Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Power Plant Dynamics & Control

Prof. Dr. Amitava Gupta

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

A plant in general

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

A typical control loop and its dynamics

PID
Step

1
0.036s2 +0.022s+1

PID Controller

Scope
Transfer Fcn

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Root Locus

15

10

Imaginary Axis

0.02

-10

0.0095

0.0065 0.0042 0.002

0.032

0.06

-5

0.0135

14
12
10
8

System: sys_pl
Gain: 2.1
Pole: -0.306 + 9.27i
Damping:
0.0329
System: sys_pl
Overshoot
(%): 90.2
Gain: 0.000901
Frequency
Pole: -0.306(rad/sec):
+ 5.26i 9.28
Damping: 0.0579
Overshoot (%): 83.3
Frequency (rad/sec): 5.27

6
4
2

2
4

0.06

6
8
10

0.032

-15
-0.35

0.02
-0.3

0.0135
-0.25

-0.2

0.0095
-0.15

Real Axis

0.0065 0.0042 0.002

-0.1

-0.05

12
14

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Root Locus

Imaginary Axis

0.64

0.5

0.8

System: sys_ol
Gain: 0.573
Pole: -5.99
2 0.94
Damping: 1
Overshoot (%): 0
Frequency (rad/sec): 5.99
0

6
0.38

0.28

0.17

0.08

5
4

System: sys_ol
Gain: 1
Pole: -1.32 + 0.657i
Damping: 0.895
Overshoot (%): 0.184
Frequency (rad/sec): 1.47

3
2
1

1
-2 0.94

2
3

-4

-6
-6

0.8
0.64
-5

0.5
-4

0.38
-3

Real Axis

0.28
-2

0.17
-1

0.08

5
60

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Bode Diagram
Gm = Inf dB (at Inf rad/sec) , Pm = 9.4 deg (at 7.43 rad/sec)

Magnitude (dB)

20
0
-20
-40

Phase (deg)

-60
0
-45
-90
-135
-180

-1

10

10

10
Frequency (rad/sec)

10

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Bode Diagram
Gm = Inf , Pm = 88.8 deg (at 21.3 rad/sec)

30

Magnitude (dB)

20
10
0
-10
-20
90

Phase (deg)

45
0
-45
-90
-135

-1

10

10

10
Frequency (rad/sec)

10

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Desirable properties of a controller

Should track input (zero steady-state error)

Should have enough stability robustness: gain and phase margins should be

comfortable
Robustness to variations of gain: performance robustness
Robustness to high frequency noise
Good output disturbance rejection

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Power generation as a process

4
4

1
6
1

s
6

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Process control of power generation process

Change prime-mover input
Maintain this pressure

Change generation to match

demand

Maintain this temperature

Maintain this level

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Process control of power generation process: in simplest terms

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Modulating control loops in a thermal power plant

Load demand control

Firing rate control
Air and fuel flow control
Secondary air-flow control
Drum-level control
Furnace draft control
Superheater steam temperature control

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Load demand control: Boiler following turbine

Governor valve
opens/closes based
on steam demand.

PT
Boiler
Boiler firing rate demand,
Air and fuel demand,

Pressure drop
sensed by transmitter

Master control signal

actuates related loops

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Load demand control: Turbine following boiler

Steam pressure sensed

by the transmitter controls
pressure at the first stage

PT

Boiler
Boiler firing rate demand,
Air and fuel demand,

Demand signal
Set boilers fuel, air and feed-water
flow based on demand

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Load demand control: Sliding Pressure mode

PT
Boiler
Boiler firing rate demand,
Air and fuel demand,
MW

Demand for steam is

corrected by powerfrequency signal

f
f(x)

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Load demand control: Co-ordinated control mode

Demand signal

Co-ordinated
Control
PT

FT

Boiler
Boiler firing rate demand,
Air and fuel demand,

MW

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Air and fuel-flow control: Requirements

Control the heat supplied to the boiler by controlling the flow of fuel and air. The ratio of
fuel and air is maintained so that incomplete burning due to excess
fuel or excessive losses due to excess oxygen do not occur.
Problems due to excess fuel:
Increased pollution
Production of poisonous Carbon Monoxide
Dangerous collection of unburnt fuel in the furnace
Problems due to excess oxygen:
Total loss
Heat losses
Chimney loss

Unburnt loss
Excess Oxygen

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Air and fuel-flow control: Requirements contd..

When demand increases, air-flow must increase first followed by increase

in fuel flow.

When demand decreases, fuel-flow must decrease first followed by decrease

in air-flow

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Air and fuel-flow control: A ratio controlled loop

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Air and fuel-flow control: A simple scheme for an oil-fired boiler

PT

PIC

Steam pressure sensed by transmitter

Controller compares it with steam pressure

corresponding to demand
Setpoints of fuel flow and air flow controllers altered

If more flow is required, valve opens,

else closes if less flow is required

Oil flow control valve

Damper is adjusted accordingly

to maintain air-fuel ratio

Air flow damper

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Inadequacies of the simple scheme

The response of the fuel control loop is much faster than the response of the air-flow
control loop. As a result, increase in load shall cause momentary increase in fuel
compared to air leading to black smoke and increased CO content. Similarly, decrease
in load will lead to an Oxygen rich mixture.

