How to Optimize Performance for Combined Cycles in Part-Load Operation

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Combined cycles continue to raise interest in the power generation industry thanks to their high performance and the repurposing of existing equipment to increase efficiency and loads. With an increasingly diverse energy mix, part-load operation is quite common, requiring reconfiguration of the cycle to keep it operating at best efficiency. Two common parameters that help control the cycle performance are:

• Gas turbine inlet temperature control
• Compressor inlet guide vane restaggering

For any given load factor, there exists a pair of these design parameters where cycle efficiency is maximized. Additionally, the configuration (and therefore performance) of other critical components like turbines, compressors, and heat exchangers can influence the cycle efficiency and hence, optimal configurations for part-load operation can be found through algorithmic optimization.

In this webinar, we will show an example on how to find the best efficiency configuration of a combined cycle through algorithmic optimization for any load factor in the AxSTREAM Platform.

This session will show you how to:

• Find optimal operating configurations for any load scenario
• Characterize components within the cycle through directly coupled analysis tools (analysis-in-the-loop) or customized component map implementation
• Better understand plant performance leveraging system and component-level digital twin models
• Learn how to automate workflow(s) to easily run predictive what-if scenarios and their effect on the plant
• Gain insight into correlations of operating parameters that determine best plant operation at part-load scenarios

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