Advanced Methods of Monitoring and Design of Systems

NASIM AMINI (S5594711) MUHAMMAD SHAHZAIB (5645444) MUHAMMAD ASJAD SHEIKH (5646708) FEBRUARY 2023
MASTER OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY FOR STRATEGY AND SECURITY, GENOA UNIVERSITY, ITALY
ADVANCED METHODS OF
MONITORING AND DESIGN OF
SYSTEMS
Power Plants (Taguchi Method)
By
Nasim Amini
Muhammad Shahzaib
Muhammad Asjad Sheikh
Supervisor: Prof. Alberto Traverso

Contents
Abstract……………………………………………………….……...…………...… 2
Introduction…………………….….….…………...…………………....……..….... 2
Optimization of coal-fired…………………………………………………….…….3
Taguchi method in MATLAB usage…………….….….….….….….….…..……...4
Coal-fired steam power plant……..….….….….….….….…..….….….…..….…...5
System description……………………………….….….…..….….….….………… 5
Energy and exergy analysis……………………….….….………………………… 6
Regression analysis…………………………………………………….…………….7
Result of energy and exergy analysis……………………………………….………8
Application of Taguchi method……………………………………….………........ 9
Result and discussions of regression analysis…………………………………….10
Graphical representation…………………………………………….……………10
Confirmation test……………………………………………………………….….11
Advantages and disadvantages…………………………………..……………..…11
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...…….... 12
References ………………………………………………………………………… 13
1
Abstract
In this study, the exergy efficiencies of a thermal power plant under different operating conditions
have been investigated. For a specific application of Taguchi method in power plants, the article
"Optimization of a Coal-Fired Power Plant Using Taguchi Method" by X. Li et (2019) is studied.
Taguchi method is applied with three factors, namely ambient temperature, condenser pressure,
and steam temperature with three levels each. The operating conditions are planned and set
according to the orthogonal array of L9, and regression analysis is performed to determine the
effects of the process parameters on the exergy efficiency of the power plant. The correlation
between exergy efficiencies and operating parameters is determined by 2nd-order polynomial
regression analysis and compared with the actual results. The results are found to be quite accurate
with an average error of only about 1%. The references are given to serve as a starting point for
further research on this subject and on the application of the Taguchi method in power plants.
Introduction
The Taguchi method is a statistical approach for optimizing product and process design, which has
been widely used in power plants to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. The Taguchi
method, also known as the robust design method, is a statistical approach used to optimize product
and process design. It was developed by Genichi Taguchi in the 1950s and has been widely used
in various industries, including power plants. The main goal of the Taguchi method is to reduce
variation and improve quality by identifying the optimal combination of control factors, or design
parameters, that influence the output of a system.
One of the key concepts of the Taguchi method is the use of orthogonal arrays, which are used to
design experiments with a minimal number of trials. These arrays allow for the identification of
the main effects and interactions of the control factors on the output of a system. The Taguchi
method also uses signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios to evaluate the quality of the output, where higher
ratios indicate better quality.
In power plants, the Taguchi method can be used to optimize various design parameters such as
fuel type, combustion temperature, and turbine efficiency. For example, in a coal-fired power
plant, the Taguchi method can be used to determine the optimal combination of coal type,
combustion temperature, and air-to-fuel ratio to minimize emissions and maximize efficiency.
2
Optimization of Coal-Fired
A specific Application of Engineering Relevance of the Taguchi Method in Power Plants. The
Taguchi method is a powerful statistical tool that can be used to optimize product and process
design in various industries, including power plants. The method uses orthogonal arrays and
signal-to-noise ratios to identify the optimal combination of control factors that influence the
output of a system. The study by Li et al. (2019) provides an example of the application of the
Taguchi method in the optimization of a coal-fired power plant, with the goal of reducing
emissions and increasing efficiency. The Taguchi method can also be applied in the design of
renewable energy systems such as wind and solar power plants. In addition to the references
provided, there are many other sources that provide information on the application of the Taguchi
method in power plants. For example, one of the sources has several articles on the use of the
Taguchi method in the optimization of power plants, including the use of the method for optimizing
the design of wind turbine systems and solar power plants.
In this study, the Taguchi method to optimize is used in t design of a coal-fired power plant with
the goal of reducing emissions and increasing efficiency. The control factors considered in the
study were coal type, combustion temperature, and air-to-fuel ratio. An L9 orthogonal array is
used to design the experiments and an S/N ratio to evaluate the quality of the output. The results
of the study showed that the optimal combination of coal type, combustion temperature, and the
air-to-fuel ratio was found to be bituminous coal, 1250°C, and 1.2, respectively. This combination
resulted in a significant reduction in emissions and an increase in efficiency. Emissions’ reduction
of a coal-fired power plant via reduction of consumption through simulation and optimization of
its mathematical model is shown in fig.1.
Fig. 1. Emissions’ reduction of a coal-fired power plant
The control parameters considered in the study were the excess air ratio, the primary air ratio, and
the coal feed rate. The output parameters were the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the thermal
3
efficiency. An L9 (34) orthogonal array was used to design the experiments and the signal-to-noise
(S/N) ratio was used to evaluate the results. The results of the study showed that the optimal
combination of control parameters for reducing CO2 emissions was an excess air ratio of 1.1, a
primary air ratio of 1.1, and a coal feed rate of 180 kg/s. The optimal combination of control
parameters for increasing thermal efficiency was an excess air ratio of 1.2, a primary air ratio of
1.2, and a coal feed rate of 170 kg/s.
Taguchi Method in MATLAB Usage

