White Papers & Case Studies

NeuCo continuously works with customers to produce case studies & presentations that articulate what our products have done to make their lives a little easier.

New: CCPI Project Results: Multi-Pollutant Control at NRG Limestone

This presentation reports on the final phase of NeuCo's 4-year DOE CCPI project at NRG Limestone, and presents preliminary results for the closed-loop boiler optimizers. (Coal Gen 2010). » request more information

New: Combining Closed-Loop Boiler Optimization with Real-Time Measurement of In-furnace Combustion Attributes

This presentation, by DTE Belle River's Chris Steiger, describes the implementation and results of combining BoilerOpt™ with Zolo Technologies’ ZoloBOSS tunable laser diode in-furnace measurement system.  NeuCo, Zolo, and DTE are working closely together to demonstrate the strong benefits that can be achieved through this combination of technologies with respect to CO2 reduction, heat rate improvement, the avoidance of slagging, NOx and CO control, and improved overall unit performance. (Coal Gen 2010) » request more information

New: Great Catches by NeuCo Optimizers

This presentation, delivered at Coal-Gen 2010, describes the value of equipment health anomaly detection and diagnostic systems, such as MaintenanceOpt^®, in alerting plant personnel to equipment problems and expediting problem diagnosis and remediation.  Several "Great Catch" examples are provided including high ID fan motor temperature, low oil on a fan bearing, turbine bearing vibration, and condenser air evacuation issues. » request more information

Boiler Optimization at four Ameren Meramec Units

At the 2010 Electric Power Expo, NeuCo presented results on four Ameren Meramec units that have since installed BoilerOpt™, which includes integrated combustion and sootblowing optimizers.  The presentation highlighted the initial results and how Ameren and NeuCo’s Customer Support team have been working together to incorporate key learnings, expand upon the benefits, and overcome new challenges in a dynamic operating environment. » request more information

Beyond Coal; Optimization for Oil & Gas Units

This case study examines how optimization provides operational and economic benefits for gas and oil-fired units.  Site examples include Mirant Canal & JEA Northside.  » request more information

Sootblowing at Ameren Meramec Unit 3

When Ameren Meramec's Unit 3 became plagued with sootblowing-related tube erosion which caused unforced outages, they turned to optimization to help address their sootblowing issues.  This case study highlights the first SootOpt^® installation at Ameren Meramec, which provided the basis for multiple product installations at the remaining 3 Meramec units and several additional Ameren coal-fired plants. » request more information

Technology Attributes for Successful Unit Optimization

Every customer has a unique set of goals and challenges that vary between solution, plant and unit.  This paper describes the top 10 best practices "technology must haves" for successful plant optimization. » request more information

The Financial Benefits of Flexibility with Real-Time Asset Optimization

Authored by Peter Spinney and featured on EnergyCentral.com, this is the first time NeuCo has formally communicated about optimization’s ability to manage power generation’s operating and financial tradeoffs in a way that responds to uncertain fuel, NOx allowance, and carbon markets. » request more information

Benefits of Combining SCR Systems and Optimization

This paper presents results of combining boiler and SCR optimization at Dynegy’s Baldwin Energy Complex, implemented as part of NeuCo’s US Department of Energy Clean Coal Power Initiative Phase 1 project. Read about how optimization has reduced SCR-related costs by reducing ammonia consumption, mitigating negative SCR-related side-effects and simultaneously improving combustion and sootblowing operations. » request more information                                      

Sootblowing Optimization to Improve Boiler Performance

This white paper, co-authored by NeuCo employees, describes a sootblowing system that uses predictive models to bridge the gap between sootblower operation and boiler performance goals. In addition to using predictive modeling, the system utilizes heuristics (rules) associated with different zones in the boiler to refine the search for the optimal sequence of sootblower operations and achieve boiler performance targets.» request more information   

The Intelligent Generation Plant: Using Low-Cost Optimization Analytics to Manage the Carbon Footprint

This Energy Insights paper examines how power industry trends such as rising fuel costs and CO2 regulations are driving the need for plant efficiency improvements, and how optimization is uniquely positioned to help address these challenges (Written by Jill Feblowitz, Energy Insights, sponsored by NeuCo; 2008). » request more information

Combustion Optimization and the Clean Air Interstate Rule

This paper discusses the hardware and software approaches most commonly undertaken to prepare for CAIR, the challenges of each, and the role that optimization can play as the integration engine that manages tradeoffs between goals, processes and systems. » request more information

Dynegy’s Baldwin: From Issue to Action

This presentation, delivered at the 2007 Coal Gen conference, discusses how Dynegy’s Baldwin Energy Complex is using optimization to improve plant availability.  It mainly focuses on the Baldwin installations of NeuCo’s MaintenanceOpt system, a “clearinghouse” for detecting, diagnosing, prioritizing and driving actions to resolve reliability, capacity and efficiency-related anomalies. » request more information                                      

Sootblowing Optimization at OMU

Delivered at Coal Gen 2007, this presentation discusses the SootOpt project at Owensboro Municipal Utilities’ Elmer Smith Station and how it is helping to drive steam temperatures closer to the desired setpoint, better coordinate air usage for sootblowng activities, and minimize attemperation spray flows, exit gas temperatures and opacity excursions.  » request more information 

NOx Control Strategies at CPS Energy, San Antonio

CPS Energy of San Antonio is the 2nd largest municipally owned utility in the country. Los Angeles is the largest. The CPS electric system covers 1,566 square miles, serving more than 590,000 customers in Bexar County and adjacent counties. Currently CPS has over 4,200 MW of net generating capacity. Approximately 35% of the electricity is generated from 3 coal-fired power plants – JT Deely 1 and 2 and JK Spruce. Fuel for these units comes from the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming. » request more information