Techno-economic evaluation and optimization of CCGT power plant: a multi-criteria decision support system

A key objective of the power generation industry is to achieve maximum economic benefit without over-consuming the life of power plants and over-maintaining its assets. From a CCGT power plant operator’s perspective, the stand-alone performance analysis of the plant is not enough to support the decision-making process due to the plethora of possible scenarios characterized by variable ambient conditions, engine health (fouling, erosion), electricity prices, and power demand. This study proposes a novel methodology to support decision-making for a CCGT power plant’s operational optimization. The comprehensive techno-economic performance evaluation is conducted by multidisciplinary optimization and decision-making to enhance information integration for the combined cycle power plant operated by Manx Utilities in the Isle of Man, UK. The decision support system has the capability to recommend the optimal operation schedules to plant operators. It recommends that the more severely degraded engine should run at a relatively lower power setting to decrease creep life consumption. The established power plant optimization framework has the potential to assist power plant operators in deciding the total power output and power split between gas turbines based on optimization results that considers both immediate thermo-economic benefits and life consumption. Finally, the proposed system can facilitate similar power plants to adjust daily operations to achieve thermo-economic and lifing benefits