Model base simulation application to compute achievable increment in a benson coal power plant owing to the implementation of energy efficiency activities

Benson´s boiler is a cost effective and an improved version of a coal fire boiler employed in electricity generation from a coal thermal power plant as opposed to the drum boiler. Benson´s boilers are used in Eskom´s coal thermal power plant. A simulation application was designed and built in the Simulink environment to compute both the generated and sent out power profiles using various mathematical models developed and embedded in the simulation, architectural algorithm to forecast the dynamic behaviour of the real plant using the predictors. All predictors were loaded in the source blocks while the predicted outputs displayed in the sink blocks in the Simulink environment. The predictors used in these models, included air heater temperature, main stream super heater temperature, high pressure heater temperature, cold well and hot well condenser temperatures and pressures, the total mass of coal burnt and auxiliary power consumption. Multiple linear regression models were developed and built from the before and after an outage generated and sent out power profiles using six months analyzed data from one unit of the Eskom´s Benson boiler rated 600 MW in each of the scenarios. The Simulink simulation application can be used by an electricity generation company using the Benson´s coal boiler to monitor any increase in generated and sent out power using the above mentioned indicators.