Operation of power plants at transient loads during transfer events on transmission lines

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for controlling a power plant (100). The method may include detecting an instantaneous load on the power plant (100) and monitoring system reactance during operation under the instantaneous load. The system reactance is compared to a switching threshold indicating a switching event on a set of transmission lines (160). If the switching threshold is exceeded, a first control setting is used to operate a gas turbine under the instantaneous load, the first control setting having an instantaneous fuel management profile, an instantaneous shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine. If the switching threshold is not exceeded, but one of the electrical characteristics exceeds a stability threshold, a second control setting is used to operate the gas turbine under the instantaneous load, the second control setting having dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine and not having an instantaneous fuel management profile or an instantaneous shunt bias profile.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to the operation of power plants. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for operating a power plant under transient load during a switching event on a transmission line.

[0002] Power plants typically include various turbines and / or systems for generating electrical output. Such power plants may include prime movers (e.g., rotatable shafts or similar elements) for connecting power sources to generators. For example, a power plant may include a gas turbine assembly having a compressor coupled to the gas turbine. The gas turbine may be coupled to and drive a generator mounted on the same shaft. The generator produces power output.

[0003] Generators can be electrically coupled to the power grid (i.e., the power infrastructure used to deliver electricity to customers) via various transmission lines. A technical challenge associated with operating a power plant is adapting to transient load demand, i.e., periods of time during which customer demand fluctuates significantly and requires the power plant to change from one output level to a significantly higher or lower output level. Conventional control systems used to operate power plants can analyze the electrical characteristics of the power grid by examining the impact of non-transient load settings and transient load settings on the power plant's internal parameters, thereby distinguishing between non-transient load settings and transient load settings based on the grid's electrical characteristics. However, such methods are insufficient to distinguish between actual fluctuations in customer demand and changes that may be caused by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters, maintenance operations on the power grid, etc. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a method for controlling a power plant having a generator mechanically coupled to a gas turbine via a shaft and electrically coupled to a power grid via a set of transmission lines. The method includes: detecting an instantaneous load on the power plant based on electrical characteristics of the power grid and the power plant, wherein the electrical characteristics of the power grid include the system reactance of the power grid; monitoring the system reactance of the power grid via the generator during operation of the power plant under the instantaneous load; determining whether the system reactance of the power grid exceeds a switching threshold, the switching threshold indicating a switching event on the set of transmission lines; in response to the system reactance exceeding the switching threshold: operating the gas turbine under the instantaneous load using a first control setting, the first control setting including an instantaneous fuel management profile, an instantaneous shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine; and in response to the system reactance not exceeding the switching threshold and one of the electrical characteristics of the power plant exceeding a stability threshold: operating the gas turbine under the instantaneous load using a second control setting, the second control setting including dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine, wherein the second control setting does not include the instantaneous fuel management profile or the instantaneous shunt bias profile.

[0005] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for controlling a power plant having a generator mechanically coupled to a gas turbine via a shaft and electrically coupled to a power grid via a set of transmission lines. The computer-readable storage medium includes program code for causing a computer system to perform actions including: detecting an instantaneous load on the power plant based on electrical characteristics of the power grid and the power plant, wherein the electrical characteristics of the power grid include the system reactance of the power grid; monitoring the system reactance of the power grid via the generator during operation of the power plant under the instantaneous load; and determining whether the system reactance of the power grid exceeds the limit. If a switching threshold is exceeded, indicating a switching event on a set of transmission lines; in response to the system reactance exceeding the switching threshold: the gas turbine is operated under instantaneous load using a first control setting, the first control setting including an instantaneous fuel management profile, an instantaneous shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine; and in response to the system reactance not exceeding the switching threshold, and one of the electrical characteristics of the power plant exceeding a stability threshold: the gas turbine is operated under instantaneous load using a second control setting, the second control setting including dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine, wherein the second control setting does not include an instantaneous fuel management profile or an instantaneous shunt bias profile.

[0006] Additional aspects of this disclosure provide a system comprising: a power plant having a generator mechanically coupled to a gas turbine via a shaft, and the generator being electrically coupled to a power grid via a set of transmission lines; a system controller communicating with the gas turbine of the power plant, the system controller being operable to: detect an instantaneous load on the power plant based on electrical characteristics of the power grid and electrical characteristics of the power plant, wherein the electrical characteristics of the power grid include the system reactance of the power grid; monitor the system reactance of the power grid via the generator during operation of the power plant under instantaneous load; determine whether the system reactance of the power grid exceeds a switching threshold, the switching threshold indicating a switching event on a set of transmission lines; in response to the system reactance exceeding the switching threshold: operate the gas turbine under instantaneous load using a first control setting, the first control setting including an instantaneous fuel management profile, an instantaneous shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine; and in response to the system reactance not exceeding the switching threshold and one of the electrical characteristics of the power plant exceeding a stability threshold: operate the gas turbine under instantaneous load using a second control setting, the second control setting including dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine, wherein the second control setting does not include the instantaneous fuel management profile or the instantaneous shunt bias profile.

[0007] The exemplary aspects of this disclosure are designed to address the problems described herein and / or other problems not discussed herein. Attached Figure Description

[0008] These and other features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of various aspects of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings depicting various embodiments thereof, wherein:

[0009] Figure 1 This is a comparison graph of power transfer in megawatts (MW) and phase shift in degrees (°), showing the impact of switching events on a power plant when operating under instantaneous load.

[0010] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a power plant, power grid, gas turbine control system and excitation system according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0011] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an actuator controller, power plant, power grid, and various sub-components according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 4 An exemplary flowchart of a method for operating a power plant under transient load during a transmission line switching event, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is provided.

[0013] Figure 5 A set of exemplary graphs illustrating power output and frequency during the use of a transmission line in accordance with the method of this disclosure are provided.

[0014] Figure 6 A set of exemplary graphs are provided illustrating the power output and frequency during the addition of an available transmission line in a method according to this disclosure.

