Patent ID: 6312154
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method for on-line determination of fuel heat content of fuel used by a combustion turbine system, the fuel heat content being used in a mathematical model of the operation of the combustion turbine system, said method comprising the steps of:measuring data from said combustion turbine system during combustion of said fuel while said combustion turbine system is on-line and running;correcting the measured data using a standard correction algorithm;calculating said fuel heat content of said fuel using at least the corrected data, the calculated fuel heat content being used in the mathematical model of the operation of the combustion turbine system;comparing the calculated fuel heat content to a statistical record of previously calculated fuel heat contents;determining a change in said fuel heat content of said fuel based on said step of comparing the calculated fuel heat content to said statistical record of previously calculated fuel heat content; andadjusting the calculated fuel heat content based on the determined change in said fuel heat content, the adjusted calculated fuel heat content being used in the mathematical model of the operation of the combustion turbine system instead of the calculated fuel heat content.