A simulation model for thermal performance prediction of a coal-fired power plant

This study deals with the simulation modeling of a 250 MW capacity coal-based power plant at different load conditions. The plant under study is subcritical, reheating and regenerative type situated in northern part of India. At present, computer-based programming and advanced software used in simulation, modeling and optimization used in process industries playing an important role. The present work related with the semi-empirical modeling for thermal performance analysis of a coal-fired power plant. The model basically includes the mass, energy balance equations. A typical thermodynamic property relation with empirical correlations using steam bled pressure extracted from turbine at various points in plant has been used. The necessary data collected from plant and model are applied in a general programming form for plant analysis. The process-based simulation model with the integration of steam generator, turbine, pump, condenser and feedwater heaters in the plant has been successfully run using the MATLAB calculation tool. The validation of the model has been done by comparing overall plant efficiency, coal consumption rate and mass flow rate of steam at various load conditions for 250 MW capacity plant under operating conditions. The results achieved through simulation model are found to be satisfactory. It is expected that this simulation model will help out to those engineers and researchers who are dealing with the improvement of design, analysis and optimization of coal-fired power plant.