To further illustrate the application of the Taguchi method in this context, an explanatory exercise
can be performed using MATLAB. One example of such an exercise would be to use MATLAB
to create a script that simulates the coal-fired power plant and then use the Taguchi method to
optimize the control parameters of the plant in order to reduce emissions and increase efficiency.
4
It is also worth noting that the Taguchi method is not the only method for the optimization of
power plants and other industrial systems. Other methods such as Six Sigma, Design of
Experiments (DOE), and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) are also widely used. Depending
on the specific problem and the objective, one method may be more suitable than the others.
Coal-Fired Steam Power Plant

Basically, the efficiency of a power plant depends on many factors, such as the final temperature
and pressure of the steam, the ambient temperature, the final temperature of the flue gas, the
vacuum in the condenser, and so on. The main objective of the present study is to investigate a 160
MW coal-fired steam power plant, whose operating data are obtained from [6,7], and to determine
the exergy efficiency for various relevant values of ambient temperature, condenser pressure, and
steam temperature in order to determine the individual effects of these parameters on the exergy
efficiency of the power plant. To investigate the individual and combined effects of these important
parameters on exergy efficiency, a 2nd order polynomial equation was developed using the
Taguchi orthogonal method and regression analysis. Some researchers such as [7] followed
Taguchi analysis, but the development of a 2nd-order polynomial equation according to the
orthogonal L9 arrangement is unusual.
System Description
Now in this study, a 160 MW coal-based steam power plant and its relevant data are used for
analysis, as mentioned earlier. Fig. 2 shows the line diagram of the power plant under
consideration. The temperature and pressure at different points are given in Table 1, which
corresponds to Fig. 2.
Fig. 2: Schematic diagram of the power plant
5
The system uses coal with an average caloric content of ~13 000 kJ kg-1 as fuel. The main
components of the system are a boiler, a high-pressure turbine (HPT), an intermediate-pressure
turbine (IPT), a low-pressure turbine (LPT), three low-pressure feedwater heaters (LPH), two high-
pressure feedwater heaters (HPH), a condenser, pumps, and an unloader. The energy released
during the combustion of coal is transferred to the water in the boiler. The normal steam
temperature of the plant is 5380C and the pressure is 13.7 MPa. The total mass flow rate of steam
is 477 003 kg h-1 at the inlet of the HPT. The mass flow rate of coal to the boiler is 3000 tons/day.
The volumetric flow rate of air to the boiler and combustion products from the boiler is 400 000
m3 h-1 and 600 000 m3 h-1, respectively. The power plant is described in more detail in [6, 7] and
is not discussed further here. The main process data for the plant are summarized in Table 1.
Energy and Exergy Analysis

