An ADEX system will deliver optimised control of superheated and reheated steam temperatures in a combined cycle plant for Bahía de Bizkaia Electricidad (BBE) in the north of Spain. The system will be implemented using the ADEX Control Module (ADEX CM) which enables the complete integration of multivariable ADEX controllers within the control logic of a local PLC operating in the plant.
The combined cycle plant of BBE produces a power output of 800 MW and commenced operations in August of 2003. It is the first combined cycle plant in Spain to have been certified to ISO 14001 for environmental standards.
The control objective of this project is to achieve the maximum operating efficiency and useful life of the equipment possible using ADEX optimised control.
To achieve this, optimised control will stabilise steam temperatures under high pressures in order to gain;
- Greater efficiency in the production of the steam turbine.
- Less thermal stress in the pipework by reducing temperature oscillations of the live steam.
- Greater capacity to undergo rapid changes of load without causing excessive temperature excursions at the inlet to the turbine.
- A reduction in the time necessary to carry out start ups and shut downs of the gas turbines.
This will be the first application of the ADEX CM in combined cycle plant following the first successful application in power plant at Cockenzie for Scottish Power.