Development of a Dynamic Simulator for a Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) Power Plant with Post-Combustion Carbon Capture

The AVESTAR Center located at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory and West Virginia University is a world-class research and training environment dedicated to using dynamic process simulation as a tool for advancing the safe, efficient and reliable operation of clean energy plants with CO2 capture.  The AVESTAR Center was launched with a high-fidelity dynamic simulator for an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant with pre-combustion carbon capture.  The IGCC dynamic simulator offers full-scope Operator Training Simulator (OTS) Human Machine Interface (HMI) graphics for realistic, real-time control room operation and is integrated with a 3D virtual Immersive Training Simulator (ITS), thus allowing joint control room and field operator training.  The IGCC OTS/ITS solution combines a “gasification with CO₂ capture” process simulator with a “combined cycle” power simulator into a single high-performance dynamic simulation framework.

This presentation will describe progress on the development of a natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) dynamic simulator based on the syngas-fired combined cycle portion of AVESTAR’s IGCC dynamic simulator.   The 574 MW gross NGCC power plant design consisting of two advanced F-class gas turbines, two heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), and a steam turbine in a multi-shaft 2x2x1 configuration will be reviewed.  Plans for integrating a post-combustion carbon capture system will also be discussed.

AVESTAR - Advanced Virtual Energy Simulation, Training, and Research (www.netl.doe.gov/avestar)