Proceedings of

2000 International Joint Power Generation Conference

Miami Beach, Florida, July 23-26, 2000

IJPGC2000-15009

SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OF COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT CONTROL

DYNAMICS
Zygfryd Domachowski
Technical University of Gdansk

Marek Dzida
Narutowicza 11/12

Tel. (48 58) 3472662, fax (48 58) 3414712

KEYWORDS
Combined cycle power plant, control system, dynamic
characteristics
ABSTRACT
From the point of view of power system frequency control,
as usual three modes of combined power plant operation are to
be considered. These are base load operation, cyclic duty
operation, and participation at the electric grid power and
frequency control. As a preliminary research some simulation
investigations have been carried out, concerning transients of
cyclic duty start up, and of plant operation under electric grid
power and frequency control.
1. INTRODUCTION
A significant restructuring of Polish electric power sector
as well as of those of other Central and Eastern Europe
countries, has to be expected in the near future. Among others,
an application of gas turbine in the frame of combined cycle
should be a target (Kehlhofer, 1991, Domachowski, 1995,
1996). An application of combined cycle plants in power
utilities involves among others considerations on the
architecture and parameters of the combined cycle power plant
control system. On one hand specific requirements from an
electric grid control influence the architecture and parameters of
combined cycle power plant control system. On the other hand
dynamics of three parts of combined cycle power plant: gas
turbine, steam turbine, HRSG must to be taken into account.
The entire plant is very complex and intertwined. The trouble in
one component will lead at least to off-design operation of other
components. Thus right operation of each component is the key
to achieving overall cycle performance. Furthermore
determining as well component mathematical model as

80-952 Gdansk, Poland

e-mail: domachow@pg.gda.pl, dzida@pg.gda.pl

operational circumstances is a basis of adopting adequate

controller of the combined cycle power plant.
E. g. the new gas turbines have a very high pressure
ratio, a high temperature. These facts dramatically increased the
thermal efficiency of the gas turbine. Unfortunately in the same
time the increase in compressor pressure ratio has decreased the
operating range of thee compressor (Boyce, 1999).
The high firing temperature of gas turbine has
increased its thermal efficiency. On the other hand it affects the
life of the components in the hot section of the turbine.
Therefore an application of limiters of the combustion chamber
outlet temperature as well as of fuel flow rate has to be
considered.
The electric load is divided between the gas turbine
and the steam turbine. The division in power between both
turbines in a combined cycle varies considerably with load
(Boyce, 1999). At lower loads, the steam turbine produces more
power than the gas turbine.
Thus in the case of one shaft turboset, the compressor
inlet guide vane is adjusted to reduce the flow at off-design
loads, and to maintain the high exhaust gas temperature.
An analysis of transients of the combined cycle control
system in the frame of electric grid frequency and power control
is a topic of the paper. As a preliminary research some
simulation investigations have been carried out. In the first step
requirements from an electric grid frequency and power control
have been analysed. In the next step the architecture and
parameters of the combined cycle power plant controller have
been discussed, and control algorithms have been carried out.

Copyright 2000 by ASME

2. MODELING OF COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANT

CONTROL SYSTEM
A combined cycle power plant participating at the electric
grid frequency and power control has been considered. Its total
electric power output has been assumed as the controlled signal.
In the frame of the secondary frequency control of electric grid
the turboset control transients as responses to the turboset
power set value changes have been simulated.
2.1. General assumptions
The following assumptions have been done while modeling
the combined cycle power plant:
the power plant control system has been divided into six
modules: gas turbine, waste heat recovery steam generator,
steam turbine, electric generator, rotating system,
controller,
both one shaft turboset and two shafts turboset have been
considered,
linear mathematical models have been taken into account,
the plant electric power set value step change has been
applied as turboset control input signal,
the electric grid frequency drop has been assumed as
turboset disturbance signal,
proportional integrating controller of electric power, and
proportional controller of turboset rotor frequency have
been assumed.

from one optimization criterion to another. As a result in all

simulations it has been assumed
KR = 0,1 as controllers amplification coefficient,
TR = 0,1 s as controllers time constant.
3.2. Power output transients
Taking into account a power plant participating in the so
called secondary control of the electric grid frequency, a 10%
step change of plant power set point has been assumed.
Responses of plant power output, gas turbine, and steam turbine
output have been represented in Fig. 1. The response of plant
power output seems to be fast enough. In the case of one shaft
plant the power output overshoot is small, these is no significant
oscillations. There are as well plant power output overshoot as
oscillations in the case of two shaft plant owing to both them in
the gas turbine power output transient. The steam turbine power
output transient is aperiodical without any overshoot as well in
the case of one shaft as of two shafts plant.
0.12
GT+ST
0.1

]
-[

J1 =

e(t ) dt = min,
0

J 2 = e 2 (t )dt = min,
0

J 3 = t e 2 (t )dt = min,
0

where e(t) denotes plant power control error, and optimal

parameters have been compared. It has turned out that turboset
power controllers optimal parameters differ insignificantly