[0015] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings of this disclosure are not drawn to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of this disclosure and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of this disclosure. In the drawings, similar numbers denote similar elements between the figures. Detailed Implementation

[0016] First, in order to clearly describe the present art, it will be necessary to select certain terms when referring to and describing related machine parts within the various systems, components, and other embodiments of this disclosure. To the extent possible, common industry terms will be used and adopted in a manner consistent with the accepted meaning of the terms. Unless otherwise stated, such terms should be given a broad interpretation consistent with the context of this application and the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will understand that several different or overlapping terms may generally be used to refer to a particular part. An object that can be described herein as a single part may include multiple parts and is referred to in another context as being composed of multiple parts. Alternatively, an object that can be described herein as comprising multiple parts may elsewhere be referred to as a single part.

[0017] In addition, several descriptive terms may be used regularly in this document, as described below. The terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the location or importance of a single component.

[0018] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that, when used in the specification, the terms “comprising” and / or “including” specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. “Optional” or “optionally” means that an event or condition subsequently described may or may not occur, and the description includes instances where the event occurs and instances where the event does not occur.

[0019] When an element or layer is referred to as “on,” “joined to,” “connected to,” or “linked to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, joined to, connected to, or linked to another element or layer, or an intermediary element or layer may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as “directly on another element or layer,” “directly joined to another element or layer,” “directly connected to another element or layer,” or “directly linked to another element or layer,” an intermediary element or layer may not be present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” vs. “directly between,” “adjacent” vs. “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0020] Embodiments of this disclosure provide methods, procedures, and systems for controlling power plants. Such power plants may include generators mechanically coupled via shafts to, for example, gas turbines, and wherein the generators are electrically coupled to the power grid via a set of transmission lines. The methods of this disclosure are operable to detect whether instantaneous load on the power plant is caused by fluctuations in customer demand on the power grid or by a “transition event.” As used herein, the term “transition event” refers to any event on the power grid that changes the number of available transmission lines that can be used to transfer power from the generator to the grid infrastructure. Therefore, a transition event is a type of event that causes a power plant to operate under instantaneous load.

[0021] The method according to this disclosure detects transient loads on a power plant based on the electrical characteristics of the power grid and the power plant itself. Such characteristics, and related actions for detecting transient loads on a power plant via a generator, are discussed in more detail in U.S. Patent 10,205,414, which is incorporated herein by reference. The method according to this disclosure may include monitoring system reactance (i.e., resistivity opposite to the current originating from inductive and / or capacitive components) during operation of the power plant under transient load. Embodiments of the invention may compare the monitored reactance to one or more switching thresholds to assess whether a switching event has occurred. If the calculated system reactance exceeds a switching threshold (i.e., it indicates a switching event), this disclosure may include operating a gas turbine via a first control setting to compensate for the switching event, the first control setting having a transient fuel management profile, a transient shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters. The transient fuel management profile, transient shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters of the first control setting may compensate for sudden losses or recovery of transmission lines during a switching event. If the calculated reactance does not exceed the switching threshold (i.e., no switching event occurs), but at least one monitored electrical characteristic exceeds the stability threshold, this disclosure may include operating the gas turbine via a second control setting that has only dynamic intake parameters and no instantaneous fuel management profile or instantaneous shunt bias profile. Therefore, the second control setting compensates for potential instabilities during instantaneous operation without further compensating for changes in the transmission line.

[0022] First refer to Figure 1 This diagram illustrates a graph of power transfer (i.e., the amount of power transferred from the generator to the grid in megawatts (MW)) to an AC generator on a power grid. The graph depicts power transfer against the load angle / torque angle / power (e.g., the angle difference between the generator and the grid, in degrees or degrees), with two curves representing two states: operation using one transmission line or operation using two transmission lines. In a simplified example, a transition event may include a grid operator simply using an electrical switch to allow or block current through a selected transmission line. In another example, a transition event may include the sudden and unexpected unavailability of one or more transmission lines due to, for example, a natural disaster, and the sudden restoration of one or more transmission lines during maintenance operations on the grid. Regardless of the underlying cause, transition events do not reflect a change in the actual power demand on the grid but can still cause a significant and temporary increase or decrease in the amount of power required to maintain reliable power plant operation.

[0023] Figure 1The graph depicts an exemplary switching event where one of two transmission lines becomes unavailable. Initially, the generator can operate using the power output and phase shift indicated by point "OP2" on its power transfer curve. However, when the switching event occurs and causes one of many transmission lines to become unavailable, the amount of power delivered to the grid immediately decreases, for example, with the reactance decreasing from its position. Figure 1 The initial values ​​in the example change proportionally. If the power plant operator responds by increasing the power output from the generator, losing a transmission line will still affect the total phase shift between the generator and the grid. This is depicted at point "OP1" on the power transfer curve for only one transmission line in the accompanying plot. Here, the power transfer could be equal to point "OP2," but with a phase shift of approximately twenty degrees. Therefore, the number of available transmission lines can significantly affect the electrical behavior of the power plant. Nevertheless, instructing the power plant to overcorrect electrical changes from switching operations can adversely affect fuel combustion efficiency and / or the lifespan of power generation components within the power plant. Embodiments of this disclosure provide features for distinguishing between switching operations and other transient events to better manage gas turbine operation during such events.

[0024] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a power plant 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, the power plant 100 may take the form of a power plant having at least one turbine assembly (e.g., a gas turbine system, a combined cycle power assembly, and / or other types of turbines) 120. Although the turbine assembly 120 is described as a gas turbine assembly in the examples herein, other types of turbine assemblies may also be used in the embodiments of the present disclosure. The power plant 100 itself may include two, five, ten, one hundred, or more turbine assemblies 120, and for illustrative purposes only, Figure 2 The image shows only one turbine assembly 120. Figure 2Other turbine components 120 are schematically shown via attached boxes. Turbine component 120 may include compressor 122. As an inlet fluid flow (e.g., air) from inlet 124 flows through compressor 122, compressor 122 compresses the inlet fluid flow. Compressor 122 may include multi-stage stator vanes (not shown) and rotating blades (not shown) positioned within compressor 122. The stator vanes and rotating blades positioned within compressor 122 may be configured to facilitate the movement and / or delivery of fluid through compressor 122. Compressor 122 may include a set of inlet guide vanes (IGV) 126. IGV 126 is an adjustable compressor inlet vane specifically configured to guide the inlet working fluid flow onto the rotating blades of compressor 122. IGV 126 is adjustable between several positions to affect the flow rate, angle of incidence, and / or other characteristics of the fluid entering compressor 122. Therefore, IGV 126 can affect the temperature of compressor 122, power output from turbine component 120, and / or other characteristics.