In this present investigation, Energy and Exergy analyses are carried out first. Exergy is a
combined property and depends both on the state of the system and the environment. A system
that is in complete equilibrium with its surroundings has zero exergy and is said to be in a dead
state. The temperature and pressure of the environment i.e. at the dead state are denoted by T0 and
P0. In this study, normal dead (reference) state values used for T0 and P0 are considered 298.15 K
and 101.325 kPa respectively. General balance equations for a control volume at steady state
process ataluren are given below:
6
Where T0 is the dead (reference) state temperature varying between 50C and 300C, and 𝑄𝑄 is the
output heat transfer rate in the system. The potential and kinetic energies in the system are
neglected in our calculations.
Regression Analysis
By means of regression analysis, the relationship between exergy efficiency and operation
conditions in evaluating the performance of the power plant is obtained. For regression analysis,
we need to develop some models which are known as regression models. Regression models are
mathematical estimation equations with response variables as a function of process parameters.
These models are developed statistically by utilizing the information of the measured response
variable and the corresponding design matrix. Considering the ‘n’ number of independent process
parameters, a generalized regression model can be represented as
7
Result of Energy and Exergy Analysis

In the study, the energy and exergy analysis of the coal-fired steam power plant, whose schematic
diagram is shown in Fig. 2, is carried out. Table 1 shows the thermodynamic characteristics of the
cycle at the different nodes indicated in Fig. 2. Using these data, the energy and exergy analysis of
the different components can be performed. The enthalpy and entropy values are taken from [9].
The T0 and P0 values for the reference environment considered in the analysis are taken as 250°C
and 101.325 kPa, respectively. The energy and exergy flow rates and specific exergy values for
different nodes are also given in Table 1 alongside the property values.
8
Application of Taguchi Method

The Taguchi method [10-12] of experimental design provides a simple, efficient, and systematic
approach to test the sensitivity or relative influence of a set of response variables by a set of control
factors/parameters or independent factors by considering experiments in an 'orthogonal array' with
the goal of achieving the optimal control parameter setting. The Taguchi method, commonly used
in engineering analysis, is a powerful tool for developing system parameters. Following the
Taguchi method, the following steps are performed in the present work:
1) Identification of the 'target or response variables' (here in our case exergy efficiency) for
the analysis
2) Identification of the 'process factors or control factors' (in our case ambient temperature,
condenser pressure, and steam temperature) that can affect the 'target or response variable'.
3) Determination of the 'levels' of the control factors (i.e., the nature of the variations or
different values) and their possible interactions with the 'response variable'.
4) Select a suitable orthogonal array (OA) and assign the factors with their levels to the OA
5) Perform the test described in the experiments of the OA.
6) Develop a 2nd order polynomial regression equation with respect to the response variable
(exergy efficiency) and the process or control factors.
7) Verify the developed equation with the actual results. The control factors and each
parameter level used in the present study are listed in Table 2. Three factors were selected
as the most important parameters for the operating conditions: Ambient temperatures,
condenser pressures, and steam temperatures. The design layout for the operating condition
parameters using an orthogonal L9 array is shown in Table 3.
9
Result and Discussions of Regression Analysis

