Patent ID: 7584024

Claim:
A method for optimizing operation of a power generating plant having a plurality of power plant device groups, each power plant device group comprised of one or more power plant devices, the method comprising: evaluating the results of an optimization process for identifying a power plant device group for activation; for each power plant device group, determining a target factor value for at least one associated time value parameter, wherein the greater the target factor value, the higher the rank of the power plant device group; comparing the target factor value to predefined threshold ranges to determine a respective weight value for each power plant device group, wherein each weight value is respectively associated with one of the following operating conditions: (a) do not activate power plant devices in the power plant device group, (b) may not activate power plant devices in the power plant device group, (c) may activate power plant devices in the power plant device group, and (d) activate power plant devices in the power plant device group; determining a plurality of decisions D of an initial time increment (t 0 ) in accordance with the determined weight values, wherein each said decision D is associated with a discrete variable having a finite set of possible values for operation of one of the power plant device groups; obtaining a model of the power generating plant that predicts one or more output parameter values that are a function of one or more input parameter values of the power generating plant, the output parameter values are associated with goals in operation of the power generating plant, wherein optimized input parameter values are determined by iteratively varying one or more input parameter values received by the model until the predicted output parameter values are substantially equal to said goals; determining one or more subsequent decisions D of one or more subsequent time increments after the initial time increment (t 0 ), in accordance with optimized input parameter values that are determined using said model; selecting one of said decisions D determined for the initial time increment (t 0 ) as a decision for operation of the power generating plant at the initial time increment (t 0 ), wherein said selection is based upon analysis of the output parameter values obtained in connection with each of said decisions D of the initial time increment and the output parameter values obtained in connection with each said subsequent decisions D of the one or more subsequent time increments; and operating a power plant device group of the power generating plant for the initial time increment in accordance with the selected decision D, wherein said power plant devices include a soot cleaning device.