[0025] Compressor 122 delivers a compressed fluid stream (e.g., compressed air) to combustor 138. Combustor 138 mixes the compressed fluid stream with a pressurized fuel stream supplied by fuel source 140 and ignites the mixture to produce a combustion gas stream. The combustion gas stream is then delivered to turbine assembly 142, which typically includes multi-stage stator vanes (not shown) and turbine blades (not shown), similar to compressor 122. The combustion gas stream drives turbine assembly 142 to produce mechanical work. The mechanical work generated in turbine assembly 142 drives compressor 122 via shaft 150 and can be used to drive generator 152 (e.g., an external component) configured to generate electricity. A set (i.e., any desired number) of transmission lines 160 electrically couples generator 152 to power grid 162. Each transmission line 160 can be connected to one or more of the various turbine assemblies 120 within power plant 100. Power grid 162 refers to any electrical infrastructure used to transport energy from power plant 100 to its customers (e.g., substations, distribution lines, etc.).

[0026] like Figure 2As shown, power plant 100 may include an excitation system (hereinafter referred to as "exciter") 170 for supplying direct current (DC) voltage and current to the field windings (not shown) of shaft 150 within generator 152. Exciter 170 generates a sufficiently large magnetic field for shaft 150, which is in the form of a generator rotor, to generate its rated generator terminal voltage. Therefore, starting exciter 170 converts mechanical power into electrical power, which is delivered to grid 162 via transmission line 160. Exciter 170 can control the amplitude and phase characteristics of the voltage output by generator 152. Thus, after shaft 150 begins to rotate at its target speed, exciter 170 can synchronize the voltage output by generator 152 with the voltage of grid 162.

[0027] Exciter controller 172 may be included within or electrically communicated with exciter 170 to control various electrical characteristics of exciter 170 during operation. Such characteristics may include target amplitude and / or phase characteristics of the AC current generated by generator 152. Exciter controller 172 may control the timing and magnitude of the voltage applied by exciter 170, thereby affecting the electrical operation of turbine assemblies 120, 120. System 100 may similarly include gas turbine (“GT”) controller 180, which is configured to directly control the operation of turbine assembly 120. Thus, GT controller 180 may be structurally integrated into turbine assembly 120 or may be embodied as a separate controller communicating with turbine assembly 120. One or both of exciter controller 172 and GT controller 180 may communicate operationally with turbine assembly 120 via any suitable electronic and / or mechanical communication components or technologies. The controllers 172, 180 and their various components discussed herein may each be a single, independent system, which may be used as part of or separate from another power plant control system (e.g., a computing device) (not shown) that may control and / or regulate the operation and / or functions of the power plant 100.

[0028] The method according to this disclosure can be implemented, for example, by monitoring the electrical characteristics of the power grid 162 and the actuator 170, and controlling the operation of the turbine assembly 120 based on the monitored electrical characteristics. The actuator controller 172 may include a GT controller 180 and / or be electrically and / or mechanically connected to the GT controller, and subsequently, the actuator controller may be connected to the turbine assembly 120 via various sensors, valves, solenoids, actuators, converters, etc. (not shown) located throughout the power plant 100. Therefore, the actuator controller 172 can directly measure one or more electrical characteristics of the turbine assembly 120 to monitor corresponding characteristics of the power grid 162. According to an example, the actuator controller 172 may include one or more voltmeters, ammeters, or other electronic testing equipment for monitoring the amplitude, frequency, phase, and / or other electrical characteristics of the generator 152 during operation. The actuator controller 172 may additionally or alternatively include position sensors, rotation sensors, etc., for deriving electrical characteristics from the rotation and / or other relevant mechanical quantities of the shaft 150. The exciter controller 172 may apply algorithms, formulas, etc. to derive the electrical characteristics (e.g., power delivery, impedance, reactance, etc.) of the power grid 162 from the operation of the generator 152 and / or other components of the turbine assembly 120.

[0029] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the actuator controller 172 and its sub-components as part of the power plant 100 is shown. Figure 3 The illustrations show only one turbine assembly 120 in detail, while other turbine assemblies 120 are represented in a simplified form for clarity. As shown, the exciter controller 172 may include a computing device 200, which may include a memory 202 and a control system 204 operating thereon. The control system 204 may be a software system integrated with a portion of the exciter 170, or otherwise operatively communicated with it. The control system 204 may be implemented through two subroutines, for example, an exciter control program 212 and a GT control program 214. The exciter control program 212 may monitor and / or control various operations of the exciter 170, while the GT control program 214 may communicate with the GT controller 180 to provide it with instructions, and / or modify the actions of another control program of the GT controller 180. Although the exciter controller 172 and the GT controller 180 may be implemented operationally independently of each other and / or using different computing devices 200, it should be understood that the exciter controller 172 and the GT controller 180 may alternatively be implemented using a single device and / or hardware component. Figure 3The exciter controller 172 shown represents a configuration type for interacting with and / or controlling the power plant 100. As discussed herein, the exciter controller 172 can control the magnitude, time span, and / or other characteristics of the voltage applied by the exciter 170 to the generator 152. Within the exciter controller 172, the exciter control program 212 can monitor and / or interact with the exciter 170, while the GT control program 214 can interact with the GT controller 180 to control the operations performed by the turbine assembly 120 during operation, and in some cases override these operations.

[0030] According to the example, the exciter controller 172 can monitor the electrical characteristics of the generator 152, the power grid 162, and / or the exciter 170 to detect transient loads on the turbine assembly 120 and assess whether a switching event has occurred within the transmission line 160. The GT control program 214 can interact with the exciter control program 212 by causing the GT controller 180 to operate the turbine assembly 120 using a first control setting or a second control setting, based on whether a switching event has been detected. Embodiments of this disclosure can be configured or operated in part by a person skilled in the art, a computing device 200, and / or a combination of a person skilled in the art and a computing device 200. It should be understood that... Figure 3 Some of the various components shown may be implemented, combined, and / or stored in memory independently for one or more separate computing devices included in computing device 200. Furthermore, it should be understood that some components and / or functions may not be implemented, or alternative schemes and / or functions may be included as part of control system 204.