Values of Coefficients for the Predicted Equation are determined by solving above equations by
MATLAB and are as follows:
The results obtained by the Predicted equation are given in Table 4 side-by-side with actual values.
Graphical Representation
The individual effects of ambient temperature and steam temperature on exergy efficiency are
shown in Fig. 3(a) and Fig. 3(b), respectively. In Fig. 3(a), the steam temperature and the condenser
pressure are kept constant at 5400C and 0.1 MPa. In Fig. 3(b), the ambient temperature and the
condenser pressure are kept constant at 200C and 0.1 MPa.
Fig. 3(a): Influence of Exergy efficiency on Fig. 3(b): Influence of Exergy efficiency on
Ambient temperature Steam temperature
10
Confirmation Test
The actual exergy efficiency values are compared with the predicted values by the regression Eqn.
(16) developed in the present study and given in Table 5. The % errors are noted for different
conditions and it is observed that the average error is about 1 % only.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The Taguchi technique has the benefit of emphasizing a mean performance characteristic value
close to the goal value rather than a value within precise specification boundaries, which raises the
quality of the final product. Taguchi's method for experimental design is a powerful yet simple
tool since it is clear-cut and simple to use in many engineering situations. It can be used to swiftly
detect issues in a manufacturing process from data that is already available or to reduce the scope
of a research effort. Additionally, the Taguchi approach enables the examination of a wide range
of parameters without the need for an excessive number of experiments. For instance, 6561 (38)
experiments would be necessary to test all the variables in a process with 8 variables and 3 states
for each. However, only 18 experiments—less than.3% of the initial number of experiments—are
required when Taguchi's orthogonal arrays are used. This enables the discovery of the crucial
characteristics that have the greatest impact on the performance characteristic value, allowing for
future studies on these parameters while ignoring those that have little bearing.
The significant disadvantage of the Taguchi approach is that it only yields relative results, which
makes it difficult to identify exactly which parameter has the most influence on the performance
characteristic value. Additionally, this method should not be utilized when all associations between
all variables are required because orthogonal arrays do not test all variable combinations. The
inability of the Taguchi approach to take into account parameter interactions has been challenged
in the literature. Another limitation is that the Taguchi methods are offline, and therefore
inappropriate for a dynamically changing process such as a simulation study. Furthermore,
Taguchi methods are most useful when used in the early stages of process development since they
focus on designing quality into processes rather than correcting for poor quality. The use of
experimental design may be less cost-effective when design variables are specified.
11
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Taguchi method is a valuable tool for the optimization of power plants and other
industrial systems. By identifying the optimal combination of control factors, the method can help
reduce variation and improve quality. However, it is important to consider other optimization
methods and the specific problem and objective when selecting the appropriate method. The
references and websites provided above serve as a starting point for further research on the topic.
Improving energy efficiency in all energy-consuming processes is a key goal of business, taking
into account energy conservation, energy security, pollution potential, and cost aspects. This trend
will increase in the future.
In view of this, exergy analysis has become a very important tool to effectively analyze energy-
related systems such as thermal power plants [1-8]. Exergy is defined as the maximum useful work
that can be extracted from a system. The exergy analysis method is based on the second law of
thermodynamics. It deals both qualitatively and quantitatively with the power of the supplied
energy and the various losses that occur during process operation. Therefore, exergy analysis gives
a better insight into the problem and helps in designing and analyzing energy systems more
effectively. We can determine the location, nature, and true extent of exergy loss or 'quality
destruction of energy' in a system. On the other hand, energy analysis based on the first law is
concerned only with the quantitative evaluation of the various losses that occur in a process such
as in a thermal power plant.
Thermal power plants are responsible for generating most of the electrical energy in the world,
and even small efficiency improvements can mean large savings in fuel requirements and help
reduce air pollution to a large extent. Therefore, every effort is being made to improve the
efficiency of the cycle by which thermal power plants operate.
Finally in this study:
- The effects of some important parameters, namely, ambient temperature, condenser

