Power Plant Control Using Lifetime-Aware Renewable Dispatch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional control methods for power plants with renewable energy systems fail to consider interactions between different energy devices and control features, leading to suboptimal performance in terms of residual lifetime, energy production, and power demand satisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A method of controlling a power plant that includes modeling future environmental conditions and operating modes of renewable energy systems, considering interactions between energy systems, to optimize residual lifetime, energy production, and power demand satisfaction by adjusting operating modes such as activation or deactivation of overrating or de-rating features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate control systems are used for different plant functions, then each control function can be optimized independently, but the overall system complexity increases and integration becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate control systems (process control, asset management, maintenance management, inspection management) into a single integrated control system. This integration allows different plant functions to be managed through one unified platform, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the reliability of individual control functions through modular design elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed with multi-functionality to handle diverse plant operations including process control, asset management, maintenance scheduling, and inspection coordination. This universal approach allows a single system to perform multiple roles that previously required separate dedicated systems, simplifying integration while preserving specialized control capabilities.
2Measurement precision
If detailed real-time monitoring of all plant parameters is implemented, then operational awareness and safety are improved, but data processing requirements and system resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system segments data processing by prioritizing critical parameters and dividing attention into different time scales. Urgent parameters receive real-time processing while less critical parameters are monitored at lower frequencies. This segmentation reduces overall computational energy consumption while maintaining precise monitoring of safety-critical parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial monitoring intensity to different parameters based on their importance. Rather than applying maximum monitoring intensity uniformly to all parameters, the system uses excessive (high-intensity) monitoring only for critical safety parameters while using reduced-intensity monitoring for non-critical parameters, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining necessary measurement precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of controlling the operation of a power plant is provided. The power plant comprises plural energy systems (110-140) that are individually controllable, the plural energy systems comprising plural renewable energy generating systems (110, 120) of at least one type, wherein the plural energy systems are coupled to a power grid (200) for exchanging electrical power with the power grid (200). The method includes obtaining operating data (40) of at least the renewable energy generating systems (110, 120) of said type, the operating data (40) being at least indicative of a lifetime consumption of the renewable energy generating systems (110, 120); obtaining estimated environmental data that estimates one or more future environmental conditions; and modeling at least one of residual lifetime, energy production, or power demand satisfaction for a power demand from the power grid for the energy systems of the power plant (100). The modeling is based on the obtained operating data (40) and is performed for a future period of time using the estimated environmental data. The modeling considers a modification of operating modes of at least the renewable energy generating systems (110, 120). Based on the modeling, the operation of the power plant (100) is adjusted.