[0031] The computing device 200 may include a processor unit (PU) 228, an input / output (I / O) interface 230, a memory 202, and a bus 234. Furthermore, the computing device 200 is shown communicating with external I / O devices 236 and a storage system 238. The control system 204 may provide an actuator control program 212, which can then be operated using various modules 242 (e.g., calculators, determinants, comparators, etc.) to implement various functions and / or logical steps. In addition, the control system 204 may provide its own set of modules 244 (e.g., calculators, determinants, comparators, etc.) for the GT control program 214 to implement corresponding functions and / or steps of the GT control program 214. The various modules 242, 244 may use algorithm-based calculations, lookup tables, and similar tools stored in the memory 202 to process, analyze, and manipulate data to perform their respective functions. Generally, PU 228 can execute computer program code to run software, such as control system 204, which can be stored in memory 202 and / or storage system 238. When executing the computer program code, PU 228 can read and / or write data to or from memory 202, storage system 238, and / or I / O interface 236. Bus 234 can provide a communication link between each component in computing device 200. I / O device 230 can include any means that enable a user to interact with computing device 200 or any means that enable computing device 200 to communicate with the equipment and / or other computing devices described herein. I / O device 230 (including, but not limited to, keyboard, display, pointing device, etc.) can be directly or via an intermediate I / O controller (not shown) connected to actuator controller 172.

[0032] The memory 202 may also include various forms of data 250 relating to the various components of the power plant 100 (e.g., turbine assembly 120 and / or one or more of its sub-components, transmission line 160, power grid 162, etc.). The control system 204 and one or more component programs of its component programs (e.g., exciter control program 212 and / or GT control program 214) may store and interact with the data 250, which is further subdivided into various fields. For example, the generator data field 252 may store data relating to the electrical characteristics of the generator 152 (e.g., voltage amplitude, generation frequency, phase shift, internal reactance, etc.). The data 250 may also include a power grid data field 254 for classifying data for the electrical characteristics of the monitored power grid 162 (e.g., voltage amplitude, load frequency, load phase shift, external or measured reactance, etc.). One or more conversion thresholds for the system reactance of the generator 152 (i.e., the internal opposite of the current caused by inductive and / or capacitive coupling) may be stored in a threshold field 256. Such switching thresholds can specify reactance indicating a switching event (e.g., approximately two gigahertz (MΩ) reactance being monitored). Threshold field 256 can include multiple switching threshold reactances for comparison during processing, for example, to distinguish various types of switching events from other types of transient loads on turbine assembly 120. Data 250 may also include, for example, a control setting field 258 for recording different operating parameters for the operation of power plant 100 under non-transient loads, transient loads caused by switching events, and / or transient loads not caused by switching events. Control setting field 258 can be divided into different control settings (e.g., first control setting, second control setting, non-transient control setting, etc.), each corresponding to the operation of turbine assembly 120 under specific conditions. Each control setting within control setting field 258 may include one or more of the following: a fuel management profile (e.g., for controlling the combustion rate, combustion temperature, fuel injection rate, etc. of turbine assembly 120), a split bias profile (e.g., for controlling the air-to-fuel ratio supplied to the combustor 138 of turbine assembly 120 in power plant 100), intake parameters (e.g., for controlling the amount of air delivered through inlet 124, IGV position 126, etc.), and / or other parameters. The various parameters included in the control settings within control setting field 258 may be adjusted using the GT controller 180 and / or other parts of turbine assembly 120.

[0033] The computing device 200 may include any general-purpose computing artifact (e.g., personal computer, server, handheld device, etc.) installed by the user for executing computer program code. However, it should be understood that the computing device 200 represents only various possible equivalent computing devices and / or skilled workers capable of performing the various process steps of this disclosure. Additionally, the computing device 200 may be part of a larger system architecture operable to simulate and / or control aspects and elements of the actuator 170, the GT controller 180, and / or the turbine assembly 120 or other components of the power plant 100.

[0034] In this regard, in other embodiments, computing device 200 may include any dedicated computing article having hardware and / or computer program code for performing specific functions, any computing article including a combination of dedicated and general-purpose hardware / software, etc. In each case, the program code and hardware may be created using standard programming and engineering techniques, respectively. In one embodiment, computing device 200 may include a program product stored on a computer-readable storage device that can be operated to automatically control other elements of power plant 100 upon execution. Computing device 200 may also take the form of, for example, a remote monitoring system as part of a central monitoring system responsible for monitoring several power plants, turbine assembly 120, power grid 162, etc. In this case, computing device 200 may represent a part or sub-component of the central monitoring system.

[0035] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for controlling a power plant, such as a power plant 100 including one or more turbine assemblies 120. The power plant 100 may include a GT system 120 that delivers power to a power grid 162 via transmission line 160, as discussed herein. According to a specific example, Figure 4 A flowchart is provided for controlling the operation of power plant 100 in the exemplary configuration shown, but using... Figure 4 Implementations of the exemplary processing flow shown may also control power plant 100 in other configurations. Implementations of the methods described herein may be implemented, for example, using various modules and / or sub-components of exciter controller 172 and / or computing device 200. The methods according to this disclosure may also rely on other components, such as a GT controller 180 communicatively coupled to computing device 200, to operate turbine assembly 120 using various control settings as discussed herein. Power plant 100 may be operated to distinguish between multiple types of transient loads on GT system 120, and specifically, to determine whether a transient load is caused by a switching event within one of the transmission lines 160. Figure 4The exemplary flowcharts shown herein have several processes organized in an exemplary process, but it should be understood that one or more processes may be implemented simultaneously and / or sequentially and / or executed in any alternative order, while retaining the various technical features described in the examples herein.

[0036] Process P1: An exemplary embodiment of this disclosure may occur while power plant 100 is generating electricity to meet non-transient loads on grid 162. In this case, the method may initially include operating power plant 100 to generate non-transient loads (e.g., base load, minimum load, maximum load, and / or any other power output that does not change significantly over time). In this case, exciter controller 172 and / or GT controller 180 may use non-transient control settings such that turbine assembly 120 will generate power at a substantially fixed size and at a frequency and phase shift selected to match the operating characteristics of grid 162. In another example, the non-transient control settings may include variations in the magnitude of the generated power based on demand schedules and / or operational fluctuations that do not require significant changes to the power output from power plant 100 (i.e., deviations from target power output, frequency, and / or phase shifts of at most approximately 15 percent).

