초록 ▼

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 p

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.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 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 communicati

What is claimed is: 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. 2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein simulating the process plant performance comprises simulating a desalination plant performance. 3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein simulating the power plant performance comprises monitoring the power plant thermal performance. 4. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein monitoring the power plant thermal performance comprises monitoring the power plant heat rate in real-time. 5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein simulating the process plant performance comprises characterizing the process plant heat consumption as a function of at least one of a process plant load level, a top brine temperature, a seawater intake temperature, and a top brine heater fouling. 6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein parameterizing plant equipment and plant performance comprises calculating efficiency for at least one of a gas turbine compressor, a gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), a draft fan, a cooling tower, a condenser, a feed water heater, a brine heater, an evaporator, a flash tank, and a brine blow down. 7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein determining a current condition in the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant further comprises determining a current heat balance for the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; determining an expected performance for the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant further comprises determining an expected performance using current constraints on operation; and 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 further comprises modifying the current heat balance such that a future heat balance equals the determined expected performance. 8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein determining a current condition in the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant further comprises determining inlet conditions to the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant and determining a current output of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; determining an expected performance for the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant further comprises predicting an output of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant based on the determined inlet conditions and a predetermined model of the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; comparing the predicted output to the determined output; and 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 further comprises modifying plant parameters until the determined output equals the predicted output. 9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising correlating controllable plant parameters, plant equipment, and plant performance using parameterized equations. 10. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising defining an objective of optimizing the combined cycle electrical generating plant by using an objective function that includes at least one of minimizing the heat rate and maximizing the profit. 11. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: defining at least one of the physically possible range of operation of each individual piece of equipment; and defining overall limits using constraints. 12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein defining overall limits comprises defining at least one of maximum power production, maximum fuel consumption, and maximum water usage for condensation. 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: 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. 14. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to simulate a desalination plant performance. 15. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to monitor the power plant thermal performance. 16. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 15 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to monitor a power plant heat rate in real-time. 17. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to characterize the process plant heat consumption as a function of at least one of a process plant load level, a top brine temperature, a seawater intake temperature, and a top brine heater fouling. 18. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to calculate efficiency for at least one of a gas turbine compressor, a gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), a draft fan, a cooling tower, a condenser, a feed water heater, a brine heater, an evaporator, a flash tank, and a brine blow down. 19. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to: determine a current heat balance for the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; determine an expected performance using current constraints on operation; and determine parameters to adjust to modify the current heat balance such that a future heat balance equals the determined expected performance. 20. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to: determine inlet conditions to the combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant; predict an output of the overall plant based on the determined inlet conditions and a predetermined model of the overall plant; determine a current output of the overall plant; compare the predicted output to the determined output; and recommend adjustments to plant parameters until the determined output equals the predicted output. 21. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to correlate controllable plant parameters, plant equipment, and plant performance using parameterized equations. 22. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to define an objective of optimizing overall plant performance using an objective function that includes at least one of minimizing the heat rate and maximizing the profit. 23. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to: define at least one of the physically possible ranges of operation of each individual piece of equipment; and define overall limits using constraints. 24. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 23 encoded with a program configured to instruct a computer to define at least one of maximum power production, maximum fuel consumption, and maximum water usage for condensation. 25. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 13 encoded with a program comprising: a data acquisition module (DAM) communicatively coupled to a process plant control system; a plant thermal performance monitor module for calculating a current plant heat-rate communicatively coupled to said DAM; and an optimizer module for solving simultaneous parametric equations with process plant constraints communicatively coupled to said plant thermal performance monitor module. 26. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 25 further comprising at least one of a database/historian, a heat balance module, an advisor module, and a closed-loop feedback control module. 27. A combined cycle/combined process plant optimizing system for a combined cycle electrical generating/steam-utilizing process plant comprising: 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. 28. An optimizing system in accordance with claim 27 wherein said first process plant is an electrical generating power plant and said second process plant is a desalination plant. 29. An optimizing system in accordance with claim 27 wherein said process parameters include at least one of a top brine temperature, a re-circulation ratio, a frequency and duration of blow downs, a component inlet and outlet temperatures, a component fluid flow, and a component pressure.