Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Richard E Putman

John W Gomola

Theodore C Giras

F David Jones

William G Wood

Thomas Allen

Katherine A Gundersen

Rodney E Gilbreath

John S Deliyannides

Terry B Cullen

Warren A Edblad

Frank E Wallace

Frederick G Huff

James E Hanway

Gerald L Gregg

John J Novacek

James C Christenson

A linear programming matrix is used to represent a complex process with many interrelated process variables. Assumptions are initially made regarding the values of the matrix elements, based on current or expected operation of the process. After the linear programming matrix is solved, the values of the coefficients are modified according to a test strategy and the linear programming matrix is again solved in an effort to obtain a better result. This process is repeated until solutions of matrix converge and the amount of modification of the matrix is minimal. One test strategy that can be used is SIMPLEX self-directing evolutionary operation. Another test strategy uses progressively more accurate linear approximations of nonlinear relationships in the linear programming matrix.

Optimization of a plurality of multiple-fuel fired boilers using

A system and method for optimizing the costs associated with the generation and flow of reactive power in an industrial plant connected to receive power from an electrical power utility and including a plurality of electromechanical rotating machines and electrical loads connected in a network, each machine having a reactive power characteristic and an excitation element which is controllable for adjusting the reactive power generated or absorbed by the machine. Control is achieved by: creating a model of the network for providing an indication of the reactive power to be supplied by the utility in dependence on representations of selected network electrical parameters including the reactive power generated or absorbed by each machine; providing an indication of the cost associate with reactive power flow as represented by the model; providing to the model sets of representations of altered values of reactive power generated or absorbed by each machine and causing the model to produce an indication for each set of representations; determining the lowest cost indication provided after the model has provided indications relating to a plurality of different sets of representations provided to the model; and providing an indication of the control to be effected on the excitation element of each machine to produce or absorb the amount of reactive power indicated by the model with respect to the set of representations for which the lowest cost indication is produced in the determining step.

Optimizing reactive power distribution in an industrial power network

A training simulator for the full-scope real-time dynamic operation of a nuclear power plant utilizes apparatus that includes control consoles having manual and automatic devices for operating simulated plant components and indicating devices for monitoring physical values in the simulated plant. A general purpose digital computer configuration is connected to the control consoles to accept input data indicative of the operated condition of the console control devices and perform dynamic real-time simulation calculations for providing output data to the monitoring devices. An instructor's console, which has control and indicating devices, is connected to the computer configuration to perform functions that include initializing and 'replaying' selected operational states of the simulated plant. The majority of the control components of the simulated plant, such as valves, pumps and controllers, are simulated separately from the simulated system they control. The computer organization is structured to perform a combination of sequential data processing at predetermined repetitive time intervals; and to perform event oriented data processing with the capability of recognizing and processing data immediately upon the occurrence of an event. When the simulated plant is initialized or 'replayed,' the computer functions provide indications of the plant control devices which do not positionally correspond to the plant status. A plural digital computer arrangement is disclosed wherein the data in each computer is processed by its own control arrangement; and the interdependent data is synchronized by the control function on one computer and data link communication between computers.

Training simulator for a nuclear power plant

An economical despatching arrangement for despatching load and fuel assignments on a multi-boiler cogenerative type steam generating plant includes a logic arrangement of determining a present value of flow of each fuel to each boiler, a logic arrangement of determining a present value of the share of the steam load carried by each of the boilers, a logic arrangement for calculating an optimal next value for each of the load and fuel assignments, a logic arrangement for estimating a proportionate share value for one of the boilers and the fuel flow values for one of the fuels and a logic arrangement for implementing the optimal next values as a function of whether a manual or automatic mode of operation has been selected for the particular parameter.

Economical dispatching arrangement for a boiler system having a

In a plant including a multiplicity of energy conversion units which together supply load upon demand to a given process through a common junction, a system is included to economically optimize the load distribution among the multiple units dynamically during the transition of process load demand from one state to another such that when the process load supply reaches the other process demand state, the energy conversion units are substantially in their economically optimum individual load generating states. Typical unit load dispatching plants may include a boiler house in which a multiplicity of boilers are coupled to a common header for supplying stream flow to the particular process, a power turbogeneration system in which a multiplicity of turbogenerating units supply power to a power system network through a common bus and a heat exchange industrial process in which a multiplicity of power-driven compressors are used together with corresponding chiller units for maintaining the temperature of a common coolant under varying coolant flow demand conditions.

System for economic unit load distribution during process load transition

In a steam and power cogeneration system optimization results for steam flow and power are calculated off-line recurrently based on actual demand and control is effected on a multiplane basis upon selection of a new plane of control defined by a new status and configuration of the system network, the optimization results for such particular plane being selected and control performed at the time of plane change. Pressure reducing valves are positioned initially at the time of plane change in accordance with the optimization results for the new plane. Pressure reducing valves are positioned for flow tuning about such initial valve positioning.

Multiplane optimization method and apparatus for cogeneration of steam

In a multiturbogenerator cogeneration system mass flow balancing is used to optimize the distribution of steam between the machine while meeting the demand in steam and electrical power of the industrial plant in order to choose the less costly between cogenerated power and power purchased from the tie-line. The EVOP method of optimization is used off-line with the assist of a microcomputer to determine the optimal distribution of steam.