[0037] The process P2 of this disclosure may include monitoring the electrical characteristics of power plant 100 (including, for example, GT system 12) and grid 162 during operation. As used herein, the term "electrical characteristics" may refer to any conceivable characteristic and / or group of characteristics indicative of electrical operation, performance, etc., based on current data, historical operating data, models of power plant 100 and / or grid 162, etc. During operation, generator 152 may subsequently synchronize with grid 162, and electrical power may be transmitted to grid 162 via transmission line 160. When this occurs, exciter controller 172 may be configured to monitor various electrical characteristics of grid 162. For example, exciter controller 172 may monitor transient events of grid 162, such as increases or decreases in grid frequency, increases or decreases in active or reactive power of generator 152, etc. Transient events may include changes in electrical characteristics, such as voltage, current, active or reactive power, power factor (i.e., the ratio of actual power to apparent power in a circuit), etc.

[0038] To monitor the electrical characteristics of power plant 100 in process P2, exciter controller 172 can monitor, measure, calculate, and perform any conceivable electrical characteristics associated with generator 152, grid 162, or both. Electrical characteristics may include increases or decreases in grid frequency, increases or decreases in active or reactive power of generator 152, voltage output by generator 152 and / or grid 162, current output by generator 152 and / or grid 162, power output by generator 152 and / or grid 162, power factor of generator 152 or grid 162, etc. These and other electrical characteristics can be monitored using sensors (not shown) (such as voltage sensors, current sensors, etc.) coupled to and / or integrated with various components of power plant 100. Additionally or alternatively, exciter controller 172 can simulate these and other electrical characteristics of power plant 100 based on data received from sensors. In some cases, monitoring "transient events" may also include the exciter control program 212 monitoring whether any of the various electrical characteristics could pose a risk of destabilizing the turbine assembly 120 (e.g., frequencies significantly above or below predetermined limits, voltages, etc.). Regardless of the actions taken in process P2, the electrical characteristics of the power plant 100 may be stored, for example, in generator data field 252, and the electrical characteristics of the power grid 162 may be stored, for example, in grid data field 254.

[0039] Proceeding to determination D1, the method of the present invention may include detecting the presence of transient loads (i.e., power outputs that vary significantly over time) on power plant 100 and grid 162. The operation of power plant 100 under transient loads may be significantly defined by the system reactance of grid 162, as measured via exciter controller 172. Determination D1 may include, for example, using module 242 of exciter control program 212 to identify transient events based on the output of generator 152, the system reactance of grid 162, and / or by referencing other electrical characteristics monitored in process P2. As described herein, the term "system reactance" refers to the opposing flow of current originating from inductive and / or capacitive elements within and / or between power plant 100 and grid 162. According to an example, when generator 152 increases its power output to meet a higher load or a load decrease, and a significant increase in reactance detected on grid 162 via exciter 170 occurs, exciter control program 212 can determine that a transient load exists, and that these events occur within predetermined time spans of each other (e.g., higher load and reactance are detected within milliseconds of each other). According to another example, detecting a transient load can include, for example, identifying an increase or decrease in load swing on generator 152, which results from an increase or decrease in the number of operable lines in the transmission line group 160. The term “load swing” refers to a change in the amount of power transferred from power plant 100 to grid 162 under given time and operating conditions. Load swing refers to the fluctuation of power transfer from power plant 100 to grid 162 over time. An increased load angle may indicate an increase in the number of transmission lines, while a decreased load angle may indicate a decrease in the number of transmission lines.

[0040] Brief Reference Figures 4 to 6 In process P2, monitoring electrical characteristics can be configured to identify available transmission lines 160 ( Figure 5 The number of transmission lines increased or 160 (available) Figure 6 The number of generators has decreased. For example, generator 152 could initially produce a stable output of, for example, approximately 450 MW. Figure 5 The graph is shown below. Sudden loss of one or more transmission lines 160 may cause a sudden increase in the torque of generator 152, and thus, cause large fluctuations in power output over a short period (e.g., fluctuations between approximately 300MW and 600MW within a span of only 50ms). Loss of transmission line 160 may also cause frequency fluctuations in generator 152, for example, a sudden loss or gain of approximately 2% or more in the signal frequency within the same time span. The sudden addition of a new transmission line 160 (e.g., through repair) can create a similar, but less severe, interruption in the power output and frequency from generator 152. For example, the reinstatement of one or more transmission lines 160 may cause the power output to fluctuate between approximately 550MW and approximately 350MW over a period of approximately 200ms, with the magnitude gradually returning to approximately 450MW, as... Figure 6 As shown in the accompanying graph. Within the same time span, the frequency can fluctuate between approximately 1% more and 1% less than its initial value. These different characteristics can indicate that a conversion event has occurred. If the actuator control program 212 does not detect a transient event (i.e., determines "No" at D2), the method can return to processes P1 and P2 for operating the power plant 100 and monitoring the electrical characteristics of the generator 152 and the power grid 162. If the actuator control program 212 detects a transient event (i.e., determines "Yes" at D2), the method can continue with subsequent processes to determine whether a conversion operation has resulted in a transient event.

[0041] Refer again Figure 3 and Figure 4 Process P3 may include monitoring the system reactance of power plant 100 throughout its operation under transient load. Such elements may resist power delivery more strongly during operation under transient load, and thus may affect the total power delivery from power plant 100 to grid 162. Monitoring the system reactance in process P3 may include, for example, sampling the impedance at generator 152 of power plant 100 via exciter controller 172. The impedance may be sampled at predetermined intervals or continuously as turbine assembly 120 and generator 152 continue to operate. By measuring the impedance and comparing it to known defined parameters of power plant 100 and / or grid 162, exciter control program 212 may derive the maximum / minimum power delivery capability of power plant 100 under specific conditions. During the execution of process P3, power plant 100 may continue to operate using its non-transient control settings (e.g., as discussed in process P1). Further processing according to this disclosure may include assessing whether the monitored reactance is within the expected range of load changes on power plant 100, or whether the reactance exceeds one or more switching thresholds and thereby indicates the occurrence of a switching event (e.g., one or more transmission lines in transmission line 160 becoming inoperable or resuming operation).

