Combined-cycle power plant - Functioning, operation, example

The acceptance phase is an important stage in the life of a power plant. Actual performance is measured and compared with the manufacturer's contractual commitments. Equipment performance is recorded and used throughout the plant's life as a benchmark to identify operating deviations due to ageing or inappropriate settings. The plant's overall performance is also monitored in relation to the values obtained during industrial commissioning.

The performance of combustion turbines degrades over time, and the means to minimize this degradation exist and are discussed in this article. Operating conditions (start-ups, rapid load changes and emergency shutdowns) place so many demands on these turbines that manufacturers calculate maintenance operations using algorithms that take these operating transients into account.

Operating phases (start-up, hot standby) different from nominal operation are detailed to show the sequence. Two examples, based on different architectures, are presented to illustrate the impact of design choices on the operation of such plants.

Finally, an installation example is provided to illustrate all this.

The complete study of the subject includes the articles :

• "Combined-cycle power plant. Theory, performance, modularity";

• "Combined-cycle power plant. Potential components";

• "Combined-cycle power plant. Functioning, operation, examples" (this article).