Assuring benefits from advanced mathematical modeling of fossil power stations

Although the capability to model power plants and power plant control systems has progressed rapidly during the last two decades, the quality of control found in the best controlled stations of the 1960's and 1970's has not been improved to any great extent as a result of the improved hardware and the systems presently being installed. This paper presents a review of the probable reasons for the limited success in transferring good dynamic modeling technology into useful benefits for the power industry. The authors suggest that a major reason for this lack of success is a lack of understanding of the needs and the present capabilities of the power industry by the modeling community. They establish a state-of-the-art power plant control to assist investigators in directing their efforts toward true needs and to assist them in judging the potential for improvement through their efforts to utilize improved dynamic analysis methods. The United States has already initiated an effort to improve the transfer of technology into beneficial use in the utility industry and it is suggested that the methods they have developed can be used for improvement on an international scale