[0042] The method of the present invention may include additional or alternative processes for distinguishing between different sizes of system reactance during transient operation. Specifically, module 242 of actuator control program 212 may implement further operations to characterize the system reactance of power plant 100 during transient operation. Some embodiments of this disclosure may include process P3.1, which calculates a switching threshold (expressed as, for example, maximum system reactance, a percentage of a reference value of system response, etc.) for operation under transient load. In process P3.1, module 242 of actuator control program 212 may calculate one or more threshold sizes of system reactance, which indicates a switching event on transmission line 160 or a significant electrical fault in the transmission system. The calculated switching threshold may be based at least in part on the monitored electrical characteristics of power plant 100 and grid 162 and may be stored in threshold field 256 after calculation. After the switching threshold is calculated in process P3.1, the method may return to process P3 for monitoring the system reactance of power plant 100.

[0043] The method disclosed herein may include determination D2, namely, determining (e.g., via module 242 of exciter control program 212) whether the system reactance of the power grid monitored in process P3 exceeds a switching threshold. A monitored reactance value exceeding the switching threshold may indicate that a switching event has occurred on transmission line 160 (e.g., one or more transmission lines have become new inoperable or inoperable). Where applicable, the switching threshold used for comparison may be one or more predetermined switching thresholds provided in threshold field 256, and / or may include at least one threshold reactance calculated in process P3.1. As an example, the operator of power plant 100 may characterize the range of system reactance values ​​as higher or lower than expected values ​​for operating power plant 100 under transient load. During the specific implementation of processes P2, P3, and P3.1 and determinations D1, D2, power plant 100 may continue to operate with non-transient control settings, as described herein with respect to process P1. As previously stated, the switching threshold may specify a maximum system reactance (e.g., approximately 0.25 per generator unit). If the system reactance detected in process P3 exceeds the switching threshold (i.e., determining "yes" at D2), further processing may include operating the turbine assembly 120 with a first control setting. The first control setting of the gas turbine controller may include various operating settings for compensating for the impact of the gas turbine switching event on the transmission line 160. The various characteristics of the first control setting are described in further detail elsewhere herein.

[0044] If the monitored system reactance does not exceed the conversion threshold (i.e., "No" at decision D2), further processing may include decision D3, which determines whether one or more of the monitored electrical characteristics exceed the stability threshold of power plant 100. As discussed elsewhere herein, process P2 may include monitoring the electrical characteristics of power plant 100 and grid 162, for example, to detect the presence of transient loads on power plant 100. Decision D3 may further determine whether one or more of the monitored electrical characteristics exceed the stability threshold of power plant 100. As used herein, the term "stability threshold" refers to the maximum, minimum, or range of electrical parameters required for stable operation of power plant 100 (i.e., operation without significant interruptions, electrical or mechanical damage to components, etc.). According to the example, the stability thresholds used for comparison in decision D2 may include frequency deviation (e.g., at most approximately ±5% of the nominal frequency), voltage amplitude deviation (e.g., approximately ±5% to 80%), and maximum load angle drift between the output of power plant 100 and the load of grid 162 (e.g., at most approximately greater than 90 degrees). If any electrical characteristic does not exceed the stability threshold (i.e., "No" at decision D3), the method may terminate ("Complete") without any changes to the operation of power plant 100, or alternatively may return to process P1, which continues operation of power plant 100 via a non-transient control setting. If one or more electrical characteristics exceed the stability threshold (i.e., "Yes" at decision D3), the method proceeds to process P5, which operates turbine assembly 120 with a second control setting. The second control setting implemented in process P5 may differ from the first control setting in process P4, for example, by compensating for switching events on transmission line 160, at least by taking into account possible operational instabilities, but without requiring further modification.

[0045] Referring first to process P4, embodiments of this disclosure may include operating turbine assembly 120 with a first control setting in response to detecting that the system reactance on grid 162 exceeds a switching threshold. A system reactance exceeding the switching threshold may indicate that a switching event has occurred on transmission line 160, thereby causing power plant 100 to operate in a transient state. In this case, embodiments of this disclosure include modifying the operation of power plant 100 to compensate for the electrical effects of the switching event (e.g., load swing, power transfer, phase shift, etc.). In process P4, GT control program 214 may cause turbine assembly 120 to operate using the first control setting. The first control setting may differ from a non-transient control setting at least in that it causes turbine assembly 120 to use a transient fuel management profile, a transient shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters. In some cases, the method according to the invention may include an additional process P4.1, i.e., creating the first control setting based on, for example, monitored electrical characteristics and / or grid reactance. When used in the context of the control settings of power plant 100, the term "creation" may refer to the calculation, modeling, simulation, and / or other prediction of how turbine assembly 120 will operate during transient events, as well as the calculation of various operating parameters and / or target values ​​for turbine assembly 120 that can be adjusted by exciter controller 172 and / or GT controller 180. However, various parameters derived within the first and / or second control settings may be stored, for example, in control setting field 258 of data 250.

[0046] The "instantaneous fuel management" profile refers to specified parameters for the combustion and use of fuel in turbine assembly 120. As an example, the instantaneous fuel management profile may control one or more of the following: combustion temperature, ignition rate, fuel injection rate, and / or other variables affecting fuel delivery from fuel source 140 to combustor 138 and / or the behavior of combustor 138 during operation. The instantaneous fuel management profile within the first control setting may differ from that in a non-instantaneous control setting in that it compensates for increased / decreased loads from power plant 100 on the power grid 162, for example, by increasing the combustion temperature or fuel injection rate to higher / lower values. As an example, operating turbine assembly 120 with the first control setting may include increasing the ignition temperature from approximately 1200 degrees Celsius (°C) to approximately 1400°C, increasing the fuel injection rate (in liters per second) by approximately twenty percent of its initial value, and / or similar adjustments to the use of fuel in turbine assembly 120.

