Power generation system

Abstract

A power generation system (11) comprises: information acquisition units (13), (15) that are provided with a mixed combustion engine generator (21) capable of generating power using two or more types of fuels including a first fuel (F1) and a second fuel (F2) and acquire various information including a required generated power amount for power supply and demand adjustment, a first fuel surplus amount (TS1), a second fuel surplus amount (TS2), and the actual operation results of the mixed combustion engine generator (21); a calculation unit (13) that calculates an integrated generated power amount obtained by integrating a first generated power amount and a second generated power amount; and a determination unit (13) that determines the magnitude relationship between the integrated generated power amount and the required generated power amount for power supply and demand adjustment. The control units (13), (15), (23) set an operation mode for the power supply and demand adjustment including a mixed combustion ratio (Rq2) and a power generation output when the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for the power supply and demand adjustment, and perform power generation control related to the mixed combustion engine generator (21) using the set operation mode for the power supply and demand adjustment.

Description

Power generation system

[0001] The present invention relates to a power generation system including an engine generator capable of generating electricity using two or more types of fuel.

[0002] As a decarbonization system to reduce the use of fossil fuels, power generation systems that use renewable energy (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "RE") and renewable fuels such as hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and biofuels are being considered for use in power generation and cogeneration. Renewable energy-derived fuel-based power generation systems enable highly efficient operation by controlling the combustion timing according to the supply amounts of two or more fuels. Renewable energy-based power generation systems can be primarily used for power generation to balance electricity supply and demand. However, large-scale power generation systems are limited in their operating range (power output range). Therefore, for example, in areas where transmission line restrictions are imposed, using large-scale power generation systems for power supply and demand balancing can make it difficult to transmit sufficient electricity.

[0003] Therefore, attempts are being made to reduce the size of power generation systems by distributing power generation systems for adjusting power supply and demand near power consumers. Each distributed power generation system consists of a relatively small engine generator. Therefore, it has a wide range of power generation output and can be used for adjusting power supply and demand. However, when using a small engine generator for adjusting power supply and demand, there is a problem that the power generation cost is high. This problem arises from the low power generation efficiency and low operating rate of engine generators. Regarding the low power generation efficiency of engine generators, power generation efficiency tends to decrease, especially when operating at low power output.

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention of a power generation system in which multiple engine generators are operated in parallel and the number of engine generators generating power and the type of fuel are controlled according to the power generation output.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-107113

[0006] However, while the power generation system disclosed in Patent Document 1 can improve power generation efficiency in response to output fluctuations, the individual operating rates of the multiple engine generators decrease. As a result, there is room for improvement in terms of effective utilization of infrastructure resources. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power generation system that includes engine generators capable of generating electricity using two or more types of fuel, and that can realize effective utilization of infrastructure resources.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, a power generation system according to the present invention is a power generation system equipped with an engine generator capable of generating power using two or more types of fuel including a first fuel and a second fuel, and comprises: an information acquisition unit that acquires various information including a required amount of power to be generated for power supply and demand adjustment, a first fuel surplus amount that is a surplus amount of the first fuel that can be used for generating power related to the required amount of power to be generated, a second fuel surplus amount that is a surplus amount of the second fuel that can be used for generating power related to the required amount of power to be generated, and operating history of the engine generator; a calculation unit that calculates a first amount of power to be generated based on the first fuel surplus amount and a second amount of power to be generated based on the second fuel surplus amount, and calculates an integrated amount of power to be generated by integrating the first amount of power to be generated and the second amount of power to be generated; a determination unit that determines whether the integrated amount of power to be generated calculated by the calculation unit is larger or smaller than the required amount of power to be generated for power supply and demand adjustment acquired by the information acquisition unit; and a control unit that sets an operating mode of the engine generator based on the various information acquired by the information acquisition unit and performs power generation control for the engine generator using the set operating mode, The most important feature of the control unit is that when the determination unit determines that the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for power supply and demand adjustment, the control unit sets an operating mode for power supply and demand adjustment, including a mix-combustion ratio of fuel types to be used and power output, based on the calculated integrated generated power amount, and performs power generation control for the engine generator using the set operating mode for power supply and demand adjustment.

[0008] According to the power generation system of the present invention, in a power generation system equipped with an engine generator capable of generating electricity using two or more types of fuel, it is possible to realize effective utilization of infrastructure resources. Other problems, configurations, and effects will be described in detail in the following embodiments.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power generation system (power outage mode) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power generation system (supply and demand adjustment mode) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power generation system (standby mode) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram including the peripheral parts of a multi-fuel engine generator provided in a multi-fuel power generation system. FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of a multi-fuel control management device provided in a power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is an operation flowchart of the multi-fuel control management device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is an operation flowchart of the multi-fuel control management device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing details of an operating point setting process. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing details of an operating point setting process. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing each switch position of a first power supply changeover switch and a second power supply changeover switch for each different operation mode.

[0010] A power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the appropriate drawings. In the drawings shown below, components having a common function or components having corresponding functions are generally assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted. For the sake of convenience, the size and shape of the components may be exaggerated or deformed to show a schematic representation.

[0011] [Basic Concept of Power Generation System 11] First, the basic concept of a power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1C.

[0012] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams of a power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1A shows the configuration of the power generation system 11 when the operating mode of the power supply changeover switch is a power outage mode, Fig. 1B shows the configuration of the power generation system 11 when the operating mode of the power supply changeover switch is a supply and demand adjustment mode, and Fig. 1C shows the configuration of the power generation system 11 when the operating mode of the power supply changeover switch is a standby mode. The power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention plays a role in controlling the amount of power generation possible and the amount of fuel used according to the application, in order to utilize an existing multi-fuel engine generator 21 for power supply and demand adjustment purposes other than a specific application (for example, emergency use during a power outage, etc.).

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, a power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a multi-fuel combustion engine generator 21 capable of generating power using two or more types of fuel including a first fuel F1 and a second fuel F2, and includes an information acquisition unit that acquires various information including a required amount of power generation for power supply and demand adjustment, a first fuel surplus amount TS1 that is the surplus amount of the first fuel F1 that can be used for power generation related to the required amount of power generation, a second fuel surplus amount TS2 that is the surplus amount of the second fuel F2 that can be used for power generation related to the required amount of power generation, and the operating history of the multi-fuel combustion engine generator 21, and a power generation unit that calculates a first amount of power generation based on the first fuel remaining amount T1 and a second amount of power generation based on the second fuel remaining amount T2, and calculates an integrated amount of power generation by integrating the first amount of power generation and the second amount of power generation. a determination unit that determines whether the integrated amount of generated power calculated by the calculation unit is larger than the amount of generated power required for power supply and demand adjustment obtained by the information acquisition unit; and a control unit that sets an operating mode based on the various information acquired by the information acquisition unit and performs power generation control for the multi-combustion engine generator (21) using the set operating mode, and when the determination unit determines that the integrated amount of generated power exceeds the amount of generated power required for power supply and demand adjustment, the control unit sets an operating mode for power supply and demand adjustment including the type of fuel to be used, the multi-combustion ratio (Rq2), and power generation output based on the calculated integrated amount of generated power, and performs power generation control for the multi-combustion engine generator (21) using the set operating mode for power supply and demand adjustment.

