How do we adapt the electrical output of a fossil powerplant according to the demand on the grid ?
In: Engineering
The plant has operators. These people look at the phase of the electricity being generated in comparison to the grid itself. If you are too fast, then you reduce the amount of steam running into the turbines that drive the generators that make electricity. If your plant is lagging, you increase the steam rate. To maintain steam production, you might have to add more fuel to the plant, there are other controls for that. If the steam pressure starts to rise, you add less fuel, or even vent the excess steam (which is sad because it’s a waste of fuel).
Lots of people are doing this, both at each plant and at the central grid operations center.
Latest Answers