[0047] The first control setting may also include an instantaneous split-flow bias profile, which causes additional operating parameters of the turbine assembly 120 to differ from their values ​​in the non-instantaneous control setting. The instantaneous split-flow bias profile of the first control setting may affect, for example, the ratio (“split ratio”) of air volume to fuel volume across different combustors in the combustion chamber when introduced into the combustor 138 from the compressor 122 and fuel source 140, respectively. While the split ratio may be fixed to a set value or a limited range during non-instantaneous operation, the instantaneous split-flow bias profile may cause the turbine assembly 120 to use different split ratio values ​​and / or ranges, depending on the turbine assembly 120’s current demand on the grid 162 and / or the rate at which the instantaneous load increases or decreases during instantaneous operation. Compared to the corresponding split ratio in the non-instantaneous operation setting, the split ratio used by the GT control program 214 as part of the first control setting may include different ranges or extended ranges. According to the example, the non-instantaneous control setting for the GT system 100 can bias the shunt ratio to approximately 170:1, while the first control setting can bias the shunt ratio to approximately 150:1.

[0048] In addition to the aforementioned operational adjustments, the first control setting may also affect the “dynamic intake parameters” of turbine assembly 120. As used herein, the term “dynamic intake parameters” may refer to any parameters of the operation of compressor 122 and / or inlet 124 that are independent of fuel management or split bias of turbine assembly 120. Such parameters may include, for example, the temperature or pressure of inlet 124, the position and / or orientation of IGV 126, and / or other operating parameters of compressor 122. Such parameters are specified as “dynamic” in the context of the first control setting because these parameters are not held at fixed values ​​to better compensate for transient loads on power plant 100 and switching events on transmission line 160. According to the example, the first control setting can cause the IGV 126 to adjust between two or more angular positions (e.g., offset between five and ten degrees relative to the initial fully open orientation) within a predetermined time span, and can adjust the temperature or pressure of the inlet 124 between two or more predetermined values ​​(e.g., between approximately 22°C and approximately 26°C) within a predetermined time span (e.g., using one or more heat exchangers, fluid control valves, etc.).

[0049] Regardless of the specific parameters selected for regulation in the first control setting, process P4 may include causing the GT controller 180 to regulate one or more components of the turbine assembly 120 to use the first control setting throughout the transient load process. In process P4, use of the first control setting may continue until the exciter controller 172 detects the end of the transient event and / or a decrease in the system reactance of the power grid 162. Such determination and subsequent actions occur in decision D4, as discussed elsewhere herein.

[0050] In cases where the system reactance does not exceed a switching threshold but one or more electrical characteristics exceed a stability threshold (i.e., "yes" at decision D2 and "yes" at decision D3), the method may include process P5 of operating the turbine assembly 120 with a second control setting. In process P5, controller 172 may cause GT controller 180 to change various operating settings of the turbine assembly 120 in a manner different from the first operating setting. Specifically, the second operating setting may include dynamic intake parameters for the first control profile, but may not include an instantaneous fuel management profile or a split-flow bias profile. The absence of an instantaneous fuel management profile and a split-flow bias profile in the second control setting may reflect that, in decision D2, it was previously determined that no switching threshold was exceeded and therefore no switching event occurred on transmission line 160. Therefore, the second control setting may be configured to accommodate situations where one or more electrical characteristics exceed a stability threshold but do not compensate for switching events on transmission line 160.

[0051] In some implementations, an additional process P5.1 for creating a second control profile may precede process P5. Process P5.1 may include any combination of calculations, models, simulations, etc., suitable for providing a dynamic intake profile to be used within the second control setting based on the monitored electrical characteristics of power plant 100 and grid 162. Except for not applying an instantaneous fuel management profile or a shunt bias profile, exciter controller 172 and GT controller 180 may cause turbine assembly 120 to implement the dynamic intake profile in substantially the same or similar manner as the specific implementation of the dynamic intake profile as part of the first control setting. Therefore, process P5 may include adjusting IGV 126 between various locations, increasing or decreasing the temperature or pressure of inlet 124 (e.g., using one or more heat exchangers, fluid control valves, etc.). Various parameters for adjusting turbine assembly 120 may be stored, for example, in control setting field 258 of data 250, as described elsewhere herein. Note that the dynamic intake profile used in process P5 may not include any parameters applicable to the instantaneous fuel management profile and / or instantaneous shunt bias profile. Therefore, operating the turbine assembly 120 with the second control setting does not affect the combustion parameters or split ratio of the turbine assembly 120.

[0052] If process P4 or process P5 is implemented and turbine assembly 120 operates under the first control setting or the second control setting, further processes may include continuing to evaluate whether turbine assembly 120 should continue to operate under the first control setting or the second control setting. Decision D4 may include, for example, determining via module 242 of exciter control program 212 whether power plant 100 has resumed operation at its previous non-instantaneous load or has reached a new operating steady state. A new operating steady state refers to a situation where power plant 100 has changed from operating at an initial load level to operating at a new load level (e.g., from base load to maximum load and vice versa, or from starting load to base load and vice versa, etc.). The determination in decision D4 may be based on, for example, the electrical characteristics of power plant 100 and / or grid 162, which can be observed using exciter control system 172 evaluating generator 152 operation. If the non-transient load has not yet recovered or a new operating steady state has not yet been reached (i.e., "No" at decision D4), the method may return to decision D2, re-determine whether the monitored reactance exceeds the switching threshold, and continue with one or more of processes P1, P4, D3, or P5 as described herein. If the non-transient load has recovered or a new operating steady state has been reached (i.e., "Yes" at decision D4), the exciter control program 172 and the GT controller 180 may stop applying the applicable first control setting or second control setting ("Completed"), or the method may return to process P1, which restores the operation of the turbine assembly 120 with the non-transient control setting.

[0053] The technical effects of the implementation described herein include regulating the response of power plant 100 to transient loads from grid 162 caused by various sources. Power plant 100 can respond to transition events on transmission line 160 with a set of operating settings, while continuing to respond to other types of transient loads through a second, different control setting that is not affected by the transition events (e.g., fuel management and / or shunt ratio). Thus, power plant 100 can compensate for different types of situations without going offline and / or reprogramming in response to sudden closure or disconnection of the transmission line from power plant 100 to grid 162.

