Planning for the future of Intelligent Power Generation
Those readers interested in the use of new technology in power and utilities, will find much useful information in an in depth article in Power Mag written by authors Susan Maley and Prayag Parikh.
Please note AREA member Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) are working with Augmented Reality technology as well as other emerging technologies as can be read on their member profile.
The main points can be summarised as follows:
An Electric Power Research Institute-led collaborative utility project, called I4Gen (Insight through the Integration of Information for Intelligent Generation), is exploring new technologies for digitally connecting assets and optimizing plant operations and maintenance.
The power plant of the future will leverage a digital platform in which information produced in near-real-time is used to estimate equipment condition, and algorithms are employed to forecast a set of operating conditions. The connected and integrated information networks will automatically integrate data and produce practical information for various systems, functions, analysis, personnel, and actions.
The computation, communication, and linking of systems will be embedded with interfaces that are easy to use, but secured at various levels within the network. An open-architecture modular system will allow for “plug-and-play” of new devices, software, and other algorithms regardless of developer or vendor.
Information about the I4Gen project are discussed including the benefits and challenges of optimizing relevant information. The I4Gen concept consists of five application areas that, when integrated and applied, can lead to advances in plant performance, operation, and maintenance.
The application areas are:
- Sensor and emerging measurement technologies.
- Data analytics, integration, and visualization.
- Digital worker technologies.
- Advanced M&D
- Process control and automation.
For the full article see Power Mag.