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

The remedy: Cross-linked scheme for an oil-fired boiler

Oil flow

FT

PT

Air flow

Steam pressure

PIC

FT

Airflow
increases

Setpoint raised

+ve

<

0
This signal now increases

+ve
0

>

+ve raise setpoint

PIC
0, no change in setpoint
+ve signal, setpoint raised, valve opens
till FT o/p matches setpoint

Oil flow control valve

PIC
Damper opens till
FT o/p matches setpoint

Air flow damper

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Air-fuel flow control for a pulverizer

Air-flow demand

FC

FC

Raw coal
feed

DPT

Set mill load-line

DPT

Coal
Feeder

Coal and air

to burners

Hot air

Mill

TT
Tempering air

f(x)
FC

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

General schematic of mill control

Set mill
loadline

Mill
diff

PA
diff

PA
temp

DPT

DPT

TT

Fuel-oil pressure

PT

Number of
Burners
alight

f(x)

Gain compensation
(no. of mills
in service)

Oil flow per burner

f(x)

H/A

Temperature
Compensation
of PA differential f(x)
Pressure signal
Coal equivalent of
oil burning at this group

PID
Mill H/A

H/A
Feeder speed controller

Master Demand

H/A

Oil burning
At this group

f(x)

<

To other Mill groups

TT
Minimum PA
Flow limit
Coal flow
demand

PID

PID

H/A

H/A
Tempering
Air damper
actuator

Mill outlet
temperature

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Furnace draught control

Furnace pressure
PT

PT

PT

PT
+

+
Desired furnace pressure
Bias
PIC

H/A

H/A

CD

CD

f(x)

Furnace pressure cut-back

(Progressively reduces FP set point
if pressure approaches safety limit for
the furnace design)
Induced-draught fan vanes

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Control of air flow: Parallel Operation of FD Fans

FT

FT

FC

CD
Fan A

CD
Fan B

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Control of air flow: Operation of FD Fans with single controllers

FT

FT

Demanded air flow

FC

FC

CD

CD

Fan A

Fan B

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Drum-level control: Single element control

steam

LT

LC

Feed-water

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Drum-level control: Two element control

steam

FT
2

LT

LC

FC

Feed-water

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Drum-level control: Three element control

steam

FT
2

LT

LC

FC
FT

Feed-water

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Steam temperature control

Primary super-heater

secondary super-heater

TT
TT

TC
TC

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Steam temperature control

Primary super-heater

secondary super-heater

TC

TC

G2(s)

G1(s)

TT
TT

TC
2

TC

ho(s)/ hi(s)
secondary
super-heater

ho(s)/ ma(s)
primary
super-heater

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Dynamics of steam temperature control loop explained

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Dynamics of steam temperature control loop explained

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Dynamics of steam temperature control loop explained

mi m0 m a V

d
(0 )
dt

mi hi m0 h0 m a ha Qmf V
Q gm Qmf MC P

d
( 0 h0 )
dt

d
(Tm )
dt

m g (hgi hgo ) Q gm V g g

d
(hgo )
dt

p 0 pi f .mo2
Qmf mw a (Tm 0.5 f ( h0 , p0 )
0.5 f ( hi pi ))

Qgm gmc a (0.5

hgi
C pg

0.5

hgo
C pg

Tm )

Time constants of each transfer function

0 V
is
ss

moss

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Dynamics of steam temperature control loop explained

SL.
No.

Parameter

Value

0.102

m3

Vg

35.04

m3

380.3

kg

11.8

m2

1000

kg/m3

0.67

kg/m3

35.96

Cp

0.47 kJ/kg.K

Cpg

1.41 kJ/kg.K

10

ms

140.0 W/m2.K

11

gmc

30.0 W/m2.K

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Auxiliary control loops

The typical auxiliary control loops are the following:

Closed cycle cooling water system
Feedwater heater level control
De-aerator storage tank and hotwell level control
Boiler feed-pump recirculation control
Controls associated with air heater

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Control using digital hardware

Programmable Logic Controllers
Typically for on-off controls mainly those which are not affected by change
of plant operating conditions.
Distributed Control Systems
Boiler controls, including the combustion (firing rate) furnace draft, steam
temperature and feed-water control loops.
Burner control and pulverizer control
Control loops in the plant auxiliary systems that need to be monitored
and/or operated the main control room.
Data acquisition and reporting functions

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Model predictive control

Usually employs an estimation algorithm for correction of control inputs to tackle

uncertainties

Can be used for multi-regime operation

Example: Use of a simulator to correct the demand for steam with compensation
for bled steam in co-ordinated control

Power Plant Dynamics and Control

Conclusion

Use of thermal energy is older than civilization itself- mankind mastered lighting
a fire much before learning to draw or write.
Harnessing thermal energy to produce electricity is as old as old man Faraday
himself, but the technology for this is ever evolving and always in a nascent state.

Thank you.