[0014] According to the power generation system 11 of the embodiment of the present invention, in the power generation system 11 including the multi-fuel engine generator 21 capable of generating electricity using two or more types of fuel, the multi-fuel engine generator 21, which is used exclusively for a specific purpose other than power supply and demand adjustment (for example, for emergencies such as power outages), can be utilized for a power supply and demand adjustment purpose other than its original specific purpose during a period when it is on standby for operation for its original specific purpose, thereby realizing effective utilization of infrastructure resources. More specifically, the power generation system 11 of the embodiment of the present invention is configured with a multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 and a multi-fuel power generation device 15, as shown in Figures 1A to 1C.

[0015] The multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 and the multi-fuel power generation plant 15 are configured to be able to communicate information in real time via a wired communication medium or a wireless communication medium. The multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 acquires the first and second fuel remaining amounts T1 and T2, the first and second fuel reserve amounts TE1 and TE2, and operation history data from the multi-fuel power generation plant 15, and also outputs operation mode data including the type of fuel used, the multi-fuel combustion ratio Rq2, and power generation output to the multi-fuel power generation plant 15, thereby fulfilling the role of managing power generation control by the multi-fuel power generation plant 15.

[0016] The multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 also has a function of detecting power outages by monitoring the voltage of the power grid 19. Furthermore, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 has a function of formulating a fuel procurement plan based on the first fuel remaining amount T1, the second fuel remaining amount T2, and the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 calculated (see Equations 1 and 2) using the first fuel reserve amount TE1 and the second fuel reserve amount TE2, and supplying fuel to the multi-fuel power generation plant 15 in accordance with the formulated plan.

[0017] The internal configuration of the co-firing control management device 13 will be described in detail later. The co-firing control management device 13 is electrically connected to a supply and demand adjustment management system 17 as a higher-level system. The supply and demand adjustment management system 17 plays a role in managing the overall system related to the balance between supply and demand necessary for a stable supply of electricity, the creation of plans, and the monitoring of power generation status. In this embodiment, the supply and demand adjustment management system 17 sends a supply and demand adjustment request (downward DR: demand suppression request) to the co-firing control management device 13, while the co-firing control management device 13 operates to return the adjustable amount of power supply and demand (downward DR available amount) to the supply and demand adjustment management system 17.

[0018] The multi-fuel power generation system 15 controls the power generation of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 based on the operating mode data sent from the multi-fuel control management device 13, thereby operating the multi-fuel engine generator 21. More specifically, the multi-fuel power generation system 15 is equipped with the multi-fuel engine generator 21, a multi-fuel combustion control unit 23, a first fuel tank 25, and a second fuel tank 27.

[0019] The multi-fuel engine generator 21 is an engine generator that generates electricity by mixing two or more types of fuel including a first fuel F1 and a second fuel F2 in advance, burning the mixed fuel in a combustion chamber 43 (see FIG. 2 ) of a cylinder 41 to generate rotational driving force, and converting the generated rotational driving force into electricity.

[0020] In this embodiment, the process of mixing two or more types of fuel including the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 in advance and burning the mixed fuel in the combustion chamber 43 of the cylinder 41 is called "mixed combustion."

[0021] The multi-fuel engine generator 21 provided in the multi-fuel power generation system 15 will be described in detail later with reference to FIG.

[0022] The multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 sets an operating mode based on various information including, for example, the required amount of power generation for supply and demand adjustment, a first fuel surplus amount TS1 which is the surplus amount of the first fuel F1 that can be used for power generation related to the required amount of power generation, a second fuel surplus amount TS2 which is the surplus amount of the second fuel F2 that can be used for power generation related to the required amount of power generation, and the operating history of the multi-fuel engine generator 21, and performs power generation control for the multi-fuel engine generator 21 using the set operating mode.

[0023] [Definition of Terms] Here, terms used in the description of the power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be defined. Mixed combustion refers to pre-mixing two or more types of fuel, including a first fuel F1 and a second fuel F2, and then burning the mixed fuel in the combustion chamber 43 (see FIG. 2 ) of the cylinder 41. The first fuel remaining amount T1 is the actual remaining amount of the first fuel F1 stored in the first fuel tank 25. The first fuel reserve amount TE1 is the reserve amount of the first fuel F1 set to be used exclusively for a specific purpose (e.g., emergency use). The first fuel surplus amount TS1 is, for example, the surplus amount of the first fuel F1 available for power generation related to the required amount of power generation for power supply and demand adjustment. The first fuel surplus amount TS1 can be calculated using the following (Equation 1). First fuel surplus amount TS1 = First fuel remaining amount T1 - First fuel reserve amount TE1 (Equation 1) The second fuel remaining amount T2 is the actual remaining amount of the second fuel F2 stored in the second fuel tank 27. The second fuel reserve amount TE2 is the reserve amount of the second fuel F2 set to be used exclusively for a specific purpose (e.g., emergency use). The second fuel surplus amount TS2 is, for example, the surplus amount of the second fuel F2 that can be used for power generation related to the required amount of power generation for power supply and demand adjustment. The second fuel surplus amount TS2 can be calculated using the following (Equation 2). Second fuel surplus amount TS2 = Second fuel remaining amount T2 - Second fuel reserve amount TE2 (Equation 2) However, the second fuel surplus amount TS2 may be omitted.

[0024] The mixed-fuel ratio refers to the proportion of a particular fuel to the total amount of the fuel. For example, when focusing on the second fuel F2, the mixed-fuel ratio Rq2, which is the proportion of the second fuel F2 to the total amount, can be calculated using the following formula (3): mixed-fuel ratio Rq2 = second fuel amount / (first fuel amount + second fuel amount) (formula 3) Note that, for example, in the case where the mixed-fuel engine generator 21 performs single-fuel operation using only the first fuel F1 during an emergency such as a power outage, the mixed-fuel ratio Rq2 is zero.

[0025] The first fuel tank 25 is a tank for storing the first fuel F1. Here, the first fuel F1 is, for example, a hydrocarbon fuel such as diesel oil. However, the first fuel F1 may also be a gas fuel such as methane or propane. The first fuel tank 25 is provided with a first fuel remaining amount sensor 25a (see FIG. 2) that detects the first fuel remaining amount T1. The first fuel remaining amount T1 detected by the first fuel remaining amount sensor 25a is sent to the multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 provided in the multi-fuel power generation system 15. The first fuel F1 stored in the first fuel tank 25 is sent to the multi-fuel engine generator 21 via a fuel pipe or the like.

[0026] The second fuel tank 27 is a tank for storing the second fuel F2. Here, the second fuel F2 is, for example, a gas fuel containing hydrogen. Specifically, examples of the second fuel F2 include hydrogen-rich gas, natural gas, biogas, or synthetic gas containing a portion of hydrogen, ammonia, and reformed gas. The reformed gas is, for example, a gas obtained by reforming natural gas, biogas, biofuel such as ethanol, ammonia, or synthetic fuel.

[0027] The second fuel tank 27 is provided with a second fuel remaining amount sensor 27a (see FIG. 2) that detects the second fuel remaining amount T2. The second fuel remaining amount T2 detected by the second fuel remaining amount sensor 27a is sent to the multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 provided in the multi-fuel power generation system 15. The second fuel F2 stored in the second fuel tank 27 is sent to the multi-fuel engine generator 21 via a fuel pipe or the like.

