Two relatively short white papers available from Mitsubishi Power can bring you up to speed on the state-of-the-art and future of remote operation and support and on digital strategies for improving steam-plant performance. Some of the insights shared on the latter topic also are of value to combined-cycle owner/operators.
“Remote Operation and Support—the New Normal?” tracks the rapidly growing demand for remote technology—including early-warning diagnostics using advanced analytics, plus access to offsite technical expertise for troubleshooting and response. It walks readers through the company’s considerable analytics experience, which began in 1999 with a remote monitoring center at Mitsubishi’s extensive engineering and test facilities in Takasago, Japan.
Since that first step, digital solutions, like the company’s growing Tomoni™ suite of offerings, allow O&M staffs to leverage the massive amounts of data from the thousands of sensors in a plant to provide valuable insights, solve complex problems, and maximize performance.
Advancement through digitalization is a core focus of the white paper, which includes experience gained when a scheduled plant outage was shifted because of the pandemic and condition-based maintenance intervals provided a pathway to success. Another sidebar presents the case history on how a Tomoni digital solution improved efficiency by enabling a process to actively optimize the flow of gas-turbine cooling air.
“How Digital Strategies Improve Steam Power Plant Performance” discusses the new level of flexibility required by traditional fuel-fired generating assets to remain competitive in today’s rapidly changing electricity markets. Fuel flexibility, faster starting and ramping, and reduced minimum load highlight the challenges faced by industry participants.
