Unifying process control and optimization
About 40% of US generation is now subject to wholesale competition. To intelligently bid into these new markets, real-time prices must be aligned with real-time costs. It is time to integrate the many advanced applications, sensors, and analyzers used for control, automation, and optimization into a system that reflects process and financial objectives. The paper reports several demonstration projects in the USA revealing what is being done in the area of advanced process optimization (by Alliant Energy, American Electric Power, PacifiCorp, Detroit Edison and Tennessee Valley Authority). In addition to these projects US DOE's NETL has funded the plant environment and cost optimization system, PECOS which combines physical models, neural networks and fuzzy logic control to provide operators with least cost setpoints for controllable variables. At Dynegy Inc's Baldwin station in Illinois the DOE is subsidizing a project where real time, closed-loop IT systems will optimize combustion, soot-blowing and SCR performance as well as unit thermal performance and plant economic performance. Commercial products such as Babcock and Wilcox's Flame Doctor, continuous emissions monitoring systems and various real-time predictive monitoring systems are also available. 4 figs.
- OSTI ID:
- 20674518
- Journal Information:
- Power (New York), Vol. 149, Issue 7; ISSN 0032-5929
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Putting combustion optimization to work
Staying competitive with advanced technologies for closed loop supervisory control