The all-new VDI 2048 (2017) certified
ProcessPLUS® Core and ProcessPLUS® WebClient –
Cutting-edge data reconciliation technology
for the digital revolution in your power plant
ProcessPLUS® - The Preferred Digital Twin
Technology in the Nuclear Power Industry
PROCESSPLUS® | Process data reconciliation
Certified process data reconciliation
PROCESSPLUS® was specifically designed for use in nuclear and fossil power plants and is the first and only system without limitation that uses certified process data reconciliation according to the reconciliation standard VDI2048 (2017)
Nowadays, power plants are adequately equipped with sensors to measure mass flows, pressures and temperatures, creating large volumes of measurement readings but leaving the operators and engineers with the task of interpreting this data for their primary purpose – optimal and safe operation of the plant. The quality of these readings is of primary importance for all aspects of plant operation: automated plant control, maintenance, optimization, etc.
But measurements contain errors. Random and systematic errors in any of the relevant measurements will lead to wrong decisions and deteriorating plant efficiency.
Unfortunately, even the most accurate instrument is not free of errors. Traditional ways of dealing with measurement uncertainty are to install more accurate sensors or place multiple sensors for one specific measurement. Although this approach somewhat improves the likelihood of having good quality data for the single measurement where such measures are applied, it is expensive and does not offer any improvement for the overall plant data quality. A more complete approach is available, which does not require any hardware changes. This is a mathematical methodology called Certified Process Data Reconciliation (CPDR).
Using redundancy and thermodynamic relationships (first principles, mass, and energy conservation laws), CPDR can identify, quantify and correct measurement errors delivering corrected process values with higher accuracy than that of the original measurements. CPDR provides plausible, contradiction-free quality assured process data – even for regions where no measurements are available. Using reconciled data instead of raw measurements for plant operation results in increased plant safety, efficiency, electrical output, and therefore revenue. CPDR takes the risk out of measurement uncertainty.
CPDR is fully described in the German standard VDI2048 (2017). Currently, the first and only system without limitations that carries the VDI certification for CDPR is ProcessPLUS®.
The ProcessPLUS® System continuously produces process reference values in near real-time for the entire power plant. By reducing the measurement errors in the plant ProcessPLUS® provides a state-of-the-art monitoring system for fossil power plants and nuclear power plants of all reactor types. Any existing hardware redundancies (parallel sensors) are included in the model providing valuable data which adds to the quality of the reconciled results. This contrasts with other methods where valuable redundant data must be discarded. Finally, there is a good way to make use of redundant process data that has been available for years!
CPDR does not compete with DCS/PI or trend analysis/simulation tools. It takes the data directly from DCS/PI and generates quality-assured, plausible process data. All following systems should work only with the reconciled reference data to ensure one common, resilient, and balanced dataset for the entire power plant. ProcessPLUS® has been applied to more than 70 nuclear and fossil power plant units worldwide and is applicable to PWR, BWR, VVER, and CANDU reactor types and hard coal, lignite, gas, and biomass fuel types. The system installation does not require any additional measurements but rather makes use of the measuring devices already available in the plant.
ProcessPLUS®, when used for power recovery, Measurement Uncertainty Recapture (MUR), and condition-based monitoring, typically adds up to 40 MWe of generator power to a single Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) unit. The additional power output is gained by applying reconciled correction factors to the existing measurements thereby allowing the plant to realize either power recovery and/or MUR potentials.
A ProcessPLUS® System project includes VDI2048 (2017) certified process modeling of the primary and secondary loop as well as the cooling side, training of key personnel, and support of the integration of the reconciled data in order to realize the safety, operational, and business benefits to the plant. To date, ProcessPLUS® has identified a total power recovery potential of 190 MWe, equating to a business case of US$68.4mn per year.
ProcessPLUS® – Generating data you can trust
PROCESSPLUS | MODULES
PROCESSPLUS®CORE
is a graphical user interface with an integrated data reconciliation engine which uses a solver originally developed for the European Space Agency ESA
PROCESSPLUS®SERVER
receives and processes data from the plant control computer, controls the execution of the PROCESSPLUS Core reconciliation engine and stores the reconciled data in the database
PROCESSPLUS®WEB CLIENT
is a javascript based web-application that visualizes the plant process flows with measured and reconciled data in a web-browser for system- and hardware-independent intuitive use
PROCESSPLUS®APPLICATIONS
Quality-assured asssessment of current/recent plant condition incl. recommendations for optimal operation
The goal of a PROCESSPLUS® Status Report is generating a snap-shot of a current or past plant process state which is of interest to the plant operator. The PROCESSPLUS® Status Report delivers, amongst others, indications for:
• Potential for ”lost megawatts“ (deviation from the design/licensed state)
• Potential for power uprate based on minimized uncertainties (MUR – measurement uncertainty recapture)
• Exact determination of thermal reactor power
• Indication of measurement drifts, leakages and erroneous measurements within the defined time interval
REQUIRED DATA AND DOCUMENTATION
• Heat balance sheets at approx. 100 % load
• Piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID) for allocation of measuring points in the model
• List of all measuring points from the process computer
• Plant characteristics (generator load over condenser pressure)
• Operating data or one-hour averages at 100 % load over 4 weeks
Continuous correction of feedwater flow measurements for the recovery of lost MW to licensed thermal core power level
Situation
It is possible that a nuclear power plant is operating below its licensed thermal core power (TCP) limit. In this case, the delta between actual and licensed TCP is called “lost MW“ or “power recovery potential“ and can cause lost revenue of multiple million $/year.
