Power station

Power station

"Power station" is a program-module simulating the operation of a power-station.
Operation is supported by “Waterway performance”.



During the opening process maximum station-output for cavitation-free operation will be calculated.
The output will depend of the water-levels in dams and intakes/outlets and losses in tunnels.
When "Power station" starts the Control panels for the installed units will be opened automatically.
By the aid of the control-panels units can be started and stopped, operating mode selected and stroke set.

"Power station" also has tools for calculating an optimal load sharing and setting units stroke accordingly.
In case Kaplan units are installed the cam will be reset based on gross head.

Textboxes on Power station.
Nominal capacity, MW.
                        Nominal station capacity. Sum of units nominal capacity.
Ref.output, MW.
                        Station-output, reference for load-sharing calculation.
Output, MW.
                        Sum of units output.
Eficiency, %.  
                         Station-efficiency, losses in the waterway is included.
Available capacity, MW.
                         Sum of units output, head and cavitation-limits is considered.
Virtual gross head, m 
                         Gross head will depend on position for gates and valves in the waterway system.
                         Brook intakes will give rise to tunnel losses even if all units are stopped.
                         Virtual gross head is therefore defined as available energy for the turbines when all turbines are stopped.
Gross energy, MW.
                        Sum of the energy difference for all waterway elements.
Net energy, MW.
                        Sum of energy available for the turbines.
Total flow, m^3/s.
                        Sum of flow for all turbines.
Head loss, %.
                        Energy losses in the waterway referenced to Gross energy.

Menu bar.
             “Operation planner”             Combine turbines and pumps in ranges.
             “Plant performance”             Efficiency curve for the station.
            “Waterway performance”      Complete waterway overview.
            “Grid profile”                         Connect the power-station to a simulated grid.

"Update"
                    The menu-button “Update” force Power station to update calculations. Update is automatically activated if turbine-parameters are changed on control-p

Optimize load distribution”
                    Command button “Optimize load distribution” activates selection of units to take the load specified in “Ref. output” and share the load between them in an optimal way.

“Set dynamic mode”
                    
Command button “Set dynamic mode” prepares power-station for dynamic operation.
                   This button toggles between “Set dynamic mode” and “Set steady state mode”.
                    Selecting dynamic operation open a "Data recorder" that register data and display curves as a function of time.              

“Disconnect line”
                    Command button “Disconnect line” will be available to enable a station load rejection. 

Buttons and labels on control-panel will change depending on operation mode.

Steady-state operation
Select generating or pumping and press <Start>. Entering servo stroke (%) in the stroke-textbox or
pressing <+- > boxes to increases/decreases the value in the stroke-box by one (1) will start calculation.
Observe that 100 % stroke is near best turbine efficiency at nominal conditions.

Number of units in Power station is limited to 10. The time-response will be slower as number of units increases.