Process performance

Process design and optimization
KEMA uses special tools for analyzing the operation of your power plant such as process simulators like SPENCE® for stationary calculations of the water/steam cycles, gas turbines and heat exchangers and PROTRAX for dynamical simulation of the plant.

CHARGE! is an expert system for calculating investments in CHP plants. There is a materials database available with up-to-date information. With our knowledge of thermodynamics and process simulations, we can determine the feasibility and cost of any modification. We can evaluate the tenders you receive for your improvements. If necessary we can go into vary detail to solve boiler heat exchange problems for each pipe separately and use two phase flow calculations in the evaporators.

During plant operations, personnel often asks the question “what-if?” to get insight in the consequences of their actions. These so called What-if analyses are part of the broad service package we can offer to you to achieve your process optimization targets.

Performance testing
A water, heat and power generation plant is a major investment and will remain in use for a long period. Consequently, if its performance is so much as a few tenths of one per cent less than it should be, the cumulative cost is enormous. When a new plant is commissioned, KEMA is often called in as an independent party to check whether the terms of the guarantee are met. Independent verification of this kind is important to both the supplier and the owner.

Guarantee tests quickly pay for themselves. Especially, if it proves that there is something amiss. A plant or system that does not perform as expected or does not meet the thermodynamic requirements can cause all sorts of difficulties. Difficulties that can be costly for supplier and owner alike. In the present liberalized and highly competitive energy market, KEMA’s services will be more valuable than ever. KEMA also has broad experience with and expertise in heat rate measurement. Information about plant efficiency, conditions, fuel consumption and the performance of the plants main components is vital.

Emission monitoring
Power plants and a growing number of industries who’s power generation is based on fossil fuel combustion request KEMA to perform emission measurements. For instance, to test whether the limits - which are continuously lowered - are not exceeded. Or to obtain a license to operate. Authorities set high demands for the exactness of the measurements concerning the environment. Nowadays the emission of CO2 and NOx are financial values and subject to trade. Accurate environmental measurements can save you lots of money. We can help you to achieve this with our long-term experience of monitoring flue, process and exhaust fumes. Our team of experienced specialists works with calibrated equipment.

KEMA has mobile emission laboratories equipped with advanced analysis instruments and calibrated instruments to detect all relevant components in flue, process and exhaust fumes. For this purpose we use certified calibration gases. We also measure gas velocity and flue gas flows. KEMA’s emission measurement department has "RvA Testing L256" accreditation for monitoring on site and is ISO 9001 certified. With these monitoring data we support your permit-application, calibrate and check your own equipment, calculate your annual emission, and advise on process-optimization.

Performance monitoring
ThermoWare is a software package developed by KEMA for performance monitoring of power plants. ThermoWare contains several modules which enable the user to build thermodynamic models, configure data-acquisition tasks, configure on- and off-line graphical presentation of measured and calculated data to generate several types of reports. All graphics and reports can easily be transferred to the Office environment. ThermoWare is used by KEMA for performance tests and long term monitoring. Within the Netherlands and abroad, ThermoWare is used as a performance monitoring tool for coal fired power stations, combined cycles, gas turbines drives and compressors.