Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure can relate to providing an integrated power plant advisor. In one embodiment, a method for providing an integrated power plant advisor can include receiving a signal associated with a failure of a power plant or a power plant component. The method can further include determining one or more root causes associated with the failure of the power plant or the power plant component. Based at least in part on operational data and training data from one or more power plants, a ranking of the one or more root causes associated with the failure of the power plant or the power plant component can be determined. The method can further include outputting the ranking via a client device. Based at least in part on the ranking, a repair or replacement strategy for the power plant or the power plant component can be identified.

Abstract: A system including a power plant having thermal generating units that operate according to multiple possible operating modes, which are differentiated by a unique operational or maintenance schedule. The system further includes a hardware processor and machine readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a process related to optimizing the operational or maintenance schedule during a selected operating period. The process may include: receiving the selected operating period; selecting competing operating modes for the power plant during the selected operating period according to a selection criteria; simulating the operation of the power plant during the selected operating period for each of the competing operating modes and deriving simulation results therefrom; evaluating each of the simulation results pursuant to a cost function and, based thereupon, designating at least one of the competing operating modes as an optimized operating mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to systems and methods to evaluate performance of a fluid transport system. Towards this end, a performance report of the fluid transport system can be generated by estimating various performance parameters at an outlet of a heat exchanger in lieu of using sensor data obtained directly from the outlet of the heat exchanger. Specifically, in one exemplary implementation, sensor data is obtained from an inlet of the heat exchanger and an outlet of a downstream element that is coupled to the heat exchanger, for estimating the various performance parameters at the outlet of the heat exchanger. The estimated performance parameters can then be combined with empirical data and predictive data for generating the performance report of the fluid transport system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing intelligent management of balance of plant are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a system for determining a malfunction of a feedwater pump includes one or more processors and a database communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more processors can be configured to receive plant parameters. The one or more processors can be further configured to correlate the plant parameters to historical operational values. Based at least partially on the correlating, the one or more processors may be operable to identify a malfunction in a feedwater pump. Based at least partially on the identifying, the one or more processors may be operable to provide an advisory action concerning an operation of the feedwater pump.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to perform actions including: measuring at least one of the following parameters: a steam pressure within a steam drum, a load on a GT, a position of a bypass valve bypassing an HRSG, and a steam flow rate through the steam drum; defining a threshold range for each of: a steam pressure within the steam drum, a load on the GT, a position of the bypass valve bypassing the HRSG and a steam flow rate through the steam drum based upon the measured data and a target steam level; and adjusting the steam flow rate through the steam drum in response to at least one of the measured parameters deviating from the corresponding threshold range.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a gas turbine system includes a gas turbine, a compressor bleed valve, various sensors, and a valve health assessment system. The compressor bleed valve bleeds a portion of air received by the compressor during certain operating modes. The valve health assessment system includes a processor that uses a neural network model to generate a first failure mode predictor of the compressor bleed valve by processing operational data provided by the various sensors. The processor also generates a second failure mode predictor of the compressor bleed valve by using empirical data and a valve transfer function. The processor further generates a third failure mode predictor of the compressor bleed valve by using predictive data and a prediction model. The processor then applies a holistic procedure to the three failure mode predictors to derive a probability of occurrence of a failure in the compressor bleed valve.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to monitor a combined-cycle (CC) power plant during a transient event by performing actions including: determining whether a change in an operating condition of a component of the CC power plant is unintentional, the determining including comparing control system instructions for the component of the CC power plant with a reference look-up table, the reference look-up table including correlation data for the control system instructions for the component and historical data about the operating condition of the component; and providing instructions to a control system of the CC power plant to modify the operating condition in the CC power plant in response to determining that the change in operating condition of the component is unintentional.

Abstract: A method for optimizing a fleet of generating assets in which groupings include remotely located power blocks that operate so to collectively generate a fleet output level. The method may include: receiving real-time and historical measured values of operating parameters; for each of the generating assets, deriving a relational expression between the measured values of the process inputs and the measured values of the process outputs; defining a selected operating period; selecting competing operating modes for the fleet; based on the relational expressions and a generating configuration of the competing operating modes, calculating a result set for the operation of the fleet proposed during the selected operating period; defining a cost function; and evaluating each of the result sets pursuant to the cost function and, based thereupon, designating one of the competing operating modes as an optimized operating mode.

Abstract: A combined cycle power plant system that includes: a gas turbine operably connected to a heat recovery steam generator; a first controller for optimizing a shutdown operation defined between an initiating shutdown command and a terminating event, wherein the first is controller configured to execute the steps of: receiving the shutdown initiating command; receiving operating parameters measured by sensors for each of a first component and a second component of the combined cycle power plant, and, based thereupon, determining a current state for each of the first and the second component; based on the current state, deriving an optimized shutdown operating mode for transitioning the first component and the second component from the current state to a shutdown state.

