Patent Document ID: 7499763
Application ID: 11458522
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for determining a best operating practice for minimizing emissions of NO x at a fossil fuel-fired plant, comprising the steps of: reviewing normal operation data for a normal configuration of equipment at said plant; specifying a time-dependent perturbation based on the review of said normal operation data; applying said perturbation to one or more fuel inputs to give a signature in said normal operation data; acquiring measured response data from said fuel inputs with said signature to form a perturbation test data set; analyzing said perturbation test data set, further comprising the steps of: filtering said perturbation test data set, wherein said perturbation test data set is filtered by applying a signature perturbation waveform formed by said signature in said normal operation data; and, carrying out matrix calculations for said perturbation test data set, wherein a mass per unit energy value is quantified to allow said normal configuration of said equipment to be optimized to reduce said NO x without changing said normal configuration to determine said best operating practice.