Patent ID: 8069708

Claim:
A method for determining the life cycle of a power station component, comprising: defining a first characteristic for the life cycle of the power station component at a constant output; defining a second characteristic for the life cycle of the power station component at a variable output; defining a first equivalence rule as a function of an actual time parameter, an operating parameter of the power station component and a weighting wherein a pre-defined operation of the power station component at a constant output relative to a plurality of first characteristics is depicted; defining a second equivalence rule wherein the pre-defined operation of the power station component at the variable output in accordance with a plurality of second characteristics is depicted; determining the plurality of first characteristics and the plurality of second characteristics generated during an actual operation of the power station; determining a sum of the plurality of first characteristics and the plurality of second characteristics; and assessing the life cycle of the power station component using the determined sum.