Analysis of the dynamic characteristics of a combined-cycle power plant

Gas/steam combined cycle has already become a well-known and substantial technology for power generation due to its numerous advantages including high efficiency and low environmental emission. Many studies have been carried out for better performance and safe and reliable operation of combined-cycle power plants. A power plant is basically operated on its design conditions. However, it also operates on the so called off-design conditions due to the variation in a power load, process requirements, or operating mode. Therefore, the transient behavior of the system should be well-known for the safe operation and reliable control. In this study, dynamic simulation is performed to analyze the transient behavior of a combined-cycle power plant. Each component of the power plant system is mathematically modeled and then integrated into the unsteady form of conservation equations. Transient behavior was simulated when rapid changes and periodic oscillations of the gas turbine load are imposed. Time delay characteristic caused by the thermal and fluid damping is analyzed and overall time-response of the combined power plant system is shown. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.