Skip to main content
Power Generation Software

CENAL’s Karabiga Steam Power Plant Achieves More than 700K USD Annual Savings with GE Digital Boiler Optimizer

CLIENT
More than $700K

Annual fuel savings

15 %

Reduction in NOx emissions

1,320 MW

Plant powered by 2 GE USC Boilers and 2 GE Steam Units

Introduction

Company

CENAL Elektrik Üretim A.Ş. (CENAL)

Industry

Power Generation Software

Product Categories

Operations Performance Management (OPM)

As Turkey transforms energy production to a renewable base, coal power plants play an essential role. It is critical that power generation from coal stabilize delivery to ensure no shortages occur. At the same time, however, Turkey requires this stabilization to occur with as little an emissions footprint as possible.

 

General Electric (GE) provided both the technology and expertise required to meet strict emissions guidelines while remaining profitable.

İhsan Acar - Power Plant Manager

 

Improving efficiency standards and reducing NOx and CO emissions

 

CENAL’s Karabiga power plant is the country’s first USC coal-fired generation facility and its excellence was further improved by an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning-based operation optimization solution. Making the digital transformation took a lot of careful planning.

 

Unique attributes, based on coal source, had an impact on equipment efficiency and emissions. With its combustion optimizer and soot cleaning optimizer modules, GE Digital’s Boiler Optimizer (BoilerOpt) solution is able to stabilize and evenly distribute combustion temperature across the boiler (controlling the excess air inlet to the furnace) as well as provide optimal soot blowing capabilities, which ensure efficient heat transfer while reducing losses and reducing tube failures.

 

It was important that we implement a solution that could reduce operators’ discretion related to some critical operational parameters. Standardization would ensure operations would be consistent across different operator shifts.

İhsan Acar - Power Plant Manager

 

Analyzing data from 1,000 sensor inputs through neural networks make it easy to accurately predict behavior and operate in a sustainable manner

 

BoilerOpt intelligently monitors and analyzes data from around a thousand sensors that are typically found in the boilers. This constant stream of complex data is dynamically processed by the software and the operating settings are adjusted for optimum performance, helping CENAL maintain efficient operations while reducing harmful emissions.  BoilerOpt also shows operators how to adapt to the changing characteristics of the various coals used at the plant.  

 

The team at GE Digital was great. Even when we had to switch to remote operations due to the pandemic, we didn’t lose momentum. The analysis now available at our fingertips is reducing tube failure while being environmentally friendly.

Fatih Sayın - Electric & Automation Manager

Heat rate improvements lead to $700K savings and NOx reduction costs were minimized

 

Greater efficiencies delivered via digitalization has allowed better performance and operating flexibility. 

 

  • 15% reduction in NOx emissions
  • 0.3% heat rate improvement for USC boilers led to approximately $700K savings; proving that GE Digital can step in and improve the efficiency of even the best-in-class power plant technology
  • Improved lifetime through reduced stress with less tube failures expected to occur

 

 Read more about Karabiga’s digital journey, as featured in POWER Magazine.

Explore GE Digital's software and services

Select resources for power generators from GE Digital
Industrial App

Capacity Optimization & Trading

Flex your gas plant to meet dynamic market demands.

Industrial Managed Services | GE Digital | IIoTIndustrial Managed Services | GE Digital | IIoT
Power Generation Software

Energy Services

Explore how you can achieve rapid results with GE Digital's unique turnkey outsourcing services tailored for Power Generators.

Let GE Digital show you how to digitize your power generation operations