The Next Generation of Steam Plant Controls

摘要

The increase in energy-only resources is placing additional demands on traditional methods for energy production such as steam cycle generation. These new demands include meeting profitability goals, environmental constraints, and different types of production schedules that may not have been envisioned by the original designers of the steam plant. Optimizing the plant still implies running the plant at maximum efficiency with no wasted fuel, but adds new emphasis on operating consistently without unplanned outages. It also requires maximizing profitability by running the plant according to changing production schedules or derates, which are based on external conditions such as the attempt to integrate more energy-only renewable resources. Given the tools that are deployed at most steam plants today, there is a clear need for increased operational insight and advanced control to meet these challenges.