[0028] A first power generation switch 31 and a second power generation switch 33 are electrically connected to the multi-fuel combustion power generation system 15. A load (not shown) of an electricity consumer 35 is electrically connected to the second power generation switch 33.

[0029] The first power generation switching switch 31 operates in an emergency such as a power outage mode, while the second power generation switching switch 33 operates in a supply and demand adjustment mode. As a result, the first power generation switching switch 31 and the second power generation switching switch 33 play a role in ensuring a stable power supply to the power consumer 35. In the description of this embodiment, the first power generation switching switch 31 and the second power generation switching switch 33 may be collectively referred to simply as the "power generation switching switch 32."

[0030] [Peripheral Configuration of the Multi-fuel Engine Generator 21 Included in the Multi-fuel Power Generation System 15] Next, the configuration including the peripheral parts of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 included in the multi-fuel power generation system 15 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram including the peripheral parts of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 included in the multi-fuel power generation system 15.

[0031] 2, the multi-fuel engine generator 21 provided in the multi-fuel power generation system 15 includes a cylindrical cylinder 41, a combustion chamber 43 provided in the cylinder 41, an intake valve 44, a piston 45, an exhaust valve 46, a crankshaft 47, and an injector 49. The injector 49 is connected to the first fuel tank 25 via a first fuel pipe 25b and a fuel pump (not shown).

[0032] In a case where the multi-fuel engine generator 21 is operated using only the first fuel F1 (for example, in an emergency such as a power outage), the injector 49, in accordance with a control command from the engine control unit (ECU) 37, directly injects the first fuel F1 into the combustion chamber 43 with the intake valve 44 and the exhaust valve 46 closed.

[0033] The first fuel F1 supplied into the combustion chamber 43 is compressed by the piston 45 to a high temperature and high pressure. In this state, the first fuel F1 self-ignites and burns, generating torque in the piston 45. The reciprocating motion of the piston 45 due to the generated torque is converted into the rotational motion of the crankshaft 47. A generator (not shown) is connected to the crankshaft 47. This generator operates to generate electricity by converting the rotational driving force of the crankshaft 47 into electricity. A crank angle sensor 48 is provided on the crankshaft 47 to detect the rotational position and rotational speed of the crankshaft 47.

[0034] An intake pipe 51 is connected to the intake side of the combustion chamber 43 , while an exhaust pipe 53 is connected to the exhaust side of the combustion chamber 43 .

[0035] A throttle valve 55 is provided in the intake pipe 51. The amount of intake air, which is based on the opening of the throttle valve 55, is adjusted in accordance with a control command from an engine control unit (ECU) 37. This changes the amount of air taken into the combustion chamber 43 via the intake pipe 51. The opening of the throttle valve 55 is detected by an opening sensor (not shown) and sent to the ECU 37.

[0036] An intake air temperature sensor 57 is provided in the intake pipe 51 upstream of the throttle valve 55. A cooling water temperature sensor 58 is provided in a cooling system (not shown) provided near the cylinder 41. The detected values ​​of the intake air temperature sensor 57 and the cooling water temperature sensor 58 are sent to the ECU 37.

[0037] The ECU 37 performs various controls of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 based on the intake air volume detected by the opening sensor, the intake air temperature detected by the intake air temperature sensor 57, the cooling water temperature detected by the cooling water temperature sensor 58, etc.

[0038] Furthermore, the intake pipe 51 is connected to the second fuel tank 27 via a second fuel supply device 61 and a second fuel flow rate control device 63, which are provided in a communication pipe 62. As a result, the second fuel F2 (e.g., gas fuel such as hydrogen) is mixed with air and supplied to the combustion chamber 43. In the combustion chamber 43, the premixed air-fuel mixture of the second fuel F2 and air is heated by the self-ignition combustion of the first fuel F1 (e.g., diesel), and is combusted (mixed combustion).

[0039] An oxygen concentration sensor 59 that detects the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is provided in the exhaust pipe 53. The detected oxygen concentration value in the exhaust gas by the oxygen concentration sensor 59 is sent to the ECU 37.

[0040] The ECU 37 controls the injection timing of the first fuel F1 by the injector 49 based on the rotational position and rotational speed of the crankshaft 47 detected by the crank angle sensor 48, engine torque, the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas detected by the oxygen concentration sensor 59, etc.

[0041] Because the second fuel F2 contains hydrogen, the premixture of the second fuel F2 and air can be mixed even when the air-fuel ratio is greater than the stoichiometric ratio, i.e., under high air-excess ratio conditions. Therefore, in the mixed-fuel engine generator 21, mixed combustion can be achieved by adding the second fuel F2 to the intake air of a conventional diesel combustion engine.

[0042] The mixed combustion control unit 23 calculates a first fuel surplus amount TS1 that can generate the required amount of power for supply and demand adjustment based on the first fuel remaining amount T1 and the first fuel reserve amount TE1 detected by the first fuel remaining amount sensor 25a (see Equation 1). Similarly, the mixed combustion control unit 23 calculates a second fuel surplus amount TS2 that can generate the required amount of power for supply and demand adjustment based on the second fuel remaining amount T2 and the second fuel reserve amount TE2 detected by the second fuel remaining amount sensor 27a (see Equation 2).

[0043] The multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 also sets the engine combustion timing based on the rotational position and rotational speed of the crankshaft 47 detected by the crank angle sensor 48. Based on the set engine combustion timing, the multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 controls the operation of the second fuel supply device 61 and the flow rate adjustment device 63, thereby controlling the flow rate of the second fuel F2 supplied to the combustion chamber 43. The multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 may be implemented inside the ECU 37.

[0044] The co-firing control management device 13 is connected to a co-firing control unit 23 provided in the co-firing power generation plant 15 via a wired communication medium such as Ethernet or a wireless communication medium (not shown) so as to be able to exchange data with each other.

[0045] [Configuration of the mixed fuel-fired combustion control management device 13] Next, the configuration of the mixed fuel-fired combustion control management device 13 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram of the mixed fuel-fired combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3 , the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 includes a fuel management unit 301, a supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303, a power outage determination unit 305, a mixed-fuel combustion operation management unit 307, and an operation record management unit 309.

[0047] The fuel management unit 301 acquires the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 from the mixed combustion control unit 23 provided in the mixed combustion power generation device 15, and manages information on the acquired first fuel surplus amount TS1 and second fuel surplus amount TS2.

[0048] The supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303 acquires supply and demand adjustment requests (downward DRs) from the higher-level supply and demand adjustment management system 17 and manages information about the acquired supply and demand adjustment requests. Specifically, when the supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303 receives a supply and demand adjustment request (downward DR) from the supply and demand adjustment management system 17, it determines whether the multi-fuel power generation plant 15 can operate in response to the supply and demand adjustment request. If the multi-fuel power generation plant 15 is unable to operate due to reasons such as maintenance, the supply and demand adjustment request cannot be fulfilled. In this case, the supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303 responds to the supply and demand adjustment management system 17 by setting the adjustable supply and demand amount to zero. If the multi-fuel power generation plant 15 can operate, the supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303 outputs information about the supply and demand adjustment request to the multi-fuel operation management unit 307.

[0049] The power outage determination unit 305 monitors the voltage of the power grid (power system) to which the power consumer 35 (see FIG. 1A, for example) is connected, and determines whether or not a power outage has occurred in the power system.

