The power delivery capability (PDC) of gas turbines, i.e. the hourly deliverable megawatts (MW) available from the turbines, is predictable and widely understood for a given set of conditions. However, the PDC of a turbine varies with changes in temperature; relative humidity; atmospheric pressure; unit availability; age and cleanliness of the turbine; grid congestion; and parasitic load. These factors make it extremely complicated to predict the actual turbine PDC. One power company used the PI System to build an application that automatically predicts the PDC of their turbines. To meet customer scheduling requirements, the PDC is communicated to the customer 2-5 days in advance with updates in real time. Automating this process avoided staffing a 24-hour scheduling desk. Engineers use the PDC application to compare actual turbine performance against predicted performance and the application is also used to minimize market exposure, maximize ROI, and to meet future requirements.
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