Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for optimizing wind turbine operation. For example, the present disclosure is configured to generate operating data for at least one operational parameter of the wind turbine for a predetermined time period. The system can then determine a robustness measurement of at least a portion of the operating data. In general, the robustness measurement indicates the tendency of the operating data to be affected by outliers present in the operating data. In addition, the robustness measurement is typically a function of a distribution of the operating data. The present disclosure is then configured to determine at least one optimal set point for the operational parameter as a function of the robustness measurement and a power production of the wind turbine. The wind turbine can then be operated based on the optimal set point.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved control of a turbomachine system with a bottoming cycle system are presented. The systems and methods include a controller that utilizes modeling techniques to derive a plurality of load path curves. The controller utilizes a current load path, a minimum load path, and a constant efficiency load path. The systems and methods include a control process configured to receive a user input representative of a life cycle control modality and to execute a control action based on deriving a load efficiency by applying the current load path, the minimum load path, the constant efficiency load path, or a combination thereof, and the life cycle control modality. The control action is applied to control the turbomachine system and the bottoming cycle system fluidly coupled to the turbomachine system. Further, the life cycle control modalities may be selected by a user based upon known tradeoffs.

Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes a processing subsystem that receives component data signals corresponding to a plurality of parameters of a device, wherein the processing subsystem generates one or more sets of state category component data by allocating the component data signals into respective one or more sets of state category component data, determines a plurality of first dynamic thresholds and a plurality of second dynamic thresholds corresponding to at least one of the one or more sets of state category component data based upon a respective set of state category component data in the one or more sets of state category component data and a respective parameter in the plurality of parameters, and determines an impending trip of the device utilizing the plurality of first dynamic thresholds and the plurality of second dynamic thresholds.

Abstract: Systems and methods for on-line monitoring of hot gas path components of a gas turbine are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a system may include a camera operable to monitor one or more hot gas path components of the gas turbine and a processor communicatively coupled to the camera. The processor is operable to receive realtime data from the camera monitoring the one or more hot gas path components of the gas turbine and compare the realtime data to reference data. Based on the comparison, the processor can determine that a difference between the realtime data and the reference data exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the difference exceeds the predetermined threshold, the processor can notify operators of an anomaly in the one or more hot gas path components.

Abstract: A control method for optimizing or enhancing an operation of a power plant that includes thermal generating units for generating electricity. The power plant may include multiple possible operating modes differentiated by characteristics of operating parameters. The method may include tuning a power plant model so to configure a tuned power plant model. The method may further include simulating proposed operating modes of the power plant with the tuned power plant model. The simulating may include a simulation procedure that includes: defining a second operating period; selecting the proposed operating modes from the possible operating modes; with the tuned power plant model, performing a simulation run for each of the proposed operating modes whereby the operation of the power plant during the second operating period is simulated; and obtaining simulation results from each of the simulation runs.

Abstract: A monitoring system for use with a turbine engine is described herein. The turbine engine includes a compressor and at least one compressor bleed valve coupled to the compressor. The monitoring system includes at least one sensor that is for sensing an operational parameter of the compressor bleed valve, and a controller that is coupled to the sensor and the compressor bleed valve. The controller is configured to determine an operating mode of the turbine engine and receive a monitoring signal indicative of the sensed operational parameter. The controller is also configured to calculate at least one operational value of the compressor bleed valve based at least in part on the sensed operational parameter. The controller is further configured to determine a condition of the turbine engine based at least in part on the calculated compressor bleed valve operational value.

Abstract: A method of controlling a water level in a steam drum includes predicting a transient in the steam drum based on plant characteristics including steam flow from the steam drum, drum pressure in the steam drum, and one or both of a gas turbine load and a position of a bypass valve configured to control the steam flow from the steam drum to two or more steam flow conduits. The method further includes generating a sliding setpoint to control the water level based on predicting the transient in the steam drum.