Approach
ProcessPLUS® continuously identifies this power recovery potential (see green circle above). In case of a systematic deviation, nuclear power plants can apply reconciled correction factors generated by ProcessPLUS® to correct the official TCP input parameters such as feedwater massflow or feed water temperature.
These input parameters temperature measurement can be erroneous (e.g. due to fouling) and cause the TCP to either be calculated too low (causing plant control in a non-conservative direction) or too high (conservative direction) causing th eplant to either underpower (95% of cases) or overpower.
The correction with ProcessPLUS® correction factors is recommended for both cases, either to realize the power recovery potental ar to increase safety.
The power recovery potential can easily be identified by first performing a ProcessPLUS® Status Report.
Increase of thermal reactor power of up to 20% of the original reactor power in a nuclear power plant.
The extended uprate increase is a process that can only be initiated and realized with government agency approval and requires certain technical and safety-related qualifications from the plant operator. Nuclear power plants are designed to produce a certain thermal reactor power (100 %). All components, control values, and measurement calibrations relate to this design point. Such a substantial increase in thermal power (up to 20 %) causes changes in process behavior. One example of such a change is Reynolds numbers. When operating above the design point, the Reynolds numbers become too high for the measurement of feed water flow and thus need to be extrapolated in a conventional way. Furthermore, assumptions are made about the uncertainties of the Reynolds numbers. These assumptions do not reflect reality. PROCESSPLUS® Extended Uprate is an application that enables the plant operator to determine process values and the respective uncertainties which are difficult or impossible to measure at operating levels above the design point. The advantage of this approach is increased plant safety and improved acceptance with the responsible authorities.
BTB JANSKY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:
• Support in receiving agency approval
• Supply of reconciled values to the process computer
PROJECT TIMELINE
The performance of a PROCESSPLUS® Extended Uprate requires an installed PROCESSPLUS®Online System. Experience shows that the predominant part of the project duration for the realization of a PROCESSPLUS® Extended Uprate is taken up by receiving agency approval. The total project time can be estimated – depending on the state of the agency approval procedures – to be 1 to 1.5 years.
In the past, BTB Jansky has successfully implemented several online versions of its data reconciliation system both in nuclear and fossil power plants. The installation of additional measuring points is not required.
Uprate of licensed power by 0.5 – 1.5% without installation of new hardware
Originally, the MUR program was established by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in order to allow power uprates based on minimized measurement uncertainties (MUR – Measurement Uncertainty Recapture).
The goal of performing a PROCESSPLUS® MUR is minimizing measurement uncertainties at the feed water mass flow measurement which is the relevant parameter for the determination of thermal reactor power in a nuclear power plant. The minimization of uncertainties enables the operator – after receiving approval from the responsible government agency – to increase thermal reactor power and at the same time maintain a safety margin to the emergency cooling limit value of 102 % of thermal reactor power.
In this process, BTB Jansky is responsible for the following activities:
• Modeling of plant processes
• Installation of the PROCESSPLUS® system
• Support in receiving nuclear authority approval
• Supply of correction factors based on reconciled values in order to recalculate thermal reactor power
The advantages of this methodology compared to currently used methods in performing MUR (e.g. installation of ultra-sonic flow meters) are:
• Avoid recurrent calibration measures
• Minimize systematic and random errors resulting in minimized uncertainty
• Avoid high cost for hardware, installation, plant down-time and maintenance
Quality-assured asssessment of plant retrofit projects including VDI2048 certified delta analysis
APPROACH
• BTB Jansky generates a plant model and maps plant process conditions before and after a retrofit.
• PROCESSPLUS® Acceptance Test is performed remotely at BTB Jansky offices. Process data is analyzed off-site.
• Process modeling is usually done 3-4 weeks before the retrofit. After receiving the pre-retrofit process data the reconciliation of data is performed and results are presented.