[0050] The mixed-fuel operation management unit 307 manages the overall operation of the mixed-fuel engine generator 21 provided in the mixed-fuel power generation device 15 based on information on the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 managed by the fuel management unit 301, information on supply and demand adjustment requests managed by the supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303, information on whether or not there is a power outage in the power grid which is the result of the determination by the power outage determination unit 305, and information on operating history data related to the mixed-fuel engine generator 21 managed by the operating history management unit 309.

[0051] The operation record management unit 309 acquires operation record data relating to the multi-fuel engine generator 21 from the multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 provided in the multi-fuel power generation system 15, and manages information on the acquired operation record data.

[0052] The operating point setting unit 311 sets an operating point including the power generation output and the fuel-mix ratio Rq2 of the dual-fuel combustion engine generator 21. Here, the operating point refers to the operating mode of the dual-fuel combustion engine generator 21 including the power generation output and the fuel-mix ratio Rq2 of the dual-fuel combustion engine generator 21.

[0053] The fuel consumption prediction unit 313 predicts the fuel consumption amounts of the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 based on information about the operating point (operating mode) set by the operating point setting unit 311. The fuel cost calculation unit 315 calculates a predicted value of the fuel cost based on the prediction results of the fuel consumption amounts of the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 by the fuel consumption prediction unit 313 and the fuel unit prices per unit capacity of the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2.

[0054] The CO2 emission amount calculation unit 317 calculates a predicted value of the CO2 emission amount based on the prediction results of the fuel consumption amounts for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 by the fuel consumption amount prediction unit 313, and the CO2 emission amounts per unit for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2. Note that the per unit may be per unit mass, per unit volume, per unit heat amount, etc. of the fuel, and an appropriate method may be selected to calculate the predicted value of the CO2 emission amount.

[0055] The minimum value calculation unit 319 calculates the minimum values ​​for fuel cost and CO2 emissions based on the predicted fuel cost calculated by the fuel cost calculation unit 315 and the predicted CO2 emissions calculated by the CO2 emissions calculation unit 317.

[0056] The power supply and demand adjustment determination unit 321 determines whether or not power supply and demand adjustment can be carried out based on information on the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 managed by the fuel management unit 301, information on supply and demand adjustment requests managed by the supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303, and information on whether or not there is a power outage in the power system, which is the determination result by the power outage determination unit 305.

[0057] The generated power switching control unit 323 controls the opening and closing of the first power supply switching switch 31 and the second power supply switching switch 33 based on the judgment result by the power outage judgment unit 305 or the judgment result by the power supply and demand adjustment judgment unit 321 as to whether or not power supply and demand adjustment can be implemented.

[0058] The operating history management unit 309 manages various information as operating history data related to the multi-fuel engine generator 21, including environmental conditions during operation 331, operating conditions and plans 333, fuel supply conditions and plans 335, control parameters 337, history information 339, and specification information 341 related to the multi-fuel engine generator 21.

[0059] The multi-fuel engine generator 21 exhibits different operating characteristics depending on the environmental conditions 331 during operation, including outside air temperature and humidity. For example, when hydrogen is used as the second fuel F2, the combustion rate increases as the outside air temperature increases. Therefore, in order to suppress abnormal combustion, it is necessary to limit the supply rate of hydrogen, which is the second fuel F2 (fuel supply conditions and plan 335).

[0060] Furthermore, when the power generation output of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 is low, the ratio of the second fuel F2 (hydrogen) to the air supplied to the combustion chamber 43 decreases, and the multi-fuel ratio of the second fuel F2 (hydrogen) [= second fuel amount / (first fuel amount+second fuel amount)] decreases. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust (including stopping) the supply rate of the second fuel F2 (hydrogen) (fuel supply conditions / plan 335).

[0061] The operating characteristics of such a multi-fuel engine generator 21 differ depending on the size, etc. Therefore, individual operating performance data is acquired and managed in association with the specification information 318 for each multi-fuel engine generator 21.

[0062] [Operation of Power Generation System 11] Next, the operation of the power generation system 11 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, and 6 as appropriate.

[0063] 4A and 4B are flow charts illustrating the operation of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 5A and 5B are flow charts illustrating details of the operating point setting process. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the switch positions of the first power supply changeover switch and the second power supply changeover switch for different operation modes.

[0064] In step S401 shown in FIG. 4A, the power outage determination unit 305 of the co-firing control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 monitors the voltage of the power grid to which the power consumer 35 (see, for example, FIG. 1A) is connected, and thereby determines whether or not a power outage has occurred in the power grid.

[0065] If the determination in step S401 indicates that a power outage has occurred in the power system, the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 advances the process to the next step S402. On the other hand, if the determination in step S401 indicates that a power outage has not occurred in the power system, the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 jumps the process to step S404.

[0066] In step S402, the generated power switching control unit 323 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 controls the first power supply changeover switch 31 and the second power supply changeover switch 33 to an open / close state related to the power outage mode (see the power outage mode in FIGS. 1A and 6 ). In the power outage mode, the generated power related to the multi-fuel combustion engine generator 21 is supplied to the power consumer 35 instead of the power grid 19.

[0067] In step S403, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 causes the multi-fuel engine generator 21 provided in the multi-fuel power generation device 15 to perform single-fuel operation using only the first fuel F1 (e.g., diesel), which is an operating mode of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 appropriate for the power outage mode in an emergency.

[0068] After that, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 returns the process flow to step S401 and executes the subsequent processes sequentially. Here, single-fuel operation using only the first fuel F1 (e.g., diesel: pure fuel) is superior in terms of reliability, which makes it less likely for abnormal combustion to occur, and ease of fuel procurement. Therefore, single-fuel operation using only the first fuel F1 (e.g., diesel: pure fuel) is considered to be appropriate as the operating mode of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 during a power outage mode (emergency) when a stable supply of power is prioritized.

[0069] In step S404, the supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303 of the mixed fuel co-firing control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines whether or not a supply and demand adjustment request (downward DR) has been received from the upper-level supply and demand adjustment management system 17. If the determination in step S404 indicates that a supply and demand adjustment request (downward DR) has been received from the upper-level supply and demand adjustment management system 17, the mixed fuel co-firing control management device 13 proceeds to the next step S405.

[0070] On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step S404 is that a supply and demand adjustment request (downward DR) has not been received from the higher-level supply and demand adjustment management system 17, the mixed combustion control management device 13 jumps the processing flow to step S415.

[0071] In step S405, the fuel management unit 301 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 acquires information on the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 from the multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 provided in the multi-fuel combustion power generation plant 15. In addition, the operation record management unit 309 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 acquires operation record data related to the multi-fuel engine generator 21 from the multi-fuel combustion control unit 23 provided in the multi-fuel combustion power generation plant 15.

[0072] In step S406, the operating point setting unit 311 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 sets an operating point (operating mode) including the power generation output of the multi-fuel combustion engine generator 21 and the multi-fuel combustion ratio of the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2.

[0073] In step S407, the fuel consumption prediction unit 313 of the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 predicts the fuel consumption amounts of the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 based on the information on the operating point (operating mode) set by the operating point setting unit 311 in step S406.

