Power Plant Simulations Using Process Analysis Software Linked to Advanced Modules

摘要

A Vision-21 project has been instrumental in developing an open software architecture and integration toolkit for embedding plug-and-play component models within a process/cycle simulation environment. The software viability has been demonstrated through the development of a general-purpose Controller that links component modeling packages, exemplified by industrial proprietary codes and FLUENT CFD software, to the Aspen Plus process analysis software. The toolkit uses the process-industry CAPE-OPEN interface standards for unit operations, physical properties, and reaction kinetics. In this paper, two demonstration cases are discussed a conventional steam cycle, as well as a natural gas-fired, combined cycle power plant. For each demonstration case, an Aspen Plus library module was replaced with (a) an ALSTOM Power Inc. (ALSTOM) legacy code, and (b) a FLUENT CFD simulation. The utility and potential of utilizing the augmented linkage capability for advanced cycle simulations is discussed. Current efforts involve additional refinements, including remote computations over a local area network and the linkage of CFD to an advanced FutureGen power plant cycle. Recommendations for future work include additional work on reduced order models, web deployment with the associated security provisions, and advanced linkage applications.