General Electric Company

Christopher Eugene Long

Matthew John Mosley

David Spencer Ewens

Fernando Javier D'Amato

Daniel Francis Holzhauer

Awadesh Kumar Tiwari

Karl Dean Minto

Robert Joseph Iasillo

Kevin Thomas McCarthy

Achalesh Kumar Pandey

William Forrester Seely

Jonathan Carl Thatcher

Scott Mordin Hoyte

Ramu Sharat Chandra

John Rogers Huey

Sameer Vittal

Mahesh Kumar Asati

Kevin Wood Wilkes

Benjamin David Laskowski

Dean Alexander Baker

John Joseph Raffensperger

Darrin Glen Kirchhof

Rohan Saraswat

Noemie Dion Ouellet

Timothy Lee Janssen

Robert Walter Arnold

Susan Ruth Peterson

Laura Lea Boes

Vikas Handa

Ratna Manedhar Punjala

Luis Blasini

Fernando D'amato

Systems and methods for health monitoring and upgrade of a distributed controller are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a method for health monitoring and upgrade of a distributed controller may commence with receiving, by a lower level controller from a high-level controller, high-level control references. The method may further include generating low-level control references for a hardware asset based at least in part on the high-level control references. The method may include monitoring the network connection and detecting an error in the network connection. In response to the detection of the error in the network connection, a control of the hardware asset may be transferred to the low-level controller. The method may further include determining that the network connection has been restored. In response to the determination that the network connection has been restored, the control of the hardware asset may be transferred to the high-level controller.

Systems and methods for health monitoring and upgrade of a distributed controller

Distribution network response capability monitoring and compliance determination is provided herein. A method can comprise generating, by a system comprising a processor, a model of a target asset based on operation data measured at the target asset during a defined event. The model is configured to simulate a transient response capability of the target asset. The method can also comprise determining, by the system, a compliance of the target asset to at least one defined parameter based on the transient response capability of the target asset during a simulated event and as a function of the operation data measured during the defined event.

Determining compliance of a target asset to at least one defined parameter based on a simulated transient response capability of the target asset and as a function of physical operation data measured during an actual defined event

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.

Plant control optimization system including visual risk display

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for predicting transient operational characteristics of a power plant. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for predicting transient operational characteristics of a power plant. The method can include receiving operating information associated with the power plant; using a power plant dynamics model for determining a current operating state of the power plant based at least in part on the received operating information; and using the power plant dynamics model and a power plant controls model for predicting one or more future operating parameters associated with power plant based at least in part on the determined current operating state and the received operating information.

Systems and methods for predicting transient operational characteristics of a power plant

A grid frequency rate limiting system for a droop governor is disclosed, the grid frequency rate limiting system including: a rate limit calculator for: obtaining data including at least one of: a transient power response requirement indicator, a turbo-generator power level indicator, a grid stability indicator, a fuel transfer indicator, a combustion mode timing indicator, or a temperature matching indicator; and defining rate limits according to the obtained data; a rate limiter operably connected to the rate limit calculator, the rate limiter for: obtaining a grid frequency reading associated with a grid frequency of an electrical grid; obtaining the defined rate limits; and filtering the grid frequency using the defined rate limits to provide a filtered frequency; and a droop governor operably connected to the grid frequency rate limiting system, the droop governor for: obtaining the filtered frequency; and providing a power response to the electrical grid based upon the filtered frequency.

Grid frequency rate limiting system

Methods and systems for modeling turbine operation are disclosed. In one embodiment a method for modeling turbine operation may include: determining current performance parameters of a turbine; providing at least one external factor for current or future operation of the turbine; and modeling, by a predictive model, at least one operating characteristic of the turbine based at least in part on the current performance parameters of the turbine and the at least one external factor.

Methods and systems for modeling turbine operation

Methodology is provided for enhancing plant level support for grid reconstruction following a blackout. A plant based grid reconstruction manager develops solutions for reconstruction sequence steps to be carried out automatically or to be communicated to site personnel for manual implementation. The sequence steps are based on high-fidelity modeling of the capabilities all of the power production units present in a power plant and take into consideration grid specified load expectations, ambient conditions including ambient temperature and gas turbine operating levels. The methodology also provides for consideration of possible subsequent steps in the sequence to maximize the ability to pick-up additional load in such subsequent steps.

Enhanced plant level support of grid reconstruction

Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for modifying the operation and/or performance of a gas turbine. According to one embodiment, a method for modifying the performance of a gas turbine comprising one or more combustors can be provided. The method can include measuring a gas exhaust temperature for the gas turbine and estimating a heat transfer rate for the gas turbine based at least in part on the gas exhaust temperature. After estimating the heat transfer rate, the method can continue by estimating a transiently accurate combustion reference temperature and using this parameter to control the one or more combustors of the gas turbine. In doing so, the performance of the gas turbine can be modified to ensure reliable and consistent operation.

Systems and methods for modifying the performance of a gas turbine

A system and method for enhancing operation of a power generation system. The method includes receiving forecasts at a predictive control unit. The method also includes accessing via a controller real-time lifing models or near real-time lifing models in the predictive control unit. Additionally, the method includes accessing via the controller an enhancer configured to simulate operation of a power generating unit in the power generation system to generate an enhancement of the power generation system based on the forecasts and the real-time or near real-time lifing models.

System and method for enhancement of power generation facilities

A control system for a combined cycle power generation system including a gas turbine engine (GT), a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), and a steam turbine (ST) includes a display wherein an operator may observe information about predicted operating parameters; a user interface wherein an operator may provide additional operating constraints; and a controller configured to generate input profiles of the GT, the HRSG, and the ST that satisfy the nominal constraints and any additional constraints and to generate the information about the predicted operating parameters. The controller may be configured to detect a stage transition of power generation system operation and update the input profiles. The controller may be configured to generate alternative operating scenarios by mapping alternative control actions to an operating constraint of at least one of the system components.

System for controlling input profiles of combined cycle power generation system

A method for forecasting a start period for a combined cycle power generation system including a gas turbine engine, a steam turbine and a computer control system, the method including: inputting a desired time at which the power generation system is to reach a dispatchable load; inputting a current value of a predetermined operational condition of the power generation system; the computer control system retrieving historical data relating the predetermined operational condition to prior start periods of the power generation system or a similar power generation system; the computer control system executing an algorithm which generates a forecasted start time based on the desired time, current value and the retrieve data, wherein the power generation system is predicted to reach the dispatchable load at the desired time when started at the forecasted start time, and the computer system outputting the forecasted start time to the output device.

System and method for scheduling startup of a combined cycle power generation system

A coordinated air-fuel controller and associated method provide a fuel controller, a combustion air controller and a steady-state air versus fuel model. The fuel controller generates a fuel control output signal and the combustion air controller generates a combustion air control output signal. The fuel controller determines a preliminary fuel control signal based on at least one of first and second loop control signals, and determines the fuel control output signal based on the preliminary fuel control signal. The steady-state air versus fuel model processes the preliminary fuel control signal to determine an expected steady-state combustion air control signal. The combustion air controller determines a preliminary combustion air control signal based on at least one of a third loop control signal and a fourth loop control signal, and determines the combustion air control output signal based on the preliminary combustion air control signal and the expected steady-state combustion air control signal.

Growing community of inventors

Greer, SC, United States of America

Christopher Eugene Long