery rate of hydrogen and carbon dioxide rich product gas streams. However, these process configurations published in literature are not directly adaptable to the state of the art pre-combustion IGCC power plant due to variations in the feed composition and condition. Moreover, the current research works have not addressed the impact of varying amount of hydrogen recovery on the power generation characteristics. Two important configurations of the PSA process are identified and their CAPEX is estimated.

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