Description
- Multi-Point Design is a new tool in the MACRO to help manage creating a single GT MASTER model from a collection of GT PRO designs.
- GT MASTER models can be directly imported into THERMOFLEX to produce an equivalent off-design model in that program which allows enhanced modeling flexibility.
- GT PRO and GT MASTER now include hybrid thermal-electric desalination systems. Models for MED+RO and MSF+RO were added to the existing thermal-only and electric-only options that were already available.
- STEAM PRO, and STEAM MASTER now include desalination models akin to the five different setups available in GTP/GTM. MED, MSF, RO, MED+RO, and MSF+RO are all included.
- A new ‘Commentary’ text ouput report is included in GT PRO. Current values for key design parameters are listed along with typical ranges for each to make plant designers aware of any potentially unusual inputs.
- THERMOFLEX now includes a Smoke Tube Evaporator icon, exhaust-driven and direct fired absorption chiller icons, a thermally-stratified storage tank icon, a liquid storage tank icon, and a Ruths steam accumulator icon.
- THERMOFLEX’s flowsheet graphic editing features were improved to make it easier to edit the drawing. Icons can now be disconnected from streams without losing the stream definition. Tagged connections may now be preserved when connected icons are deleted.
- PEACE cost estimation for small plant (sub 25 MWe range) was improved in GTP/GTM and STP/STM.
- Gas turbine and reciprocating engine libraries were expanded to include additional engine specs and revisions to existing specs.
GT PRO
Gas turbine combined cycle design program to create cycle heat balance and physical equipment needed to realize it
GT PRO automates the process of designing a combined cycle or gas turbine cogeneration plant. GT PRO is particularly effective for creating new designs and finding their optimal configuration and design parameters. The user inputs design criteria and assumptions and the program computes heat and mass balance, system performance, and component sizing. The scope and level of detail in GT PRO has been continuously growing since 1988, to the point that the 2008 version has over 3000 user-adjustable inputs. Most key inputs are automatically created by intelligent design procedures that help the user identify the best design with minimal time and effort, while allowing the flexibility to make any changes or adjustments. GT PRO is truly easy to use, typically requiring only a few minutes to create a new plant design. It normally computes a heat balance and simultaneously designs the required equipment in under five seconds. When run in conjunction with the optional PEACE module, the programs provide extensive engineering and cost estimation details.
Samples
The variety of gas turbine based power plant configurations you can design in GT PRO is virtually endless. From gas turbines in simple cycle, to engines exhausting into waste heat recovery boilers for process steam, optionally including condensing, non-condensing, or reheat steam turbines, with any sort of cooling system, are all easily accommodated in GT PRO. The following is a small sampling of the variety of plants that you can generate in a matter of minutes. While only an overview graphic is presented to describe each case, the program provides from 50 to over 100 outputs consisting of well-organized overview summary reports, detailed equipment descriptions, and informative graphical displays.
GT MASTER
Gas turbine combined cycle simulation program to predict expected plant performance using proven hardware based models
GT MASTER Simulates expected performance of a given plant at different operating conditions, such as different ambients and loads. The roughly 2500 inputs which define plant hardware and main control set-points can all be initialized for a plant by simply reading its GT PRO design file. Once a GT MASTER plant model has been fine-tuned, it can be run from within MS Excel. This makes it easy to generate correction curves from the GT MASTER model to help planners forecast their fuel consumption and electricity production and to model their cash-flows. The extensive engineering and cost estimation functions obtained in conjunction with the PEACE module facilitate optimization of design details, such as pipe sizing or pump selection.
Samples
Whereas GT PRO allows you to quickly create new plant designs, GT MASTER enables you to evaluate how those designs perform at off-design conditions. GT MASTER computes expected plant performance when you adjust site ambient conditions, equipment load setpoints, equipment control logic, hardware definitions, degradation levels, fuel characteristics, etceteras. You can quickly map out expected plant performance envelope under the ambient, dispatch, and operating conditions the plant will run in.
PEACE
Preliminary plant engineering and cost estimation module for use with GT PRO, GT MASTER, and THERMOFLEX
PEACE is a module that is licensed separately, but works seamlessly within Thermoflow’s main heat balance programs. Its functionality within GT PRO & GT MASTER is comprehensive, proven and mature. Its functionality within THERMOFLEX is focused on roughly thirty-five components, covering heat recovery boilers, feedwater heaters, wet condensers, cooling towers, air-cooled condensers, piping, pumps, and others used to model balance-of-plant components and sub-systems.
