Fourier transform method for sensitivity analysis in coal fired power plant

This work proposes a Fourier transform method to determine the sensitivities associated with a real coal power plant using a Rankine cycle. Power demand determines the plant revenue and is supposed to be the most important parameter to be accurately measured, and this hypothesis is at the center of this study. The results confirm that under full design load, variables such as steam pressure, temperature and mass flow rate are closely dependent on power demand, though overall thermal efficiency is more sensitive to boiler efficiency. Partial load simulation shows that the overall thermal efficiency remains strongly dependent on the boiler parameters, but other operational variables such as steam temperature at the turbine outlet changes its sensitivity according to the load. The results from the Fourier transform method are in good agreement with those determined by classical differential and Monte Carlo methods. However, the Fourier transform method requires only a single run, providing major savings in computational time as compared to the Monte Carlo method, a major advantage for analysis of power systems whether operating under full or partial load.