The Flexibility Enhancement of Subcritical Coal-Fired Power Plants: Control Strategy Optimization for Live and Reheat Steam Temperature

Abstract With the increasing penetration of renewable power, flexible power sources are urgently required by the power grid to balance the supply and demand sides. Therefore, the operational flexibility of subcritical coal-fired power plants should be further enhanced. In this study, dynamic models of a reference 330MW subcritical coal-fired power plant were developed and validated. The load ramp performances of the reference plant were simulated. The maximum ramp rates during loading down processes were 2%Pe/min and 1.5%Pe/min in 75%–50% and 50%–40% load cycling ranges, respectively, and the maximum ramp rate during loading up processes is 1.5%Pe/min. That the live steam and reheat steam temperatures exceeding their thresholds limits for the load ramp rates. The subcritical power unit has a steam drum, serving as a substance and energy storage device, and allows partial decoupling of feedwater flow and coal flow. Consequently, an enhanced steam temperature control strategy, facilitated by adjusting the feedwater flow rate during the load ramp processes, was proposed. The feedwater flow rate is appropriately regulated during load cycling dynamic processes to assist the control of live steam and reheat steam temperatures. The models to obtain the live steam and reheat steam temperature variations influenced by the feedwater flow rates are developed, and implemented in the control strategy. Then, simulations on the reference power plant with the enhanced control strategy were conducted, and the temperature overshoots have been effectively suppressed. As a result, the load ramp rate is increased. For example, in the load cycling range of 75%–40%, the overall unit ramp rate is increased by 1%Pe/min, achieving an enhancement in the operational flexibility of subcritical units.