When used within GT PRO or GT MASTER, PEACE provides additional inputs to automate the preliminary engineering and cost estimation of each plant, as designed in GT PRO, or as modified in GT MASTER. The logical cost functions for all equipment and balance-of-plant are derived from the detailed hardware specifications, so that any design change is immediately reflected in corresponding changes in both performance and cost. This greatly facilitates the techno-economic optimization of major equipment, such as boilers, steam turbines, condensers, or cooling towers; as well as plant subsystems, such as piping, pumps, and gas turbine inlet chillers.
Sample
PEACE runs alongside our heat balance software, performing preliminary engineering calculations to determine the weights, dimensions, and costs of the components needed to achieve the heat balance design. PEACE inputs that affect physical equipment layout and design are available coincident to the heat balance inputs. A complete set of equipment data sheets and schematics are provided on output. A detailed equipment cost breakdown is provided which can be modified by the user, and exported to Excel for further revision.
PDE
An “Executive Level” version of GT PRO to help generate a plant conceptual design and heat rate estimate “on the fly”
PDE (Plant Design Expert)is an intelligent shell that creates a GT PRO input file based on the user’s requirements for the proposed plant. It then runs GT PRO in the background and displays abbreviated output results. PDE takes away much of GT PRO’s flexibility and replaces it by a high degree of automated, expert logic, deciding what type of cycle should be used, its configuration details and the numerical values of its design parameters. PDE provides its user with approximately fifty adjustable inputs to state his/her requirements. The rest of GT PRO’s several thousand inputs are generated automatically.
THERMOFLEX
Fully-flexible design and simulation of combined cycles, cogeneration systems, and other thermal power systems
THERMOFLEX is a modular program with a graphical interface that allows you to assemble a model from icons representing over one hundred and seventy-five different components. The program covers both design and off-design simulation, and models all types of power plants, including combined cycles, conventional steam cycles, and repowering. It can also model general thermal power systems and networks. It answers the need of some customers for a single, “jack-of-all-trades” program.
In addition to being a comprehensive, stand-alone tool, THERMOFLEX may be used in conjunction with Thermoflow’s application-specific programs to provide powerful synergies. GT PRO plant designs can be directly loaded into THERMOFLEX. Composite models built partly in GT PRO, GT MASTER, and THERMOFLEX can be created to extort the best of the Application-Specific and Fully-Flexible approaches to plant modeling.
Samples
THERMOFLEX is a fully-flexible program for design and off-design simulation of thermal systems with a strong emphasis on combined cycle and conventional steam plants. Its extensive library of components facilitates designing plants based on typical practice of today, or investigation of novel designs that may become practical tomorrow. THERMOFLEX can operate on its own using virtual models of components, or together with PEACE which provides a set of physical components whose weights and dimensions provide the basis for estimated cost. THERMOFLEX can link to one or more models built in GT PRO, GT MASTER, or STEAM MASTER to create super-models that exploit the best features of the Application-Specific and Fully-Flexible systems.
Excel Link
Run Thermoflow software from MS Excel
The Excel Link (ELINK) utility lets you run core Thermoflow programs from inside Excel. ELINK allows you to edit inputs, run calculations, and view outputs all without leaving the Excel environment. You can run any number of cases starting from an existing model file for plant design studies, cycle optimization, and what-if simulation purposes.
Any number of input parameters can be changed in each case. User-selected model outputs are automatically updated in cells on the worksheet following calculation. You can combine core program outputs with each other, or with other values you supply to extend the calculation to fit your needs. You can easily create tabular and graphical outputs in Excel using all the features of Excel together with the power of the underlying Thermoflow model.
ELINK works in conjunction with any of Thermoflow’s Core Programs (GT PRO, GT MASTER, STEAM PRO, STEAM MASTER, THERMOFLEX, PEACE) and is included at no additional charge.
More
If you would like to learn more about ELINK and how it fits into our entire software suite, we would be happy to send you a restricted trial version of our comprehensive software suite, or show you the program online.