Introduction
CENAL Elektrik Üretim A.Ş. (CENAL)
Power Generation Software
Operations Performance Management (OPM) for Power Generation
As Turkey transforms energy production to a renewable base, coal power plants play an essential role. It is critical that power generation from coal stabilize delivery to ensure no shortages occur. At the same time, however, Turkey requires this stabilization to occur with as little an emissions footprint as possible.
General Electric (GE) provided both the technology and expertise required to meet strict emissions guidelines while remaining profitable.
İhsan Acar - Power Plant Manager
Improving efficiency standards and reducing NOx and CO emissions
CENAL’s Karabiga power plant is the country’s first USC coal-fired generation facility and its excellence was further improved by an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning-based operation optimization solution. Making the digital transformation took a lot of careful planning.
Unique attributes, based on coal source, had an impact on equipment efficiency and emissions. With its combustion optimizer and soot cleaning optimizer modules, GE Digital’s Boiler Optimizer (BoilerOpt) solution is able to stabilize and evenly distribute combustion temperature across the boiler (controlling the excess air inlet to the furnace) as well as provide optimal soot blowing capabilities, which ensure efficient heat transfer while reducing losses and reducing tube failures.
It was important that we implement a solution that could reduce operators’ discretion related to some critical operational parameters. Standardization would ensure operations would be consistent across different operator shifts.
İhsan Acar - Power Plant Manager
Analyzing data from 1,000 sensor inputs through neural networks make it easy to accurately predict behavior and operate in a sustainable manner
BoilerOpt intelligently monitors and analyzes data from around a thousand sensors that are typically found in the boilers. This constant stream of complex data is dynamically processed by the software and the operating settings are adjusted for optimum performance, helping CENAL maintain efficient operations while reducing harmful emissions. BoilerOpt also shows operators how to adapt to the changing characteristics of the various coals used at the plant.
The team at GE Digital was great. Even when we had to switch to remote operations due to the pandemic, we didn’t lose momentum. The analysis now available at our fingertips is reducing tube failure while being environmentally friendly.
Fatih Sayın - Electric & Automation Manager
Heat rate improvements lead to $700K savings and NOx reduction costs were minimized
Greater efficiencies delivered via digitalization has allowed better performance and operating flexibility.
- 15% reduction in NOx emissions
- 0.3% heat rate improvement for USC boilers led to approximately $700K savings; proving that GE Digital can step in and improve the efficiency of even the best-in-class power plant technology
- Improved lifetime through reduced stress with less tube failures expected to occur
Read more about Karabiga’s digital journey, as featured in POWER Magazine.
