Since we began working together in 2000, NeuCo and CPSE’s relationship has been one of cooperation and innovation. With CombustionOpt® on three units, CPSE hosted NeuCo’s second Users Summit in 2004 and invited other NeuCo customers to tour two of their sites. In 2007, CPSE’s Deely plant became the first site where we integrated neural network and model predictive control optimization technologies.

While we’ve applied NeuCo’s knowledge and innovations at their Spruce and Deely plants, we’ve also learned about advanced technologies through CPSE. In fact, my first in-depth exposure to Zolo’s laser spectroscopy system was through Mario Sanjuan. As manager of CPSE’s Mechanical Engineering Services, Mario wondered if Zolo’s in-furnace measurement technology might work with combustion optimization. He asked for NeuCo’s input and invited me along to visit the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Gallatin plant, which was the first installation of Zolo’s system. After seeing the Zolo system in action and learning more about the science, I strongly believed that optimization and spectroscopy measurement technologies could work together and provide mutual benefits.

Project implementation
With the go-ahead from CPSE management, we were excited about our project at Deely. This would be the first time that an optimizer was able to exploit real-time, in-furnace combustion measurements. We were excited about optimizing more aggressively and helping Deely reach new, lower targets for NOx emissions.

But like my teammates, we underestimated the obstacles that an industry-first project often incurs. On paper, the science of combustion optimization and in-furnace measurements worked perfectly. In a real-life power plant environment we were met with a few engineering challenges. As Logan mentioned in his previous blog post, flame impingement into the sight tubes caused windows to break and allowed pop-corn ash to accumulate. The problem was solved with longer, slotted sight tubes.

With the issues addressed and the system now in place, we’re optimistic about what Deely can achieve with NeuCo and Zolo’s integrated system. We have already demonstrated the ability to both accurately model the Zolo in-furnace signals as well as achieve more balanced combustion and lower NOx. Mario and his team have some pretty aggressive goals for lowering NOx: a constant 0.09 lb/mmbtu in 2009. In 2010, they want to go even lower.

Additional applications of optimization and spectroscopy measurements
With lessons learned and the Deely project well underway, we’ve begun integrating NeuCo’s optimizers with Zolo’s technology at two other plants: PacifiCorp’s Jim Bridger and Platte River Power Authority’s Rawhide Energy Station. Both installations expand on what we’ve done at Deely. At Jim Bridger, we’re using Zolo’s temperature measurements as a constraint where changes in coal quality lower ash fusion temperatures and create slag. At Rawhide, we’re providing CombustionOpt with the Zolo measurements and using PerformanceOpt®’s high fidelity net heat rate calculation as the objective for improving fuel efficiency, while knowing the ability to further reduce NOx will remain important and become even more of a challenge as regulations evolve.

I’m excited about the combination of these technologies, anxious to see results, and enthusiastic about how we can continue to expand their application at other plants. We’ll keep you updated via this blog and the presentation we’ll make about the Deely project at Electric Power this May.

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