An approach to combined cycle distributed control and data transmission

The combined cycle power plant consists of three major components: the gas turbine generator (GTG), the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), and the steam turbine generator (STG). Each of these components may be arranged in various configurations depending on the power output, flexibility and availability required from the power plant. In many cases each major component may be supplied by different manufacturers. Alternatively the power plant user or supplier may standardise on the major plant items but want to maintain competition between control system suppliers. The author discusses the advantages of an integrated distributed control system and examines how plant wide data can be handled by the distributed control system data highway in a fast, predictable and secure manner. The presentation of the data is discussed with the objective of simplifying the operators tasks and providing plant managers with information to obtain optimal performance.<>