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Estimation and Optimal Control of Combined Cycle Power-Plants

Researchers: Niklas Andersson (Deptm. of Chemical Engineering) Johan Åkesson, Bernt Nilsson (Deptm. of Chemical Engineering)

In the electricity market of today, characterized by an increasing demand for electricity production on short notice, the combined cycle power plant stands high regarding fast start-ups and efficiency. In this project, modeling, parameter and state estimation, and optimal control for efficient operation, in particular fast start-ups of combined power-plants are explored. 

The basis for the work is a Modelica library containing optimization-friendly components, from which plant models are constructed. Measurement data from real plants is exploited in order to select an efficient combination of parameters to calibrate, whith the goal of deriving a model with a good match between model response and data. 

A critically limiting factor during start-up optimization is the stress of important components, e.g., the evaporator. In order to take this aspect into account, constraints on the stress levels of such components are explored in the start-up optimization formulation.

Control and estimation problems are solved in the project using the OSS platform JModelica.org.


2016-03-28