Power System

Course

Power Generation, Operation and Control

Economic Dispatch of
Thermal Units and Methods
of Solution (3)

Chung Yuan Christian University

Department of Electrical Engineering
March 8, 2022

Thermal System Dispatching

 THE LAMBDA-ITERATION METHOD

 Graphical technique

For a three-machine system, we can plot the incremental cost

characteristics for each of these three units on the same graph, such as
sketched in Figure 3.4.

At first, we could assume an incremental cost rate (λ) and find the
power outputs of each of the three units.

If we have assumed the value of incremental cost such that the total
power output is too low, we must increase the λ value.

With two solutions, we can extrapolate (or interpolate) the two solutions
to get closer to the desired value of total received power (see Figure 3.5).

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 Computer implementation

We could store tables of data within the computer and interpolate between
the stored power points to find exact power output for a specified value of
incremental cost rate.

Another approach would be to develop an analytical function for the

power output as a function of the incremental cost rate, store this
function in the computer, and use this to establish the output of each of the
individual units.

This procedure is an iterative type of computation. The stopping rules:

• Based on finding the proper operating point within a specified

tolerance.

• Counting the number of times through the iterative loop and stopping
when a maximum number is exceeded.

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EXAMPLE 3D

Assume that one wishes to use cubic functions to represent the input-
output characteristics of generating plants as follows

For the three units, find the optimum schedule using the lambda-
iteration method.

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 Assume the fuel cost to be 1.0 $/MBtu for each unit and unit limits as
follows.

320 MW ≦ P1 ≦ 800 MW

300 MW ≦ P2 ≦ 1200 MW

275 MW ≦ P3 ≦ 1100 MW

Two sample calculations are shown, both using the flowchart in Figure
3.3.

In this calculation, the value for λ on the second iteration is always

set at 10% above or below the starting value depending on the sign of the
error; for the remaining iterations, lambda is projected as in Figure 3.5.

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 The first example shows the advantage of starting λ near the optimum
value.

Pload = 2500 MW

λstart = 8.0 $/MWh

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 The second example shows the oscillatory problems that can be
encountered with a lambda-iteration approach.

Pload = 2500 MW

λstart = 10.0 $/MWh

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 Questions for Homework
Read APPENDIX 3A Optimization within Constraints and
answer following questions.

1. Why if two vectors, ▽ f and ▽ ω, "line up" with each other, the
equation ▽f + λ▽ω = 0 can be set up?

2. Why if the equation ▽f + λ▽ω = 0 exists, then

can be derived for ?

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