Early AI Diagnostics at Westinghouse
few days. Replacement power is typically
cheaper on weekends because total demand
for power is lower than during the
weekdays. Even if the outage cannot be
moved, detection of the equipment
condition can allow preparation for the
outage by having parts and tools available. A
predictive diagnostic system could assist in
recognizing
impending
outage
and
potentially mitigate its consequences.
V ALUE
When an unplanned (forced) outage occurs
at a power plant, its impact is millions of
dollars. Detecting an imminent forced
outage and converting it to a scheduled
outage can potentially reduce the impact
significantly, even if the outage is moved
from a weekday with higher peak usage to a
weekend with lower peak usage by only a
Figure 1: A steam Turbine Generator, ca. 1985. The largest component is the generator, which would be about 10 to 15 feet
high. Behind the generator is the low-pressure turbine. 1
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June 2019