[0074] In reality, the operating point setting process in step S406 is repeated over a plurality of operating points (N different operating modes, where N is an integer equal to or greater than 2). Therefore, the operating point setting process in step S406 will be described in more detail later with reference to Figures 5A and 5B.

[0075] In step S408 shown in FIG. 4B , the fuel cost calculation unit 315 of the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 calculates (a predicted value of) the total fuel cost based on the prediction results of the fuel consumption amounts for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 by the fuel consumption prediction unit 313 and the fuel unit prices per unit capacity for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2.

[0076] Specifically, for example, when the consumption of the first fuel F1 per unit of power generation is Q1 [L / kWh], the consumption of the second fuel F2 per unit of power generation is Q2 [L / kWh], the fuel cost per unit volume of the first fuel F1 is P1 [yen / L], and the fuel cost per unit volume of the second fuel F2 is P2 [yen / L], the total fuel cost per unit of power generation Pt [yen / kWh] can be calculated using the following (formula Y).

[0077] Pt = Q1 * P1 + Q2 * P2 (Equation 4) In step S409, the CO2 emission calculation unit 317 of the mixed combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 calculates the total CO2 emission (predicted value) based on the prediction results of the fuel consumption amounts for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 by the fuel consumption prediction unit 313, and the CO2 emission amounts per unit for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2.

[0078] Specifically, for example, if the unit cost of CO2 emissions per unit volume of the first fuel F1 is C1 [yen / L] and the unit cost of CO2 emissions per unit volume of the second fuel F2 is C2 [yen / L], the cost equivalent value Ct [yen / kWh] of the total CO2 emissions per unit power generation can be calculated using the following (Equation 5).

[0079] Ct = Q1 * C1 + Q2 * C2 (Equation 5) In step S410, the minimum value calculation unit 319 of the mixed combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 calculates the minimum values ​​for the total fuel cost and the total CO2 emissions based on the predicted fuel cost calculated by the fuel cost calculation unit 315 and the predicted CO2 emissions calculated by the CO2 emissions calculation unit 317.

[0080] Specifically, for example, when the total fuel cost Pt [yen / kwh] calculated by the above (Equation 4) and the cost converted value Ct [yen / kwh] of the total CO2 emissions calculated by the above (Equation 5) are minimized to a total minimized value X, the total minimized value X can be calculated by the following (Equation 6). Note that a1 is a first weighting coefficient related to the total fuel cost Pt, and a2 is a second weighting coefficient related to the cost converted value Ct of the total CO2 emissions. The first coefficient a1 and the second coefficient a2 may be set to appropriate values ​​as constants.

[0081] In step S411, the power supply and demand adjustment determination unit 321 of the mixed combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines whether or not to implement power supply and demand adjustment based on information on the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 managed by the fuel management unit 301, information on the supply and demand adjustment request managed by the supply and demand adjustment request management unit 303, information on whether or not there is a power outage in the power system which is the determination result by the power outage determination unit 305, etc.

[0082] If the result of the determination in step S411 is that the power supply and demand adjustment is feasible, the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 advances the processing to the next step S412.

[0083] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S411 is that power supply and demand adjustment is not possible, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 jumps the process flow to step S414. In step S412, the generated power switching control unit 323 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 controls the first power supply changeover switch 31 and the second power supply changeover switch 33 to the opening and closing state related to the supply and demand adjustment mode (see the supply and demand adjustment mode in Figures 1B and 6). In the supply and demand adjustment mode, similar to the power outage mode, the generated power related to the multi-fuel engine generator 21 is supplied to the power consumer 35 instead of the power grid 19.

[0084] However, in the supply and demand adjustment mode, compared to the power outage mode in which power generation control is performed with an emphasis on stability through single-fuel operation using only the first fuel F1, the supply and demand adjustment mode differs in that an appropriate operating point (operating mode) for mixed-fuel operation using the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 is searched for, and highly efficient power generation control is performed using the appropriate operating point (operating mode) extracted through this search.

[0085] In step S413, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 causes the multi-fuel engine generator 21 provided in the multi-fuel power generation device 15 to perform multi-fuel operation using the first fuel F1 (e.g., diesel) and the second fuel F2 (e.g., hydrogen), which is an operating mode of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 appropriate for the supply and demand adjustment mode.

[0086] Thereafter, the mixed fuel combustion control management device 13 returns the processing flow to step S401, and causes the subsequent processing to be performed in sequence.

[0087] In step S414, the generated power switching control unit 323 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 controls the first power supply changeover switch 31 and the second power supply changeover switch 33 to the open / close state related to the standby mode (see the supply and demand adjustment mode in FIGS. 1C and 6 ). In the standby mode, unlike the power outage mode and the supply and demand adjustment mode, the multi-fuel engine generator 21 provided in the multi-fuel power generation system 15 is in standby mode, and therefore the generated power related to the power grid 19 is supplied to the power consumer 35.

[0088] Thereafter, the mixed fuel combustion control management device 13 returns the processing flow to step S401, and causes the subsequent processing to be performed in sequence.

[0089] In step S415 shown in FIG. 4A, the generated power switching control unit 323 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 controls the first power supply switching switch 31 and the second power supply switching switch 33 to the opening / closing state related to the standby mode (see the standby mode in FIGS. 1C and 6), similarly to step S414.

[0090] Thereafter, the mixed fuel combustion control management device 13 returns the processing flow to step S401, and causes the subsequent processing to be performed in sequence.

[0091] [Details of the Operating Point Setting Process in Step S406] Next, the details of the operating point setting process in step S406 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B as appropriate.

[0092] In step S501 shown in FIG. 5A , the operating point setting unit 311 of the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 sets an operating point including the power generation output of the multi-fuel engine generator 21 and the multi-fuel combustion ratio Rq2 focusing on the second fuel F2, based on the power supply and demand adjustment amount in accordance with the supply and demand adjustment request, the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2, characteristic data related to the multi-fuel engine generator 21, and operating history data.

[0093] The operating point setting unit 311 calculates the initial value Rq2(0) of the fuel mix ratio Rq2 focusing on the second fuel F2 using the following equation (7): Rq2(0) = second fuel surplus amount TS2 / (first fuel surplus amount TS1 + second fuel surplus amount TS2) (Equation 7) Note that, in cases where the value of the fuel mix ratio Rq2 (including both the initial value and the n-th value) is outside the set range of the operating conditions, the value of the fuel mix ratio Rq2 can be adjusted appropriately (however, a small adjustment amount is preferable) so that it converges within the set range of the operating conditions.

[0094] In step S501 shown in Fig. 5A, when the initial operating point is set, the power generation efficiency ηe is uniquely determined by referring to the power generation efficiency ηe map (see Fig. 5A) in which the relationship between the fuel mix ratio Rq2 and the power generation output over multiple patterns is associated. Both the fuel mix ratio Rq2 and the power generation output can be treated as functions of time.

[0095] In step S502, the fuel consumption prediction unit 313 of the mixed combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 calculates the first fuel consumption amount TC1 and the second fuel consumption amount TC2 based on the information on the operating point (operating mode) set in step S502.

