Modelling of thermal power plants

The AIT Energy Department has comprehensive experience in acceptance tests of thermal power plants. Within this, numerous steam power plants and combined cycle power plants (CCPP) with and without district heating as well as individual components, such as steam turbines, have been tested.

Even minor deviations in efficiency or performance of power plants may result in additional costs of millions of Euros. Therefore, the verification of efficiency as well as the identification of retrofit measures plays an important role within the acceptance test of the power plant. Due to the fact that these investigations can only be performed during the acceptance test, the guarantee certificate is of great importance for the operator of the plant as well as for the manufacturer, as mostly the guaranteed values are connected with high contractual penalties.

Accordingly,the Energy Department is continuously improving the measurement and evaluation methods of the acceptance tests. A high measuring accuracy can be ensured by using calibrated measuring devices and modern and flexible data acquisition. Thereby, the individual measured values can be verified to national standards.

Besides the precise methods of measuring, the treatment of measurement uncertainties are of increasing significance, as they have to be included in the guarantee comparison. (see LINK relevant standards and guidelines)

In order to comply with the high requirements of the acceptance tests of power stations, the Energy Department is continuously improving its methods and processes:

Validation of acceptance measurements of power plants

asenal research uses a validation program certified according to VDI 2048 for the validation and evaluation of acceptance measurements of power plants. With this the cycle processes of the respective power plant can be modelled. Thereby, the state of the plant can be evaluated at an early stage using measured values taken from the control unit of the plant in order to enable statements already in the run-up to acceptance measurements. A flexible design of the program is required to achieve an optimal usability. The particular circuit variations of the respective power plant can be simulated by a modular structure. Thereby, a wide range of different types of power plants can be analysed and also future power stations can be considered with regard to their circuit balancing.

Acceptance procedures for thermal power plants

For further details see Services.