Steam optimization and cogeneration system and method

Process control is disclosed, applicable in particular to fluid flow distribution, by which decoupling of the individual process variable changes, by set point setting changes, is effected through anticipation of the interaction through the process, using Gauss-Jordan elimination to find the solutions to simultaneous equations, whereby all set point settings are simultaneously adjusted by adding such anticipations.

Control system for fluid flow distribution

The present control apparatus and method for controlling a plurality of intercoupled industrial process operations each having an operation control member. The control member position correction is implemented in accordance with a predetermined characteristic so as to minimize undesired interference with the other industrial process operations.

Industrial process control apparatus and method

A control system and method are provided for an industrial process operation, wherein a controller is coupled with a process control member and has a gain that is adjustable in accordance with a predetermined relationship of the controller reference iteration interval and the controller actual execution interval.

The present control system and method for controlling the combustion chamber pressure in a non-linear combustion process is operative in relation to one or more combustion chambers each having a flue gas damper. In the case of a plurality of such chambers, the outlet duct associated with each chamber is connected to a common exhaust stack. This operation is in relation to a desired damper position control characteristic provided by a combination of process signals in a microprocessor computer apparatus. Information in the form of the combustion and pressure levels as supplied in an anticipative feed-forward control manner by a particular combustion chamber is utilized in conjunction with a variable gain characteristic determined by the actual position of the damper operative with that combustion chamber to determine the correct damper position for that chamber.

An industrial production or other operational system is established by connecting apparatus which implements system operation to a digital computer system using an interface system. Machine readable definitions of events, of executable jobs, and of system variables are prepared for computer entry and ultimately for configuration of the system apparatus into an entity having operational characteristics corresponding to the entered definitions. The definitions of system variables may include definitions of signals which are coupled between the system apparatus and the computer through the interface system, and such signals may be put to system monitoring or control uses or both of these uses in the structured system. Some of the definitions may be computer programs, but most are preferably definitions of the system configuration written out in a language which a systems engineer can understand and use. Generally, definitions may include designators which are names or numbers. Any definition may refer to an event, a job, or a variable by making reference to the designator that is included in the definiton of the event, the job or the variable. Executable job definitons may, by referring to event designators, specify specific events which are to trigger their execution--for example, variable scanning events or variable change-of-state events--or they may specify that they are to be periodically executed at a specified frequency or rate. The definitions are processed individually by an off-line preliminary processor which converts the systems engineer's language into a numeric language intelligible to processing programs within the computer system or to the computer system itself. The definitions are then fed into the computer system. Automatic programming means within the computer system establish all the necessary linkages between each new definition and previously entered definitions and other operative portions of the computer system so as to implement each definition relative to the system apparatus as soon as the definition is received and so as automatically to establish the desired system operating configuration through the controlled operation of the computer relative to the interfaced system apparatus. Definitions may be deleted from the computer system at any time and in any order by the automatic programming means without shutting down the system, and the system operating configuration may thus be modified whenever necessary or desirable. Following such deletions, the automatic programming means eliminates linkages which are no longer required and compresses the tables in which such linkages may be stored so as to maximize the storage space which is avialable for additional new definitions and their associated linkages.

Digital computer monitored and/or operated system or process which is

An industrial production or other operational system is established by connecting apparatus which implements system operations to a digital computer system using an interface system. Machine readable definitions of events, of executable jobs, and of system variables are prepared for computer entry and ultimately for configuration of the system apparatus into an entity having operational characteristics corresponding to the entered definitions. The definitions of system variables may include definitions of signals which are coupled between the system apparatus and the computer through the interface system, and such signals may be put to system monitoring or control uses or both of these uses in the structured system. Some of the definitions may be computer programs, but most are preferably definitions of the system configuration written out in a language which a systems engineer can understand and use. Generally, definitions may include designators which are names or numbers. Any definition may refer to an event, a job, or a variable by making reference to the designator that is included in the definition of the event, the job or the variable. Executable job definitions may, by referring to event designators, specify specific events which are to trigger their execution--or example, variable scanning events or variable change-of-state events--or they may specify that they are to be periodically executed at a specified frequency or rate. The definitions are processed individually by an off-line preliminary processor which converts the systems engineer's language into a numeric language intelligible to processing programs within the computer system or to the computer system itself. The definitions are then fed into the computer system. Automatic programming means within the computer system establish all the necessary linkages between each new definition and previously entered definitions and other operative portions of the computer system so as to implement each definition relative to the system apparatus as soon as the definition is received and so as automatically to establish the desired system operating configuration through the controlled operation of the computer relative to the interfaced system apparatus. Definitions may be deleted from the computer system at any time and in any order by the automatic programming means without shutting down the system, and the system operating configuration may thus be modified whenever necessary or desirable. Following such deletions, the automatic programming means eliminates linkages which are no longer required and compresses the tables in which such linkages may be stored so as to maximize the storage space which is available for additional new definitions and their associated linkages.

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Penn Hills, PA, United States of America

Richard E Putman