Soft Computing Techniques for Power Plants

The power generation in India has an installed capacity of 2,75,912 MW as of 31 July 2015 with an average Plant Load Factor of 65 %. NTPC has an installed capacity of 45,548 MW with an average PLF of 81 %. In order to push the power sector onto a trajectory of sound and viable commercial growth, the clean, green and lean technologies are required. This book explores the application of soft computing (SC) techniques for real time applications in the area of measurement and control of power plants. Five different application areas have been addressed aimed at optimisation of power plant operations. Case I: Expert System for Power Plant Chemistry, Case II: Boiler Drum Level Control, Case III: Boiler Soot Blowers, Case IV: NOx Measurement, CASE V: Superheater Steam Temperature Control. The work has been reported systematically in different chapters of this book.