[0096] Here, if the change over time in the power supply and demand adjustment is defined as Gp(t), the first fuel consumption amount TC1 and the second fuel consumption amount TC2 can be expressed by the following (Equation 8) and (Equation 9), respectively. TC1 = Σ(Gp(t)·(1−Rq2)) / ηe (Equation 8) TC2 = Σ(Gp(t)·Rq2) / ηe (Equation 9)

[0097] In step S503 shown in FIG. 5B , the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 compares the magnitude relationship between the first fuel consumption amount TC1 calculated using (Equation 8) in step S502 and the first fuel surplus amount TS1 calculated using (Equation 1), and also compares the magnitude relationship between the second fuel consumption amount TC2 calculated using (Equation 9) in step S502 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 calculated using (Equation 2).

[0098] If the comparison result in step S503 indicates that both or either one of (first fuel consumption amount TC1 < first fuel surplus amount TS1) and (second fuel consumption amount TC2 < second fuel surplus amount TS2) is not true (No in step S503), the mixed combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 advances the processing flow to the next step S504.

[0099] On the other hand, if the comparison result in step S503 indicates that both (first fuel consumption amount TC1 < first fuel surplus amount TS1) and (second fuel consumption amount TC2 < second fuel surplus amount TS2) are true (YES in step S503), the mixed combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines that power generation control through mixed combustion operation in supply and demand adjustment mode is currently possible, and jumps the processing flow to step S506.

[0100] In step S504, it is determined whether or not both of the following conditions are met: (first fuel consumption amount TC1<first fuel surplus amount TS1) and (second fuel consumption amount TC2>second fuel surplus amount TS2).

[0101] If the determination result in step S504 is that both or either one of (first fuel consumption TC1<first fuel surplus TS1) and (second fuel consumption TC2>second fuel surplus TS2) is not true (No in step S504), the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 of the power generation system 11 proceeds to step S505. On the other hand, if the determination result in step S504 is that both (first fuel consumption TC1<first fuel surplus TS1) and (second fuel consumption TC2>second fuel surplus TS2) are true (Yes in step S504), the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 of the power generation system 11 determines that power generation control by single-fuel operation using only the first fuel F1 in the supply and demand adjustment mode is currently possible, and jumps to step S508.

[0102] In step S505, it is determined whether both of the following conditions are met: (first fuel consumption amount TC1 > first fuel surplus amount TS1) and (second fuel consumption amount TC2 < second fuel surplus amount TS2). If the determination in step S505 indicates that both or either one of the following conditions is not met (first fuel consumption amount TC1 > first fuel surplus amount TS1) and (second fuel consumption amount TC2 < second fuel surplus amount TS2) (No in step S505), the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 included in the power generation system 11 determines that power generation control in the supply and demand adjustment mode is currently difficult, and jumps to step S510.

[0103] On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step S505 is that both (first fuel consumption amount TC1 > first fuel surplus amount TS1) and (second fuel consumption amount TC2 < second fuel surplus amount TS2) are true (YES in step S505), the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines that power generation control by single-fuel operation using only the second fuel F2 in supply and demand adjustment mode is currently possible, and jumps the processing flow to step S509.

[0104] In step S506, since power generation control by mixed combustion operation in supply and demand adjustment mode is currently possible, the mixed combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 stores the operating point (operating mode) in the operating history management unit 312 as an operating establishment point.

[0105] In step S507, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines whether the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process in step S501 has reached a predetermined number of repetitions N (n<N?).

[0106] If the result of the judgment in step S507 is that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has not reached the predetermined set number of times N (Yes in step S507), the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 returns the processing flow to the operating point setting process in step S501 and searches for a surrounding operating point other than the operating point in question.

[0107] On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step S507 indicates that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has reached the predetermined set number N (No in step S507), the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 terminates the search for surrounding operating points aimed at high power generation efficiency.

[0108] In step S508, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines whether the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process in step S501 has reached a predetermined set number of times N (n<N?).

[0109] If the determination result in step S508 indicates that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has not reached the predetermined number of times N (Yes in step S508), the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 included in the power generation system 11 returns the process flow to the operating point setting process in step S501 and searches for other peripheral operating points that aim for high power generation efficiency and are different from the most recent operating point. In this case, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 included in the power generation system 11 may search for other peripheral operating points that aim for high power generation efficiency by reducing the proportion of the second fuel F2 (reducing the multi-fuel combustion ratio Rq2 focusing on the second fuel F2).

[0110] Here, in order to reduce the mixed-combustion ratio Rq2 focusing on the second fuel F2, it is sufficient to appropriately adopt any of the following approaches: reducing the second fuel consumption amount TC2, increasing the first fuel consumption amount TC1, or a combination of these approaches.

[0111] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S508 indicates that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has reached the predetermined set number N (No in step S508), the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 terminates the search for surrounding operating points aimed at high power generation efficiency.

[0112] In step S509, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines whether the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process in step S501 has reached a predetermined number of repetitions N (n<N?).

[0113] If the determination result in step S509 indicates that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has not reached the predetermined number N (Yes in step S509), the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 included in the power generation system 11 returns the process flow to the operating point setting process in step S501 and searches for other peripheral operating points that aim for high power generation efficiency and are different from the most recent operating point. In this case, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 included in the power generation system 11 may search for other peripheral operating points that aim for high power generation efficiency by increasing the proportion of the second fuel F2 (increasing the multi-fuel combustion ratio Rq2 focusing on the second fuel F2).

[0114] Here, in order to increase the mixed-fuel ratio Rq2 focusing on the second fuel F2, it is sufficient to appropriately adopt any of the following approaches: increasing the second fuel consumption amount TC2, reducing the first fuel consumption amount TC1, or a combination of these approaches.

[0115] On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step S509 indicates that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has reached the predetermined set number of times N (No in step S509), the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 terminates the search for surrounding operating points aimed at high power generation efficiency.

[0116] In step S510, the multi-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines whether the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process in step S501 has reached a predetermined number of repetitions N (n<N?).

[0117] If the result of the judgment in step S510 is that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has not reached the predetermined set number of times N (Yes in step S510), the mixed-fuel combustion control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 returns the processing flow to the operating point setting process in step S501 and searches for other surrounding operating points that are different from the most recent operating point.

[0118] On the other hand, if the result of the judgment in step S510 is that the number of repetitions n of the operating point setting process has reached the predetermined set number N (No in step S510), the mixed-fuel control management device 13 provided in the power generation system 11 determines that operation of the mixed-fuel power generation device 15 in the supply and demand adjustment mode is not possible, and terminates the search for surrounding operating points.

[0119] [Configuration, operation and effect of power generation system 11 according to the present invention] A power generation system 11 according to a first aspect is a power generation system 11 including an engine generator 21 capable of generating power using two or more types of fuel including a first fuel F1 and a second fuel F2, and includes information acquisition units 13, 15 that acquire various information including a required amount of power to be generated for power supply and demand adjustment, a first fuel surplus amount TS1 that is the surplus amount of the first fuel F1 that can be used for generating power related to the required amount of power to be generated, a second fuel surplus amount TS2 that is the surplus amount of the second fuel F2 that can be used for generating power related to the required amount of power to be generated, and operational records of the engine generator 21; a calculation unit 13 that calculates a first amount of power to be generated based on the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and a second amount of power to be generated based on the second fuel surplus amount TS2, and calculates an integrated amount of power to be generated by integrating the first amount of power to be generated and the second amount of power to be generated; the control unit 13, 15, 23 sets an operating mode of the engine generator 21 based on the various information acquired by the information acquisition unit 13, 15, and performs power generation control for the engine generator 21 using the set operating mode, when the determination unit 13 determines that the integrated power generation amount exceeds the required power generation amount for power supply and demand adjustment, and sets an operating mode for power supply and demand adjustment including a fuel mix ratio Rq2 to be used and power generation output based on the calculated integrated power generation amount, and performs power generation control for the engine generator 21 using the set operating mode for power supply and demand adjustment.

