Integrated Diagnostic System for the Equipment of Power Plants: Part II — The Expert System

This paper describes the development of an Expert System for identification of generating equipment faults caused by wearing out of their components, which decrease the efficiency and thus the heat rate of a generating plant. In a sister paper [1], the formulation was presented and the algorithms for the principal equipment were developed. The Expert Systems are based on the above algorithms. Also, in some case a vibration analysis is used jointly with thermodynamic analysis to locate precisely a fault, for example in a case of rubbing which damaged the seals of the turbine and/or compressors. The system is used off-line, however it can be installed on-line with a monitoring system. The Expert Systems identify the faults of the gas turbine, the compressor and the steam turbine. Auxiliary equipment faults are presented in the form of tables also, listing the symptoms and their causes [1]. The knowledge levels and the separate bases are built into the systems.