Steam Turbine Generator Power Control Using Thermal Margin Prediction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current nuclear power plants face challenges in efficiently managing the electric power of steam turbine generators due to fluctuations in thermal efficiency, leading to frequent manual adjustments and underutilization of thermal power margins, which affects economic performance and operational stability.

Innovation Solution

A control method and system that calculates real-time thermal power using moving averages, predicts calorific values, and adjusts electric power settings based on thermal efficiency factors to automate power adjustments, ensuring compliance with technical specifications and reducing mechanical wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual adjustment of electric power setting value is performed frequently to maintain thermal power margin, then compliance with technical specifications is improved, but operator workload increases and economic performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompliance with technical specificationsVSAvoidoperator workload
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control system automatically monitors thermal efficiency in real-time and adjusts the electric power setting value without operator intervention. The system self-regulates by calculating the thermal power margin and autonomously modifying power settings to maintain compliance with technical specifications, thereby eliminating frequent manual adjustments and reducing operator workload.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors thermal efficiency and thermal power margin, using this feedback to dynamically adjust the electric power setting value. When thermal efficiency changes affect the thermal power margin, the control system receives feedback about the margin status and automatically modifies power settings to maintain compliance, creating a closed-loop control system that reduces manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If thermal power margin is not fully utilized to simplify operation, then ease of operation is improved, but economic performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational simplicityVSAvoideconomic performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system dynamically adjusts the electric power setting value based on real-time thermal efficiency data and thermal power margin calculations. Rather than using a fixed conservative setting, the system continuously optimizes the power setting to fully utilize the thermal power margin while maintaining compliance, thereby improving economic performance without compromising operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the electric power setting value parameter dynamically based on thermal efficiency variations. By calculating the actual thermal power margin and adjusting the power setting accordingly, the system maximizes power generation output within safe operating limits, improving economic performance while maintaining operational ease through automated parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If conservative electric power setting is used to ensure compliance, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompliance with technical specificationsVSAvoidpower generation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs preliminary calculations of the thermal power margin based on predicted thermal efficiency trends before making power setting adjustments. By anticipating thermal efficiency changes and pre-calculating appropriate power settings, the system maintains compliance with technical specifications while maximizing power generation output, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces conservative manual power setting practices with an automated control system that uses real-time thermal efficiency data and thermal power margin calculations. This substitution enables dynamic optimization of power settings, allowing the system to maintain compliance with technical specifications while significantly improving power generation efficiency and overall productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4394166B1Control method and system for electric power of steam turbine generator of nuclear power plant
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 CHINA NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY LTD
  • EP4394166B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4394166B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4394166B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A control method and system for an electric power of a steam turbine generator of a nuclear power plant, the method comprises: S10, collecting a real-time thermal power of a first loop in a nuclear power plant; S20, on the basis of a moving average method, calculating a real-time moving thermal power of the real-time thermal power within a first set time; S30, performing front-end heat generation amount calculation processing on the real-time moving thermal power and the real-time thermal power, so as to obtain front-end actual heat generation amount; S40, performing a heat generation amount prediction operation according to a preset target average thermal power, the real-time moving thermal power and the front-end actual heat generation amount, so as to obtain a predicted heat generation amount; and S50, performing a conversion and efficiency correction operation on the base of the predicted heat generation amount, so as to obtain a given electric power value which is used for controlling an electric power of a steam turbine generator, and returning to S10.