[0120] According to the power generation system 11 based on the first aspect, the power generation system 11 includes an engine generator 21 capable of generating electricity using two or more types of fuel, enabling the effective use of infrastructure resources. Furthermore, by supplying a second fuel F2 derived from renewable energy to an existing emergency engine generator 21 that uses a first fuel F1, the engine generator 21 can be used for adjusting power supply and demand. This eliminates the need to add a new engine generator for adjusting power supply and demand, thereby reducing capital investment. Furthermore, by utilizing the second fuel F2 derived from renewable energy, the total fuel cost Pt can be reduced, and CO2 emissions from the engine generator can be expected to be reduced.

[0121] Furthermore, by using the existing emergency engine generator 21 in combination with other equipment for adjusting power supply and demand, it is possible to increase the operating rate, thereby eliminating the need for annual regular maintenance (although regular maintenance is still required), and the secondary effect of suppressing fuel deterioration can also be expected.

[0122] The power generation system 11 based on the second aspect may be the power generation system 11 based on the first aspect, and the information acquisition units 13, 15 may be configured to acquire a first fuel surplus amount TS1, which is the surplus amount of first fuel F1 available for power generation related to the required power generation amount for power supply and demand adjustment, by subtracting a first fuel reserve amount TE1 related to a specific use other than for power supply and demand adjustment from a first fuel remaining amount T1, which is the actual remaining amount of the first fuel F1.

[0123] According to the power generation system 11 based on the second perspective, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the first perspective, it is possible to operate the engine generator 21 for adjusting power supply and demand while ensuring operation using the first fuel reserve amount TE1 for specific purposes other than adjusting power supply and demand (for example, for emergency use during a power outage, etc.).

[0124] The power generation system 11 based on the third aspect may be the power generation system 11 based on the first aspect, and the information acquisition units 13, 15 may be configured to acquire a second fuel surplus amount TS2, which is the surplus amount of second fuel F2 available for power generation related to the required power generation amount for power supply and demand adjustment, by subtracting a second fuel reserve amount TE2 related to a specific use other than for power supply and demand adjustment from a second fuel remaining amount T1, which is the actual remaining amount of the second fuel F2.

[0125] According to the power generation system 11 based on the third perspective, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the second perspective, it is possible to operate the engine generator 21 for adjusting power supply and demand while ensuring operation using the second fuel reserve amount TE2 for specific purposes other than adjusting power supply and demand (for example, for emergency use during a power outage, etc.).

[0126] A power generation system 11 based on a fourth aspect may be the power generation system 11 based on the third aspect, wherein the engine generator 21 is connected to a plurality of power supply switching switches 31, (32), 33, the determination unit 13 (305) further determines whether a power outage has occurred in the power grid 19, and when the determination unit 13 (305) determines that a power outage has occurred in the power grid 19, the control units 13, 15, 23 switch the operation mode of the plurality of power supply switching switches 31, (32), 33 to a power outage mode, thereby supplying generated power based on operation of the engine generator 21 using at least one of the first fuel reserve amount TE1 and the second fuel reserve amount TE1 to a power consumer 35.

[0127] According to the power generation system 11 based on the fourth aspect, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the third aspect, even if a power outage occurs in the power grid 19, the power generated based on the operation of the engine generator 21 using at least one of the first fuel reserve amount TE1 and the second fuel reserve amount TE1 can be supplied to the power consumer 35, thereby making it possible to establish a solid power supply system in the event of a power outage.

[0128] The power generation system 11 based on a fifth aspect may be the power generation system 11 based on the third aspect, wherein the engine generator 21 is connected to a plurality of power supply switching switches 31, (32), 33, and the control units 13, 15, 23 may be configured to supply generated power based on multi-fuel operation of the engine generator 21 using at least one of the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 to a power consumer 35 when the determination unit 13 determines that the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for power supply and demand adjustment.

[0129] According to the power generation system 11 based on the fifth aspect, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the third aspect, when the judgment unit 13 determines that the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for the power supply and demand adjustment, the generated power based on the mixed combustion operation of the engine generator 21 using at least one of the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 is supplied to the power consumer 35, thereby making it possible to establish a solid power supply system when adjusting power supply and demand.

[0130] The power generation system 11 based on a sixth aspect may be the power generation system 11 based on the third aspect, wherein the engine generator 21 is connected to a plurality of power supply switching switches 31, (32), 33, and the control units 13, 15, 23 may be configured to supply generated power based on the multi-fuel operation of the engine generator 21 using both the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 to a power consumer 35 when the determination unit 13 determines that the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for power supply and demand adjustment.

[0131] According to the power generation system 11 based on the sixth aspect, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the third aspect, when the judgment unit 13 determines that the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for adjusting the power supply and demand, the power generated based on the mixed combustion operation of the engine generator 21 using both the first fuel surplus amount TS1 and the second fuel surplus amount TS2 is supplied to the power consumer 35. Therefore, as with the power generation system 11 based on the fifth aspect, a solid power supply system can be established when adjusting the power supply and demand.

[0132] When performing a multi-fuel combustion operation of the engine generator 21 for the purpose of meeting the required amount of generated power for adjusting the supply and demand of electricity, it is preferable that the type of fuel used there comply with the demand for reducing CO2 emissions. Also, it is preferable to generate an amount of electricity with a surplus when adjusting the supply and demand of electricity.

[0133] Therefore, the power generation system 11 based on the seventh aspect is the power generation system 11 based on the sixth aspect, and when setting the operating mode for adjusting the power supply and demand, the control units 13, 15, 23 may be configured to set the operating mode for adjusting the power supply and demand, including the mixed-combustion ratio Rq2 of the fuel types to be used and the power generation output, so that at least one of the total fuel cost Pt and the total CO2 emissions for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2 is minimized.

[0134] According to the power generation system 11 based on the seventh aspect, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the sixth aspect, it is possible to simultaneously achieve both the reduction of CO2 emissions and the securing of generated power.

[0135] The power generation system 11 based on the eighth aspect is the power generation system 11 based on the sixth aspect, and when setting the operating mode for adjusting power supply and demand, the control units 13, 15, 23 may be configured to set the operating mode for adjusting power supply and demand, including the mix-combustion ratio of the fuel types to be used and the power generation output, so that an integrated value obtained by integrating a first integrated value obtained by multiplying a predetermined first coefficient a1 by the total fuel cost Pt for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2, and a second integrated value obtained by multiplying a predetermined second coefficient a2 by the total CO2 emissions for the first fuel F1 and the second fuel F2, is minimized.

[0136] According to the power generation system 11 based on the eighth aspect, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the seventh aspect, by setting the first coefficient a1 and the second coefficient a2 to appropriate values, the level of CO2 emission reduction and the level of power generation can be appropriately adjusted.