Abstract: A method for optimizing a generation of an output level over a selected operating period by a power block, wherein the power block comprises multiple gas turbines for collectively generating the output level. The control method may include: receiving current state data regarding measured operating parameters for each of the gas turbines of the power block; based on the current state data, defining competing operating modes for the power block; based on each of the competing operating modes, deriving a predicted value for a performance parameter regarding the operation of the power block over the selected operating period; determining a cost function and, pursuant thereto, evaluating the operation of the power block based on the predicted value of the performance parameter so to determine a projected cost; and comparing the projected costs from each of the optimized operating modes so to select therefrom an optimized operating mode.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to monitor a combined-cycle (CC) power plant during a transient event by performing actions including: determining whether a change in an operating condition of a component of the CC power plant is unintentional, the determining including comparing control system instructions for the component of the CC power plant with a reference look-up table, the reference look-up table including correlation data for the control system instructions for the component and historical data about the operating condition of the component; and providing instructions to a control system of the CC power plant to modify the operating condition in the CC power plant in response to determining that the change in operating condition of the component is unintentional.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure can relate to providing an integrated power plant advisor. In one embodiment, a method for providing an integrated power plant advisor can include receiving a signal associated with a failure of a power plant or a power plant component. The method can further include determining one or more root causes associated with the failure of the power plant or the power plant component. Based at least in part on operational data and training data from one or more power plants, a ranking of the one or more root causes associated with the failure of the power plant or the power plant component can be determined. The method can further include outputting the ranking via a client device. Based at least in part on the ranking, a repair or replacement strategy for the power plant or the power plant component can be identified.

Abstract: A system including a power plant having thermal generating units that operate according to multiple possible operating modes, which are differentiated by a unique operational or maintenance schedule. The system further includes a hardware processor and machine readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the hardware processor to execute a process related to optimizing the operational or maintenance schedule during a selected operating period. The process may include: receiving the selected operating period; selecting competing operating modes for the power plant during the selected operating period according to a selection criteria; simulating the operation of the power plant during the selected operating period for each of the competing operating modes and deriving simulation results therefrom; evaluating each of the simulation results pursuant to a cost function and, based thereupon, designating at least one of the competing operating modes as an optimized operating mode.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to monitor a combined-cycle (CC) power plant during a transient event by performing actions including: determining whether a change in an operating condition of a component of the CC power plant is unintentional, the determining including comparing control system instructions for the component of the CC power plant with a reference look-up table, the reference look-up table including correlation data for the control system instructions for the component and historical data about the operating condition of the component; and providing instructions to a control system of the CC power plant to modify the operating condition in the CC power plant in response to determining that the change in operating condition of the component is unintentional.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing intelligent management of balance of plant are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a system for determining a malfunction of a feedwater pump includes one or more processors and a database communicatively coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more processors can be configured to receive plant parameters. The one or more processors can be further configured to correlate the plant parameters to historical operational values. Based at least partially on the correlating, the one or more processors may be operable to identify a malfunction in a feedwater pump. Based at least partially on the identifying, the one or more processors may be operable to provide an advisory action concerning an operation of the feedwater pump.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a gas turbine system includes a gas turbine, a compressor bleed valve, various sensors, and a valve health assessment system. The compressor bleed valve bleeds a portion of air received by the compressor during certain operating modes. The valve health assessment system includes a processor that uses a neural network model to generate a first failure mode predictor of the compressor bleed valve by processing operational data provided by the various sensors. The processor also generates a second failure mode predictor of the compressor bleed valve by using empirical data and a valve transfer function. The processor further generates a third failure mode predictor of the compressor bleed valve by using predictive data and a prediction model. The processor then applies a holistic procedure to the three failure mode predictors to derive a probability of occurrence of a failure in the compressor bleed valve.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to systems and methods to evaluate performance of a fluid transport system. Towards this end, a performance report of the fluid transport system can be generated by estimating various performance parameters at an outlet of a heat exchanger in lieu of using sensor data obtained directly from the outlet of the heat exchanger. Specifically, in one exemplary implementation, sensor data is obtained from an inlet of the heat exchanger and an outlet of a downstream element that is coupled to the heat exchanger, for estimating the various performance parameters at the outlet of the heat exchanger. The estimated performance parameters can then be combined with empirical data and predictive data for generating the performance report of the fluid transport system.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to perform actions including: measuring at least one of the following parameters: a steam pressure within a steam drum, a load on a GT, a position of a bypass valve bypassing an HRSG, and a steam flow rate through the steam drum; defining a threshold range for each of: a steam pressure within the steam drum, a load on the GT, a position of the bypass valve bypassing the HRSG and a steam flow rate through the steam drum based upon the measured data and a target steam level; and adjusting the steam flow rate through the steam drum in response to at least one of the measured parameters deviating from the corresponding threshold range.

Abstract: A method for determining an operating set point for a combined cycle power plant, the method includes: simulating the operation of the power plant; correcting the simulation of the operation of the power plant; optimizing the simulation of the operation by simulating the operation at different operating settings and selecting at least one of the operating settings as being optimal, and generating the operating set point based on the optimized simulation of the power plant.

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.