OP416 - Power Generation Performance Principles

4 days - 2.6 Continuing Education Units Awarded

KNOWLEDGE and EXPERIENCE is needed to develop and implement an effective heat rate monitoring and improvement program. HPC Technical Services will provide the knowledge. Then, with this knowledge, experience will be gained more rapidly as you're better prepared for the tasks at hand.

• Are high fuel costs having an impact upon your plant's bottom line? Improved efficiency can help survive these costs.
• Do long-term fuel contracts have you down? Improved efficiency can help lift you back up.
• Are you evaluating the competitive positioning of your plant? Improved efficiency will certainly improve your market positioning.
• Are you new to this position and/or just been given these responsibilities? If yes, this course gives you a significant head-start over the OJT approach.

This 4-day course is designed to provide your engineering staff, operating personnel, management and business staff with the KNOWLEDGE necessary to impact the bottom line

BENEFITS

1. Demonstrate a working knowledge of terminology associated with plant efficiency which is expressed using the term 'heat rate'.
2. Define the terms entropy, enthalpy, superheat, latent heat, sensible heat, etc.
3. Describe the thermodynamic processes involved with each component in the power plant cycle.
4. Describe how changes in heat rate affect operating costs.
5. Describe the principles of thermodynamics.
6. Describe the basic principles of boilers, steam turbines and heat exchangers.
7. Describe how the boiler, turbine and heat exchangers affect heat rate.
8. List ten (10) common areas of efficiency loss in an operating power plant.
9. Describe the principles of plant efficiency testing using the ASME Performance Test Codes.
10. Describe use and principles of some of the performance related instruments found in a modern power plant.
11. State the principles of data evaluation.

COURSE OUTLINE

1. ASME Performance Test Codes: Philosophy, History, Test Code Structure, and Application of Codes
2. Thermodynamics: Laws of Thermodynamics, Power Plant Cycles, Heat Balance, Heat Rate, Incremental Heat Rate
3. Steam Generators: Theory, Heat Transfer, Pressure Boundary Points, Fuel Considerations, Furnaces/Waterwall, Steam Drum Internals, Superheaters, Reheaters, Desuperheaters, Economizers, Auxiliary Equipment
4. Steam Generator Combustion Theory & Equipment: Theory and Equations, Fuel Analysis, Combustion Products, Calculations, Combustion Equipment, Efficiency Testing {Heat Loss Method, Efficiency Calculation, I/O Method), and Monitoring
5. Turbine: Turbine Theory; Turbine Types; Construction Details; Valves; Turbine Efficiency; Cycle Efficiency; Enthalpy Drop Test
6. Factors Influencing Turbine Efficiency: Steam Condition, Exhaust Loss, Size, Configuration, Use of Reheat, Feedwater Heater Operation, Mode of Operation, and Mechanical Condition
7. ASME Performance Test Codes for Turbines: Practical Aspects for Turbine Testing, Thermal Kits, Generator Corrections, Example of Simplified Test Calculations, Calculation of Change in Heat Rate from Change in Enthalpy Drop Efficiency, Determination of N2 Leakage, Calculation of Primary Flow, Diagnosis of Turbine Problems, Examples of Testing Programs
8. Power Plant Heat Exchanger: Heat Transfer Theory, Condenser Testing (Considerations and Calculations of Test Results)
9. Factors Affecting Heat Exchanger Performance: Low Circulating Water Flow Rate, High Air Leakage, Fouled Tubes, High Inlet Water Temperature, Reduction in Load, Deaerator Theory and Construction
10. Centrifugal Pumps: Pump Theory, Design & Construction, Testing Considerations and Monitoring Operation
11. Measuring Instruments: Temperature, Pressure, Flow, Electrical, Flue Gas, Data Logging Systems and Computers
12. Evaluation: Statistics, Test Design, Data Reduction and Trending

CLIENT LIST INCLUDES: Alliance Forest Products, American Municipalities of Ohio, Associate Electric Cooperative, CMS Generation, Denton (TX) City of, Duke Power, Garland (TX) Municipal Utilities, Houston Light & Power, Kansas City Power & Light, Lansing (MI) Board of Water & Light, LGE Power Systems, Long Island Lighting, Louisville Gas & Electric, Lower Colorado River Authority, Ocean State Power, PacifiCorp, Potomac Electric Power, SaskPower, Sierra Pacific Power, Texas Utilities, TransAlta Utilities, UC Operating Services, University of North Carolina, US Department of Energy, Vero Beach Municipalities