Control systems for controlling power systems based on fuel consumption and related program products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10280844-B2
Application number	US-201615353917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2016
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

Power systems are disclosed. The power system may include a turbine component of a gas turbine system, and a computing device(s) in communication with the power plant. The computing device(s) may be configured to control the power plant system by performing various processes including defining a turbine inlet temperature range for a combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system. The turbine inlet temperature range may be based on a desired operational load for the power plant system. The processes performed by the computing device(s) may also include determining fuel and maintenance cost ranges based on the turbine inlet temperature range, calculating a desired turbine inlet temperature range for the combustion gas based on the determined fuel and maintenance cost range, and adjusting an actual turbine inlet temperature of the combustion gas to be within the calculated, desired turbine inlet temperature range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a power plant system including a turbine component of a gas turbine system; and
at least one computing device in communication with the power plant system, the at least one computing device configured to control the power plant system by performing processes including:
defining a turbine inlet temperature range for a combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system, the turbine inlet temperature range bound by and including a minimum turbine inlet temperature and a maximum turbine inlet temperature for maintaining a single, desired operational load for the power plant system;
determining a fuel cost range for maintaining the single, desired operational load for the power plant system within the turbine inlet temperature range, the fuel cost range bound by and including:
a minimum fuel cost associated with the maximum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range; and
a maximum fuel cost associated with the minimum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range;

determining a maintenance cost range for maintaining the single, desired operational load for the power plant system within the turbine inlet temperature range, the maintenance cost range bound by and including:
a minimum maintenance cost associated with the minimum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range; and
a maximum maintenance cost associated with the maximum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range;

generating a combined fuel and maintenance cost range using the determined fuel cost range and the determined maintenance cost range, the generated combined fuel and maintenance cost range within the turbine inlet temperature range;
calculating a desired turbine inlet temperature range for the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system based on the generated, combined fuel and maintenance cost range; and
adjusting an actual turbine inlet temperature of the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component to be within the calculated, desired turbine inlet temperature range for the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component,
wherein the determined fuel cost range includes a cost of fuel per operational hour of the turbine component for each turbine inlet temperature of the defined turbine inlet temperature range, and
wherein the determined maintenance cost range includes a cost of maintenance per operational hour for the turbine component for each turbine inlet temperature of the defined turbine inlet temperature range.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is configured to adjust the actual turbine inlet temperature of the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system by performing processes including:
regulating the mass flow of a fluid flowing through a compressor of the gas turbine system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one computing device is configured to regulate the mass flow of the fluid flowing through the compressor by performing processes including at least one of:
adjusting a variable inlet guide vane positioned on the compressor of the gas turbine system, or
adjusting a variable stator vane positioned within the compressor of the gas turbine system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is configured to adjust the actual turbine inlet temperature of the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system by performing processes including:
regulating a mass flow of fuel flowing to a combustor of the gas turbine system.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processes performed by the at least one computing device to control the power plant system further include:
reducing fuel consumption by the gas turbine system of the power plant system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computing device is configured to define the turbine inlet temperature range for the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system by performing processes including:
determining operational parameters of the gas turbine system of the power plant system; and
generating the turbine inlet temperature range for the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system based on the determined operational parameters of the gas turbine system of the power plant system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processes performed by the at least one computing device to control the power plant system further include:
continuously adjusting the actual turbine inlet temperature of the combustion gas to be within the calculated, desired turbine inlet temperature range to maintain the single, desired operational load for the power plant system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processes performed by the at least one computing device to control the power plant system further include:
calculating a single, preferred turbine inlet temperature included within the calculated, desired turbine inlet temperature range, the calculated, single preferred turbine inlet temperature including a lowest cost per operational hour included in the generated, combined fuel and maintenance cost range.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium wherein is stored a computer program product, the computer program product comprising program code, which when executed by at least one computing device, causes the at least one computing device to control a power plant system including a turbine component of a gas turbine system, by performing processes including:
defining a turbine inlet temperature range for a combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system, the turbine inlet temperature range bound by and including a minimum turbine inlet temperature and a maximum turbine inlet temperature for maintaining a desired operational load for the power plant system;
determining a fuel cost range for maintaining the desired operational load for the power plant system within the turbine inlet temperature range, the fuel cost range bound by and including:
a minimum fuel cost associated with the maximum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range; and
a maximum fuel cost associated with the minimum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range;

determining a maintenance cost range for maintaining the desired operational load for the power plant system within the turbine inlet temperature range, the maintenance cost range bound by and including:
a minimum maintenance cost associated with the minimum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range; and
a maximum maintenance cost associated with the maximum turbine inlet temperature of the turbine inlet temperature range;

generating a combined fuel and maintenance cost range using the determined fuel cost range and the determined maintenance cost range, the generated combined fuel and maintenance cost range within the turbine inlet temperature range;
calculating a desired turbine inlet temperature range for the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component of the gas turbine system based on the generated, combined fuel and maintenance cost range; and
adjusting an actual turbine inlet temperature of the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component to be within the calculated, desired turbine inlet temperature range for the combustion gas flowing through the turbine component,
wherein the determined fuel cost range includes a cost of fuel per operational hour of the turbine component for each turbine inlet temperature of the defined tu

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Waniczek Phillip
• Therkorn Dirk
• Mozharov Alexey
• Graf Dominic

Classifications

• F02C9/54 Primary

  by throttling the working fluid, by adjusting vanes · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• F05D2270/331

  Mechanical loads · CPC title

• F05D2270/05

  to affect the output of the engine · CPC title

• F05D2270/07

  to improve fuel economy · CPC title