Dual model approach for boiler section cleanliness calculation

A method of controlling soot blowers or a soot blower operating sequence located near a heat exchange section, the method comprising:

• generating a first model for a clean operating condition of the heat exchange section from process data of the heat exchange section;
• generating a second model for a dirty operating condition of the heat exchange section from process data of the heat exchange section;
• calculating an ideal operating condition of the heat exchange section using the first model;
• calculating a dirty operating condition of the heat exchange section using the second model;
• calculating a current operating condition of the heat exchange section based on current process data of the heat exchange section;
• calculating a reliability parameter indicative of the accuracy of the first model and the second model based on the current operating condition, the ideal operating condition and the dirty operating condition;
• and
• regenerating the first model and the second model if the value of the reliability parameter is not within an acceptable range of values.

A soot blowing process control system for controlling soot blowers located near a heat exchange section, the system comprising:

• a computer processor communicatively connected to the soot blowers;
• a computer readable memory;
• a first routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to operate the soot blowers according to a first operating sequence;
• a second routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to generate a first model for a clean operating condition of the heat exchange section from process data of the heat exchange section;
• a third routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to generate a second model for a dirty operating condition of the heat exchange section from process data of the heat exchange section;
• a fourth routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to calculate an ideal operating condition of the heat exchange section using the first model;
• a fifth routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to calculate a dirty operating condition of the heat exchange section using the second model;
• a sixth routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to calculate a current operating condition of the heat exchange section based on current process data of the heat exchange section;
• a seventh routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to compare the current operating condition to the ideal operating condition and to the dirty operating condition;
• and
• an eighth routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to determine a second operating sequence and cause the soot blowers to operate according to the second operating sequence if the comparison of the current operation condition to the ideal operating condition and the comparison of the current operating condition to the dirty operating condition indicate that the first operating sequence is not an optimal operating sequence for the soot blowers.

A soot blowing process control system for controlling soot blowers located near a heat exchange section, the system comprising:

• a computer processor communicatively connected to the soot blowers;
• a computer readable memory;
• a first routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to generate a first model for a clean operating condition of the heat exchange section from process data of the heat exchange section;
• a second routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to generate a second model for a dirty operating condition of the heat exchange section from process data of the heat exchange section;
• a third routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to calculate an ideal operating condition of the heat exchange section using the first model;
• a fourth routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to calculate a dirty operating condition of the heat exchange section using the second model;
• a fifth routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to calculate a current operating condition of the heat exchange section based on current process data of the heat exchange section;
• a sixth routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to calculate a reliability parameter indicative of the accuracy of the first model and the second model based on the current operating condition, the ideal operating condition and the dirty operating condition;
• and
• a seventh routine stored on the computer readable memory and adapted to be operable on the computer processor to regenerate the first model and the second model if the value of the reliability parameter is not within an acceptable range of values.