0.06

3. EXAMPLES OF SIMULATION RESULTS

Simulations have been based on the ABBs GT8C gas
turbine. Both models of the HRSG and of the steam turbine
have been adopted to the GT8C gas turbines parameters. In the
preliminary research one pressure steam turbine has been
assumed.
3.1. Optimization of turboset power controller
Parameters of the PI controller of turboset electric power
have been optimized under integral criterion. Three criteria
have been considered,

GT

0.08

0.04

0.02
ST
0

10

15

20
time [s]

25

30

35

40

Fig. 1. Power output transients of combined cycle power plant

with frequency controller
GT gas turbine, ST steam turbine,
one shaft plant,
two shafts plant
It seems to be worth to remark that the gas turbine load
as percent of overall load increases when the plant load
increases while in the same time the steam turbine load
decreases.
The influence of turboset frequency controller on the
power output transients is insignificant.
3.3. Turboset frequency transients
The plant power set value change influences also the
turboset frequency. Such an influence is significantly less in the

Copyright 2000 by ASME

one shaft plant (transient with less overcontrol, and more

damping) than in the two shafts one, see Fig. 2. In the last case
the gas turbine frequency deviation significantly prevails over
the steam turbine one.

-4

1
0
-1
-2

-4

x 10

-3

]
-[
n

-4
T

-5
-6

3
]
-[

x 10

-7
-8

2
T

-9

-10

3
time [s]

Fig. 4. Responses of turboset frequency to electric grid

frequency drop
one shaft plant,
two shafts plant

-1
-2

3
time [s]

Fig. 2. Turboset frequency response to the plant power set value

step change
one shaft plant,
two shafts plant
3.4. Influence of electric grid frequency transients
As a disturbance signal a 0,05% step drop of the
electric grid frequency has been assumed. Figure 3 represents
responses of turboset power output, and Fig. 4 of turboset
frequency. Once more transients of one shaft plant are better
than those of two shafts plant.

3.5. Gas turbine combustion chamber exhaust

temperature transients
Combustion chamber exhaust temperature transients as
responses to the plant power set value step change are
represented in Fig. 5. In any gas turbine combustion chamber
exhaust temperature overcontrol should be limited. Therefore
the compressor inlet guide vane or/ and combustion chamber
exhaust temperature limiters should be applied. The significant
role of those last ones is particularly evident in ship propulsion
gas turbine (Dzida, 2000).
0.07

0.05
0.04

0.06

0.03
0.05

0.02
GT+ST

0.01
]
-[

0.04

GT

]
-[

ST

0.03

-0.01
0.02

-0.02
-0.03

0.01

-0.04
-0.05

10
time [s]

12

14

16

18

Fig. 3. Responses of turboset power output to electric grid

frequency drop
one shaft plant,
two shafts plant

20

10

15

20

25
time [s]

30

35

40

45

50

Fig. 5. Gas turbine combustion chamber exhaust temperature

response to the plant power set value step change
one shaft plant,
two shafts plant

Copyright 2000 by ASME

There is difference between combustion chamber

exhaust temperature of one shaft plant and of two shafts plant.
Responses as well to plant power set value change as to electric
grid frequency change, see Fig. 6, differ significantly.
-5

x 10

Boyce M. P., 1999, Optimizing Operation, Power

Engineering International, Vol. 7, Issue 9, pp. 83-87.
Dzida M., Domachowski Z., 2000, Influence of Disturbances
on Transients of a Gas Turbine Ship Propulsion System
Preliminary Investigations, Proceedings, ASME Turbo Expo
2000, Munich, Germany, May 8-11, in print.

-2
]
-[
T

-4

-6

-8

10

15

20

25
time [s]

30

35

40

45

50

Fig. 6. Gas turbine combustion chamber exhaust temperature

response to the electric grid frequency step change
one shaft plant,
two shafts plant
4. CONCLUSIONS
Combined cycle power plant control meets several specific
problems resulting from its complex structure. In general
transients of one shaft plant differ from those ones of two shafts
plant. In a two shafts plant, gas turbine transients differ
significantly from steam turbine ones.
Any control as well as disturbances input provokes
different transients. Several characteristics should be considered
while adopting the architecture and parameters of the power
plant controller.
REFERENCES
Rubis C.J., Harper T.R., 1986, Governing Ship Propulsion Gas
Turbine Engines, SNAME Transactions, Vol. 94, pp. 283-308.
Kehlhofer R., 1991, Combined- Cycle Gas and Steam Turbine
Power Plants, The Fairmont Press Inc.
Domachowski Z., Dzida M., 1995, Gas Turbine Application as
Recommended Way of Economy and Ecology Parameters
Improvement in Polish Public Power Utilities, ASME Paper
No 95-CTP-92.
Domachowski Z., Dzida M., 1996, Prospects and Expected
Effects of Application of Gas Turbines in Polish Public Power
Utilities, Proceedings, Power-Gen International96, Vol. 7,
Orlando, USA, December 4-6, pp. 145-153.

Copyright 2000 by ASME