Automated Control of Steelworks Power Plant Energy Efficiency

A problem of energy efficiency increasing for steelworks power plants is considered. Hence, fuel resources consumption makes up a significant part of the costs of steelworks products, great emphasis is made on using secondary resources and optimization of maintenance of the power equipment, including boilers and turbines. A technical economic power plant model, which is based on the energy characteristics of equipment is proposed. These characteristics are calculated on real time data, using automated information system data for the power equipment to be optimized. This is a two stage control model. Stage 1 consists in rescheduling of electric and heating loads between turbines. Stage 2 consists in rescheduling the steam load between power boilers taking into account the reduction in such load at Stage 1. This reduces the consumption of fuel and makes a power plant more profitable. The results of implementing an automated energy efficiency control system are presented. The results show that the proposed method can make the power plant approximately 3% more profitable.