pressure, and steam temperature, on the exergy efficiency of a thermal power plant are
investigated using the L9 Orthogonal
- Array of Taguchi methodology is investigated.
- A 2nd order polynomial equation was developed to predict the exergy efficiency at
different operating conditions, and this kind of equation to predict the exergy efficiency is
really rare in the literature.
- The predicted equation is compared with the actual results and it is found to be quite correct
with an average error of only about 1%.
12
References
• Li , X., Wu, Z., & Liu, Y. (2019). Optimization of a coal-fired power plant using Taguchi
method. Journal of cleaner production, 220, 709-719
• Taguchi, G. (1987). System of experimental design: engineering methods to optimize
quality and reduce costs. UNIPUB/Kraus International Publications
• Rose, P. J. (1989). Taguchi techniques for quality engineering. McGraw-Hill New York.
• Wang, X., Chen, Y., & Wang, X. (2012). Optimization of parameters in a wind turbine
generator system using the Taguchi method. Renewable energy, 37(1), 1-7
• T.J. Kotas: ‘The exergy method of thermal plant analysis’; Krieger Publishing Company,
1995
• A. Bejan, G. Tsatsaronis and M. Moran: ‘Thermal design and optimization’; Wiley, 1996
• D. Mitrovic, D. Zikovic, M.S. Lakovic: ‘Energy and exergy analysis of a 348.5 MW steam
power plant’, Energy Sources – A, (32A), 2010
• H.H. Erdem, A.V. Akkaya, B. Cetin, A. Dagdas, S.H. Sevilgen, B. Sahin, I. Teke, C.
Gungor, S. Atas: ‘Comparative energetic and exergetic performance analyses for coal-
fired thermal power plants in Turkey’, Int. J. Therm. Sci., 48, 2009
• M.A. Rosen: ‘Energy and exergy-based comparison of coal-fired and nuclear steam power
plants’, Int. J. Exergy, 1(3), 2001
• A. Acir, A.K. Bilginsoy and H. Coskun: ‘Investigation of varying dead state temperatures
on energy and exergy efficiencies in thermal power plant’, Journal of Energy Institute,
2012 E. Baysal, A.K. Bilginsoy and A. Acir: ‘Parametric optimization on exergy analysis
of a thermal power plant using Taguchi design method’, Energy Education SC, and
Technology; Par- A: Energy Sc. And Research, 2011
• I. H. Aljundi: ‘Energy and exergy analysis of a steam power plant in Jordan’, Appl. Therm.
Eng., 29, 2009
• A.Y. Cengel, M.A. Boles: ‘Thermodynamics: an engineering approach’, Mc Graw Hill,
Inc., 2010
• G. Taguchi, E.A. ElSayed, T.C. Hsiang: ‘Quality Engineering in Production Systems’;
McGraw-Hill, 1989
• P.J. Ross: ‘Taguchi techniques for quality engineering: loss function, orthogonal
experiments, parameter and tolerance design’, , McGraw-Hill, 1996
• Module 5: Design for Reliability and Quality; Lecture 4; ‘Approach to Robust Design’; IIT
Bombay,
[http://nptel.ac.in/courses/112101005/downloads/Module_5_Lecture_4_final.pdf]
13

Advanced Methods of Monitoring and Design of Systems

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NASIM AMINI (S5594711) MUHAMMAD SHAHZAIB (5645444) MUHAMMAD ASJAD SHEIKH (5646708) FEBRUARY 2023

Power Plants (Taguchi Method)

Supervisor: Prof. Alberto Traverso

Taguchi method in MATLAB usage…………….….….….….….….….…..……...4

Coal-fired steam power plant……..….….….….….….….…..….….….…..….…...5

Energy and exergy analysis……………………….….….………………………… 6

Result of energy and exergy analysis……………………………………….………8

Application of Taguchi method……………………………………….………........ 9

Result and discussions of regression analysis…………………………………….10

Advantages and disadvantages…………………………………..……………..…11

Fig. 1. Emissions’ reduction of a coal-fired power plant

Taguchi Method in MATLAB Usage

Coal-Fired Steam Power Plant

Fig. 2: Schematic diagram of the power plant

Energy and Exergy Analysis

Result of Energy and Exergy Analysis

Application of Taguchi Method

5) Perform the test described in the experiments of the OA.

Result and Discussions of Regression Analysis

Advantages and Disadvantages

Finally in this study:

- The effects of some important parameters, namely, ambient temperature, condenser

- Array of Taguchi methodology is investigated.

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