[0137] A power generation system 11 according to a ninth aspect is the power generation system 11 according to the third aspect, wherein the engine generator 21 is connected to a first power supply changeover switch 31 and a second power supply changeover switch 33, the determination unit 13 (305) further determines whether or not a power outage has occurred in the power grid 19, and when the determination unit 13 (305) determines that a power outage has occurred in the power grid 19, the control units 13, 15, 23 operate the first power supply changeover switch 31 to cut off the connection between the engine generator 21 and the power grid 19 and to connect the engine generator 21 and a power consumer 35, while When the determination unit 13 (305) determines that a power outage has occurred in the power grid 19 and the first power supply switching switch 31 is connected to the power grid 19, a configuration may be adopted in which the connection to the power grid 19 is cut off and the second power supply switching switch 33 is operated to connect the engine generator 21 and the power consumer 35 (see FIG. 1A).

[0138] According to the power generation system 11 based on the ninth aspect, in addition to the effects of the power generation system 11 based on the third aspect, even if a power outage occurs in the power grid 19, the first power supply switching switch 31 and the second power supply switching switch 33 are switched appropriately, so that a solid power supply system can be established in the event of a power outage.

[0139] [Other Embodiments] The above-described embodiments and modifications are illustrative of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by these descriptions. This is because the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit or main characteristics thereof.

[0140] It is also possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment described here with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment.It is also possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

[0141] Furthermore, the control lines and information lines shown are those considered necessary for explanation, and not all control lines and information lines are necessarily shown in the product. In reality, it may be considered that almost all components are interconnected. For example, in the power generation system 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention, when a gas fuel such as methane or propane is used as the first fuel F1, the first fuel F1 may be mixed with the second fuel F2 in advance, and an ignition plug may be used instead of the injector 49 to ignite the mixture.

[0142] Finally, some or all of the components, functions, processing units, etc. included in the power generation system 11 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. Furthermore, the components, functions, processing units, etc. described above may be implemented in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as the programs, tables, and files that implement each function may be stored in a storage device such as a memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or in a storage medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0143] 11 Power generation system 13 Multi-fuel combustion control management device (information acquisition unit, calculation unit, determination unit, control unit) 15 Multi-fuel power generation device (information acquisition unit, control unit) 17 Supply and demand adjustment management system 19 Power grid (power system) 21 Multi-fuel engine generator (engine generator) 23 Multi-fuel control unit (control unit) 25 First fuel tank 27 Second fuel tank 31 First power supply changeover switch 33 Second power supply changeover switch 35 Power consumer F1 First fuel F2 Second fuel T1 First fuel remaining amount T2 Second fuel remaining amount TE1 First fuel reserve amount TE2 Second fuel reserve amount TS1 First fuel surplus amount TS2 Second fuel surplus amount Rq2 Multi-fuel ratio

Claims

1. A power generation system equipped with an engine generator capable of generating power using two or more types of fuel including a first fuel and a second fuel, comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires various information including a required amount of power to be generated for power supply and demand adjustment, a first fuel surplus that is the amount of surplus of the first fuel that can be used for power generation related to the required amount of power to be generated, a second fuel surplus that is the amount of surplus of the second fuel that can be used for power generation related to the required amount of power to be generated, and operating history of the engine generator; a calculation unit that calculates a first amount of power to be generated based on the first fuel surplus and a second amount of power to be generated based on the second fuel surplus, and calculates an integrated amount of power to be generated by integrating the first amount of power to be generated and the second amount of power to be generated; a determination unit that determines whether the integrated amount of power to be generated calculated by the calculation unit is larger or smaller than the required amount of power to be generated for power supply and demand adjustment acquired by the information acquisition unit; and a control unit that sets an operating mode of the engine generator based on the various information acquired by the information acquisition unit, and performs power generation control for the engine generator using the set operating mode, when the determining unit determines that the integrated amount of generated power exceeds the required amount of generated power for power supply and demand adjustment, the control unit sets an operation mode for power supply and demand adjustment including a mix-combustion ratio of fuel types to be used and power output based on the calculated integrated amount of generated power, and controls power generation of the engine generator using the set operation mode for power supply and demand adjustment.

2. A power generation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the information acquisition unit acquires the first fuel surplus amount, which is the surplus amount of the first fuel available for power generation related to the required power generation amount for power supply and demand adjustment, by subtracting the first fuel stockpiled amount related to specific uses excluding the power supply and demand adjustment from the first fuel remaining amount, which is the actual remaining amount of the first fuel.

3. A power generation system as described in claim 2, characterized in that the information acquisition unit acquires the second fuel surplus amount, which is the surplus amount of the second fuel available for power generation related to the required power generation amount for power supply and demand adjustment, by subtracting the second fuel stockpiled amount related to specific uses excluding the power supply and demand adjustment from the second fuel remaining amount, which is the actual remaining amount of the second fuel.

4. A power generation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the engine generator is connected to a plurality of power supply switching switches, the determination unit further determines whether or not a power outage has occurred in the power grid, and when the determination unit determines that a power outage has occurred in the power grid, the control unit switches the operating mode of the plurality of power supply switching switches to a power outage mode, thereby supplying generated power to power consumers based on operation of the engine generator using at least one of the first fuel reserve amount and the second fuel reserve amount.

5. A power generation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the engine generator is connected to a plurality of power supply switching switches, and when the determination unit determines that the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for adjusting the power supply and demand, the control unit switches the operation mode of the plurality of power supply switching switches to a supply and demand adjustment mode, thereby supplying generated power to power consumers based on the mixed combustion operation of the engine generator using at least one of the first fuel surplus amount and the second fuel surplus amount.

6. A power generation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the engine generator is connected to a plurality of power supply switching switches, and when the determination unit determines that the integrated generated power amount exceeds the required generated power amount for adjusting the power supply and demand, the control unit switches the operation mode of the plurality of power supply switching switches to a supply and demand adjustment mode, thereby supplying generated power to power consumers based on the mixed combustion operation of the engine generator using both the first fuel surplus amount and the second fuel surplus amount.

7. A power generation system as described in claim 6, wherein, when setting the operating mode for adjusting the power supply and demand, the control unit sets the operating mode for adjusting the power supply and demand, including the mixed combustion ratio of the fuel types to be used and the power generation output, so as to minimize at least one of the total fuel cost and the total CO2 emissions related to the first fuel and the second fuel.

8. A power generation system as described in claim 6, wherein, when setting the operating mode for adjusting the power supply and demand, the control unit sets the operating mode for adjusting the power supply and demand, including the mixed combustion ratio of the fuel types used and the power generation output, so that an integrated value obtained by integrating a first integrated value obtained by multiplying the total fuel cost for the first fuel and the second fuel by a predetermined first coefficient and a second integrated value obtained by multiplying the CO2 emissions for the first fuel and the second fuel by a predetermined second coefficient, is minimized.

9. A power generation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the engine generator is connected to a first power supply switching switch and a second power supply switching switch, respectively; the determination unit further determines whether or not a power outage has occurred in the power grid; and the control unit, when the determination unit determines that a power outage has occurred in the power grid, operates the first power supply switching switch to cut off the connection between the engine generator and the power grid and to connect the engine generator and the power consumer, while, when the determination unit determines that a power outage has occurred in the power grid and the first power supply switching switch is connected to the power grid, operates the second power supply switching switch to cut off the connection to the power grid and to connect the engine generator and the power consumer.

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