• The final results of the delta analysis in the course of a ProcessPLUS ® Acceptance Test are available after receiving the post-retrofit process data. One week later, the official acceptance test report is delivered.
ADVANTAGES
• Data reconciliation with PROCESSPLUS® minimizes the uncertainties of process values and therefore yields the most precise process values possible in the mathematical-statistical and thermodynamic sense.
• PROCESSPLUS® Acceptance Test yields results with higher precision than customary industry acceptance tests.
• PROCESSPLUS® Acceptance Test was performed for numerous retrofits at various nuclear power plant sites.
• PROCESSPLUS®®Acceptance Test is accepted by utilities and component suppliers.
High-quality short and long term prognosis for power sales and trading
Why ProcessPLUS® Prognosis?
• Better sales and operation planning using long term prognosis
• Generate important information for the power grid operator using short term prognosis
Current situation
• Mostly rudimentary forecasts available (monthly average values taken directly from historical data)
• Current plant conditions and local weather influences are disregarded
• Forecast mostly done “by hand”
Real-time financial and ecological optimization of power plant cooling
PROCESSPLUS® Cooling Water Optimization
Optimization of plant cooling modes freshwater/cooling tower cooling under the following conditions:
• Verification based on actual, reconciled plant data
• Consideration of a possible local water extraction fee
• Possible stretch-out operation mode
• Investigation of a possible reduction of condenser throughput
• Taking into account the power consumtion of the cooling tower and cooling water pumps
• Optimization of the amount of power to be sold to the market
Features of the PROCESSPLUS®Cooling Water Optimization application
• Automatic import of ambient conditions, river water level forecasts, and current electricity prices from the power exchange
Display of:
• Optimal operation/cooling mode
• Main cooling water mass flow [kg/s]
• Cooling water volume flow from the river [m³/s]
• Number of cooling tower pumps
• Cooling water volume flow over cooling tower [m³/s]
• Electric output from generator [MW]
• Electric output for sale [MW]
• Profit [€]
• Heat input into river [MJ/s]
White paper on data reconciliation
The new White Paper on Process Data Reconciliation is out:
"The Future of Nuclear Power Operation: Dealing with Measurement Error"
To obtain a copy, send your your request to info@btbjansky.com
Testimonials
references
PROCESSPLUS®Our applications world-wide
- NORTH AMERICA (NUCLEAR)
- CANADA Bruce A1/A2/B5/B8
- USA Clinton
- USA Columbia GS
- USA Diablo Canyon 1/2
- USA Fermi 2
- USA Oconee 1
- USA Salem 1/2
- NORTH AMERICA (OIL/GAS PIPELINES)
- USA Atlas Pipelines (GAS)
- EUROPE (NUCLEAR)
- BELGIUM Tihange 2
- GERMANY Brunsbüttel
- GERMANY Emsland
- GERMANY Grafenrheinfeld
- GERMANY Gundremmingen B/C
- GERMANY Isar 1
- GERMANY Neckarwestheim 1/2
- GERMANY Philippsburg 1/2
- GERMANY Unterweser
- HUNGARY Paks 1/2/3/4
- NETHERLANDS Borssele
- SLOVENIA Krљko
- SPAIN Cofrentes
- SWITZERLAND Beznau A/B
- SWITZERLAND Gösgen
- SWITZERLAND Leibstadt
- SWEDEN Forsmark 1/2/3
- EUROPE (FOSSIL)
- CZECH REPUBLIC Kaucuk/Synthos (GAS)
- CZECH REPUBLIC Pocerady 2/3/4/5/6 (COAL)
- GERMANY Emsland (GAS)
- GERMANY Gersteinwerk (COAL)
- GERMANY GK Mannheim (COAL)
- GERMANY Henkel IKW (COAL)
- GERMANY Lausward (GAS)
- GERMANY LyondellBasell IKW (GAS)
- GERMANY Rheinhafen RDK (GAS)
- GERMANY Westfalen (COAL)
- GERMANY Wacker Chemie (GAS)
- GERMANY Walsum 10
- EUROPE (OIL/GAS PIPELINES)
- GERMANY Mero (OIL)
- RUSSIA (FOSSIL)
- RUSSIA Kirov 3 (GAS)
- RUSSIA Mosenergo KW 21-9 (GAS)
- RUSSIA Permskaya 2/3 (GAS)
- ASIA (NUCLEAR)
- JAPAN Ohi 1/2/3/4 (NUCLEAR)
- JAPAN Takahama 1/2/3/4 (NUCLEAR)
- AFRICA (NUCLEAR)
- South AFRICA Koeberg 1 (NUCLEAR)
- AFRICA (FOSSIL)
- RAS LANUF (GAS)
- THIKA POWER (DIESEL)
