Methods and systems for enhancing control of power plant generating units

Abstract

A control method for optimizing an operation of a power plant fleet. The power plant fleet may include multiple operating configurations differentiated by a manner in which assets are engaged. The method may include the steps of: sensing and collecting measured values of the operating parameters for the operating of each of the assets; tuning asset models so to configure a tuned asset model for each of the assets; simulating proposed operating configurations of the power plant fleet using the tuned asset models; and obtaining simulation results from each of the simulation runs, each of the simulation results including a predicted value for a performance indicator.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A control method for optimizing an operation of a power plant fleet, the power plant fleet comprising remotely located assets for generating electricity sold within a market, wherein the power plant fleet comprises multiple operating configurations differentiated by a manner in which the assets are engaged, the assets having multiple operating modes describable by operating parameters regarding physical aspects of an operation, the method including the steps of:
 sensing and collecting measured values of the operating parameters for the operating of each of the assets;   tuning asset models so to configure a tuned asset model for each of the assets, wherein the tuning comprises a data reconciliation process wherein the measured value for a selected operating parameter is compared to a predicted value for the selected operating parameter so to determine a differential therebetween upon which the tuning of the asset model is based;   simulating proposed operating configurations of the power plant fleet using the tuned asset models, wherein the simulation of the proposed operating configurations includes:
 defining a selected operating period; 
 selecting the proposed operating configurations; 
 with the tuned asset models, performing a simulation run for each of the proposed operating configurations whereby the operation of the power plant fleet during the selected operating period is simulated; 
   and   obtaining simulation results from each of the simulation runs, each of the simulation results comprising a predicted value for a performance indicator.   
     
     
         2 . The control method according first to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining an optimized operating configuration for the selected operating period for the power plant fleet from the proposed operating configurations, wherein the determination of the optimized operating mode comprises an economic optimization process that includes the following steps:
 defining a cost function;   evaluating each of the simulation results pursuant to the cost function so to determine therefrom an optimized simulation run; and   designating as the optimized operating configuration for the power plant fleet whichever of the proposed operating configurations corresponds with the optimized simulation run.   
     
     
         3 . The control method according to  claim 2 , wherein the performance indicator comprises a desired criteria for evaluating a performance of the power plant fleet over the selected operating period; and
 wherein the cost function comprises an algorithm correlating the predicted value for the performance indicator to a predicted economic result.   
     
     
         4 . The control method according to  claim 3 , wherein the performance indicator comprises at least one of a fuel consumption and a heat rate for the power plant fleet over the selected operating period. 
     
     
         5 . The control method according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the assets comprise one of: thermal generating units dispersed among several power plants within the power plant fleet; and power plants within the power plant fleet, the power plants each including a plurality of thermal generating units. 
     
     
         6 . The control method according to  claim 2 , wherein the tuned asset model for each of the assets comprises a common tuned asset model that is operably duplicated and maintained at both local and remote locations relative a location of the asset to which it corresponds. 
     
     
         7 . The control method according to  claim 6 , wherein the local duplicate of the common tuned asset model is designated a local tuned asset model, and the remote duplicate of the common tuned asset model is designated a remote tuned asset model;
 common tuned asset model that is maintained locally comprises a local tuned asset model, and the common tuned asset model that is maintained remotely comprises a remote tuned asset model; and   wherein the remote tuned asset models of the assets are located at a common remote location.   
     
     
         8 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the common remote location comprises a central data repository. 
     
     
         9 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the common remote location comprises a cloud-hosted system. 
     
     
         10 . The control method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the step of regularly synchronizing the local tuned asset models and the remote tuned asset models so to configure the common tuned asset models. 
     
     
         11 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the local tuned asset model for each of the assets is operably linked to a control system for the asset to which it corresponds, and is configured to support real-time processing related thereto, including locally performed performance calculations relating to closed loop control of the asset. 
     
     
         12 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the local tuned asset model and the remote tuned asset model for each of the assets are operably configured so to provide redundant support for at least one type functionality. 
     