[0054] As used throughout the specification and claims, approximate language can be used to modify any quantitative expression that allows for variation without causing a change in its underlying function. Therefore, values ​​modified by one or more terms (such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially”) are not limited to specified exact values. In at least some cases, approximate language may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value. Range limitations may be combined and / or interchanged herein and throughout the specification and claims; unless the context or language otherwise indicates, these ranges are identified and include all subranges contained therein. The term “about” applied to a specific value within a range applies to both terminating values ​​and may indicate + / - 10% of said value unless otherwise dependent on the precision of the instrument used to measure the value.

[0055] All means or steps plus functional elements in the following claims are intended to include any structure, material, action, and equivalent for performing a function in conjunction with other claimed elements of a particular claim. This disclosure has been described for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Embodiments have been selected and described to best explain the principles and practical application of this disclosure and to enable others skilled in the art to understand various embodiments of this disclosure with various modifications suitable for the intended particular use.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a power plant (100), the power plant having a generator (152) mechanically coupled to a gas turbine via a shaft (150), the generator (152) being electrically coupled to a power grid (162) via a set of transmission lines (160), the method comprising: Instantaneous load on the power plant (100) is detected based on the electrical characteristics of the power grid (162) and the electrical characteristics of the power plant (100), wherein the electrical characteristics of the power grid (162) include the system reactance of the power grid (162); During operation of the power plant (100) under the instantaneous load, the system reactance of the power grid (162) is monitored via the generator (152); Determine whether the system reactance of the power grid (162) exceeds a switching threshold, the switching threshold indicating a switching event on the set of transmission lines (160); In response to the system reactance exceeding the switching threshold: the gas turbine is operated under the instantaneous load using a first control setting, the first control setting including an instantaneous fuel management profile, an instantaneous shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine; and In response to the system reactance not exceeding the conversion threshold and one of the electrical characteristics of the power plant (100) exceeding the stability threshold: the gas turbine is operated under the instantaneous load using a second control setting, the second control setting including the dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine, wherein the second control setting does not include the instantaneous fuel management profile or the instantaneous shunt bias profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the instantaneous load includes detecting an increase in load swing on the generator (152) caused by an increase in the number of operable transmission lines (160) in the set of transmission lines (160), or a decrease in load swing on the generator (152) caused by a decrease in the number of operable transmission lines (160) in the set of transmission lines (160).

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating the first control setting and the second control setting based on the difference calculated between the system reactance and the switching threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine do not affect the combustion parameters for the burner (138) of the gas turbine.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic intake parameters do not affect the split ratio between the air inlet and the fuel inlet of the power plant (100).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first control setting and the second control setting is different from the non-instantaneous control setting, the non-instantaneous control setting being used to operate the gas turbine under non-instantaneous load.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising operating the gas turbine with the non-instantaneous control settings while determining whether the system reactance exceeds the switching threshold.

8. A program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for controlling a power plant (100) having a generator (152) mechanically coupled to a gas turbine via a shaft (150) and electrically coupled to a power grid (162) via a set of transmission lines (160), the computer-readable storage medium comprising program code for causing a computer system (120) to perform actions, the actions including: Instantaneous load on the power plant (100) is detected based on the electrical characteristics of the power grid (162) and the electrical characteristics of the power plant (100), wherein the electrical characteristics of the power grid (162) include the system reactance of the power grid (162); During operation of the power plant (100) under the instantaneous load, the system reactance of the power grid (162) is monitored via the generator (152); Determine whether the system reactance of the power grid (162) exceeds a switching threshold, the switching threshold indicating a switching event on the set of transmission lines (160); In response to the system reactance exceeding the switching threshold: the gas turbine is operated under the instantaneous load using a first control setting, the first control setting including an instantaneous fuel management profile, an instantaneous shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine; and In response to the system reactance not exceeding the conversion threshold and one of the electrical characteristics of the power plant (100) exceeding the stability threshold: the gas turbine is operated under the instantaneous load using a second control setting, the second control setting including the dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine, wherein the second control setting does not include the instantaneous fuel management profile or the instantaneous shunt bias profile.

9. The program product according to claim 8, wherein detecting the instantaneous load includes detecting an increase in load swing on the generator (152) caused by an increase in the number of operable transmission lines (160) in the set of transmission lines (160), or a decrease in load swing on the generator (152) caused by a decrease in the number of operable transmission lines (160) in the set of transmission lines (160).

10. The program product of claim 8, further comprising creating the first control setting and the second control setting based on the difference calculated between the system reactance and the switching threshold.

11. The program product according to claim 8, wherein the dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine do not affect the combustion parameters for the burner (138) of the gas turbine.

12. The program product according to claim 8, wherein the dynamic intake parameters do not affect the split ratio between the air inlet and the fuel inlet of the power plant (100).

13. The program product of claim 8, wherein each of the first control setting and the second control setting is different from the non-instantaneous control setting, the non-instantaneous control setting being used to operate the gas turbine under non-instantaneous load.

14. The program product of claim 13, further comprising operating the gas turbine with the non-instantaneous control settings while determining whether the system reactance exceeds the switching threshold.

15. A system (120) comprising: A power plant (100) having a generator (152) mechanically coupled to a gas turbine via a shaft (150), and electrically coupled to a power grid (162) via a set of transmission lines (160); and A system controller (172) communicating with the gas turbine of the power plant (100), the system controller (172) being operable to: Instantaneous load on the power plant (100) is detected based on the electrical characteristics of the power grid (162) and the electrical characteristics of the power plant (100), wherein the electrical characteristics of the power grid (162) include the system reactance of the power grid (162); During operation of the power plant (100) under the instantaneous load, the system reactance of the power grid (162) is monitored via the generator (152); Determine whether the system reactance of the power grid (162) exceeds a switching threshold, the switching threshold indicating a switching event on the set of transmission lines (160); In response to the system reactance exceeding the switching threshold: the gas turbine is operated under the instantaneous load using a first control setting, the first control setting including an instantaneous fuel management profile, an instantaneous shunt bias profile, and dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine; and In response to the system reactance not exceeding the conversion threshold and one of the electrical characteristics of the power plant (100) exceeding the stability threshold: the gas turbine is operated under the instantaneous load using a second control setting, the second control setting including the dynamic intake parameters for the gas turbine, wherein the second control setting does not include the instantaneous fuel management profile or the instantaneous shunt bias profile.

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