Abstract: A system for detecting an at-fault combustor includes a sensor that is configured to sense combustion dynamics pressure data from the combustor and a computing device that is in electronic communication with the sensor and configured to receive the combustion dynamics pressure data from the sensor. The computing device is programmed to convert the combustion dynamics pressure data into a frequency spectrum, segment the frequency spectrum into a plurality of frequency intervals, extract a feature from the frequency spectrum, generate feature values for the feature within a corresponding frequency interval over a period of time, and to store the feature values to generate a historical database. The computing device is further programmed to execute a machine learning algorithm using the historical database of the feature values to train the computing device to recognize feature behavior that is indicative of an at-fault combustor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating solution recommendations for power plant operation can be provided by certain embodiments of the disclosure. In one embodiment, a system may include a processor configured to collect power plant operational data from power plant components. The power plant operational data may be analyzed to identify cost factors for the power plant components. Based at least in part on the power plant operational data and the cost factors, upgrade opportunities for the power plant components may be determined. Financial values may be calculated for the upgrade opportunities. Based at least in part on the financial values, recommendations may be generated using a product interaction database and provided as an electronic output to a user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a system including a gas turbine engine, a selective catalytic reduction system, and a control system configured to regulate operation of the selective catalytic reduction system based at least partially on preset variations in an emissions compound of exhaust gases produced by the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include a system having: at least one computing device connected with an array of ultrasonic probes on a gas turbomachine component, the at least one computing device configured to: instruct a first probe in the array of ultrasonic probes to transmit an ultrasonic beam to at least one additional probe in the array of ultrasonic probes; and determine a property of a medium between the first probe and the at least one additional probe based upon a time between transmission of the ultrasonic beam from the first probe and reception of the ultrasonic beam at the at least one additional probe.

Abstract: A system for detecting airfoil clashing within a compressor comprises a compressor having a row of rotor blades and an adjacent row of stator vanes, an acoustic emission detection system that generates an acoustic emissions signal, a rotor blade monitoring system that generates a blade pass signal, and a processing unit that is in electronic communication with the acoustic emission detection system and the rotor blade monitoring system. The processing unit is configured to fuse the acoustic emissions signal with the blade pass signal to provide a combined signal that is indicative of an airfoil clashing event between the rotor blades and the adjacent row of stator vanes.

Abstract: A method of forming a failure estimate for one or more components of a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) includes forming from failure models and at least one of fired hours and fired starts, factored hours and factored starts. The factored hours and/or starts are applied to failure equations for the one or more components to form the failure estimate.

Abstract: Systems and methods provided herein. In one embodiment, a system includes an advisory system including a loss computation engine configured to derive a total system loss for an industrial plant based on a first sensor positioned in a first industrial plant component and on a first physical model of the first industrial plant component. The advisory system further includes a cost model configured to use a cost function to derive a cost based on the total system loss, and a control strategy system configured to derive an advisory report, a control correction factor, or a combination thereof, based on the cost, wherein a control system is configured to apply the control correction factor to control a process in the industrial plant.

Abstract: A system is disclosed. The system includes a processing subsystem that receives component data signals corresponding to a plurality of parameters of a device, wherein the processing subsystem generates one or more sets of state category component data by allocating the component data signals into respective one or more sets of state category component data, determines a plurality of first dynamic thresholds and a plurality of second dynamic thresholds corresponding to at least one of the one or more sets of state category component data based upon a respective set of state category component data in the one or more sets of state category component data and a respective parameter in the plurality of parameters, and determines an impending trip of the device utilizing the plurality of first dynamic thresholds and the plurality of second dynamic thresholds.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for advising and operating a power plant and related devices. In an embodiment, a power plant operator via a client 135 requests from a server 115 advisory information regarding a current power plant startup. The client 135 may receive custom advisory information based on data of an initial state of the power plant and data from past power plant startups.

Abstract: A turbine performance diagnostic system creates a performance report for one or more turbines and includes an assessment module that receives operating data from at least one turbine and produces a performance report from the operating data. The assessment module includes a change detection module configured to determine when at least one parameter has changed beyond an associated threshold and generate an alarm and a root cause analyzer coupled to the change detection module that predicts a root cause of the alarm utilizing a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). The performance report includes an indication of the predicted root cause.

Abstract: Systems and methods provided herein output an operational advisory based upon a plurality of models derived from a plurality of data, in which the plurality of models comprise at least one of a plant transfer function, a degradation contributor model, or a plant level cost model, and in which the plurality of data is derived from at least one of current plant data, historical plant data, business data, environmental data, component data, degradation contribution data, an optimization goal, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A system and method control condensate formation within headers of a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) in a power generation facility. The system includes measurement devices to measure first parameters including pressure at respective first locations within the power generation facility. A model estimates second parameters at second locations within the power generation facility. A prediction model outputs a prediction of time of condensate formation on each of the headers based on the first parameters and the second parameters, and a controller controls the condensate formation based on the prediction.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include an inspection system to inspect internal components of a compressor of a gas turbine engine. The inspection system includes an image recording assembly having one or more image recording devices, light sources, storage devices, and power supplies. The image recording assembly may be inserted into a compressor without removal of the compressor housing or disassembly of the compressor. The image recording assembly may be removably coupled to a rotary component of the compressor, e.g., a rotor blade, and used to record images of stationary components, e.g., stator vanes, of the compressor. The images may be inspected to identify wear and/or defects in the stationary components, e.g., stator vanes.