Addressing Challenges of Flexible Operations through Controls and Automation Research

摘要

Today's unregulated and competitive electric energy markets necessitate efficient and flexible operations by generating units. Many units are cycling much more often than was anticipated in the plant's original design basis. As such, power plant flexibility and asset health management have become critically important for providing, safe, reliable, and responsible electricity to the public. However, design decisions made at the time of construction may not be sufficient to accommodate the demands of frequent cycling. Additionally, the burden on operators during these transient and non-base load conditions has increased substantially. The industry's transitioning workforce has also posed challenges in determining the right skillset for plant operations and maintenance. Problems resulting from these choices include accelerated component failure rates and additional incremental fuel cost. There is an industry need to demonstrate improved process control and automation techniques to reduce damage, improve thermal performance, and lessen the burden on operators during flexible operations. Electric Power Research Institute's (EPRI) Instrumentation, Controls, and Automation Program is performing collaborative research, demonstration, and guidance to utilities in these areas to provide safe, reliable, and responsible electricity to the public while bridging the gap between research and utility implementation. This presentation will highlight several of these activities within EPRI's research portfolio.