OP304 - Operator Controllable Heat Rate Losses

2½ days - 1.6 Continuing Education Units Awarded

This course is intended to improve plant heat rate by reducing controllable losses through greater operator knowledge of the power plant cycle with emphasis on factors influencing unit efficiency.

• Operator's actions can have a direct impact upon plant heat rate. Make those actions taken have a positive impact.
• Encourage operations personnel to look for opportunities to save BTU. One way to accomplish is this is to help them understand what they are looking for. Another way to help is to demonstrate managements' interest in their success by providing effective training.
• Operations personnel can better look for savings if they have an adequate appreciation for the engineering factors behind plant design.

SPECIFIC BENEFITS

1. Learn the thermodynamic processes that are involved with each component in the power plant cycle. This becomes the basis for the ability to make decisions for improved performance.
2. Learn the function of each component in the thermodynamic cycle.
3. Learn about the different types of heat transfer and where each type is used in the cycle.
4. Learn to appreciate the meaning of entropy, enthalpy, superheat and phase.
5. Learn what are the major losses associated with the steam boiler such that losses can be minimized. These losses include: Exit Gas Temperature, Fuel Content, Excess Air, Incomplete Combustion, Attemperation, Air-In-Leakage, Feed Water Temperature, and Soot Blowing.
6. Learn what are the major losses associated with the steam turbine, again, such that losses can be minimized. These losses include: Inlet Temperature Change, Inlet Pressure Change, Reheat Temperature, Reheat Pressure, Exhaust Pressure Change.
7. Learn the heat transfer equations (which apply to the various power plant heat exchangers) so that operating decisions can be better made.
8. Learn what can impact heat exchanger performance.

COURSE OUTLINE

1. Introduction
2. Thermodynamics: Power Plant Cycle, Steam and Water Properties, Energy, Heat Transfer, Gross Heat Rate, Net Heat Rate
3. Controlling Boiler Losses: Steam Generator Theory, Steam Generator Construction, Affect of Fuel Quality, Affect of Excess Air, Affect of Exit Gas Temperature, Affect of Attemperation, Combustion Losses, What is in Operator Control
4. Controlling Turbine Losses: Turbine Theory, Expansion and Nozzles, Turbine Stages, Turbine Construction, Turbine Losses (Heat Balance, Working Curves, Correction Factor Curves, Other Losses), Operator Control (High Backpressure Causes/Corrections and Steam Admission Mode)
5. Heat Exchanger Performance: Heat Transfer Theory, Relationships, Heat Transfer Equation, Condensers (Theory, Support Systems, Factors Affecting Performance), Feedwater Heaters (Closed FW Heater Theory, Closed FW Heater Construction, Factors Affecting Performance), Deaerator (Deaerator Theory, Deaerator Construction, Factors Affecting Performance)

SATISFIED CLIENTS: American Bituminous, American Electric Power, ATCO Electric, Austin (TX) Electric Department, Brownsville (TX) Public Utilities, Central Illinois Lighting Company, Central Power & Light, CSW Energy, Duke Energy, Duke Fluor Daniel, Duquesne Lighting, Entergy Operations, Lakeland (FL) Electric Department, MidAmerican Energy, Minnesota Power, Nova Scotia Power, Ogden Martin Systems, Ohio Valley Electric Cooperative, Omaha Public Power District, Ontario Power Generation, Orlando (FL) Utilities Commission, Panda Rosemary Cogen, Pfizer Inc., Public Service Oklahoma, San Diego Gas & Electric, SaskPower, Sithe Energies, Southwestern Electric Power, Springfield (MO) City Utilities, United Power Association, West Texas Utilities