     
         13 . The control method according to  claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:
 electronically sending the measured values for the operating parameters gathered at each of the assets to the common remote location; and   validating a data set for each of the assets via a cross-comparison of the measured values between ones of the assets that comprise a same type and similar operating configuration;   wherein the step of tuning the asset models comprises using the measured values from the validated data sets.   
     
     
         14 . The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein the step of tuning is completed using the remote tuned asset model at the common remote location;
 further comprising the step of electronically communicating tuning parameters derived from the tuning of the remote tuned asset model to the local tuned asset model so to synchronize the local tuned asset model and the remote tuned asset model.   
     
     
         15 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the step of tuning is completed using the local tuned asset model located at the asset;
 further comprising the step of electronically communicating tuning parameters derived from the tuning of the local tuned asset model to the remote tuned asset model so to synchronize the local tuned asset model and the remote tuned asset model.   
     
     
         16 . The control method according to  claim 7 , wherein the step of selecting the proposed operating configurations for the power plant fleet comprises defining competing operating modes and then, for each of the competing operating modes, multiple cases related thereto;
 further comprising the step of generating a proposed parameter set for each of the multiple cases defined for the competing operating modes, wherein the proposed parameter sets comprise input data for the tuned power plant model, the input data defining values for selected variables during the selected operating period.   
     
     
         17 . The control method according to  claim 16 , wherein the competing operating modes are defined via a differentiation of the output level of the power plant fleet; and
 wherein the multiple cases defined for each of the competing operating modes are defined via a differentiation of a manner by which the outputs level is generated by the power plant fleet.   
     
     
         18 . The control method according to  claim 15 , wherein the competing operating modes are defined via a differentiation of the output level of the power plant fleet; and
 wherein the multiple cases at each of the different output levels are defined via a differentiation of a percentage of the output level provided by each of the assets.   
     
     
         19 . The control method according to  claim 18 , wherein the market includes an economic dispatch system for distributing a projected customer demand for the electricity in the market, wherein the power plant fleet competes against other providers through submitting an offer for generating a portion of the projected customer demand for electricity during a future market period as defined by a system administrator of the economic dispatch system; and
 further comprising the step of defining the selected operating period to correspond to the future market period of the economic dispatch system so that the optimized operating mode is applicable thereto.   
     
     
         20 . The control method according to  claim 19 , wherein the offer includes an indication of a generating capacity for the power plant fleet;
 further comprising the steps of:
 defining the cost function so to include a true generating capacity for the power plant fleet; 
 determining the true generating capacity for the power plant fleet based upon the optimized operating configuration determined for the future market period of the economic dispatch system; and 
 generating the offer in which the indication of the generating capacity is based on the true generating capacity of the power plant fleet. 
   
     
     
         21 . The control method according to  claim 19 , wherein the offer includes an indication of an incremental heat rate schedule for the power plant fleet, the incremental heat rate comprising a heat rate for the power plant fleet at selected output levels;
 further comprising the steps of:
 defining the cost function so to include a heat rate for the power plant fleet; and 
 defining the selected output levels as the competing operating modes; 
 defining the multiple cases at each of the selected output levels via a differentiation of a percentage of the output level provided by each of the assets; 
 based on the simulation results for the multiple cases at each of the selected output levels, determining an optimized heat rate; 
 based on the optimized heat rate at each of the selected output levels, calculating a true incremental heat rate schedule; and 
 auto-generating the offer so that the indication of the incremental heat rate schedule is based on the true incremental heat rate schedule. 
   
     
     
         22 . The control method according to  claim 2 , wherein the step of simulating the proposed operating configurations of the power plant fleet comprises identifying location specific variables for inclusion as input data for the tuned asset models to which each applies. 
     
     
         23 . The control method according to  claim 22 , wherein the location specific variables comprise one of:
 locality-based fuel price differences between the assets;   locality-based fuel storage differences between the assets;   locality-based revenue earned differences for generated electricity between the assets;   locality-based weather forecast differences between the assets for the future market period; and   locality-based maintenance schedule differences between the assets.