Update Letter PDF
Update Letter PDF
Dear Customer,
We are pleased to release Version 29 of our software suite, with the new features and improvements summarised
below. Some of the items described here were released as revisions to Version 28, optionally downloaded from our
online Service Center.
W-Style ACC – A new 'W-Style’ air-cooled condenser configuration is available in all programs. The choice to use the
original ‘A-Style’ or newly added ‘W-Style’ ACC is made on the [Main Inputs] tab of the Air-Cooled Condenser menu in
design mode. Relative to ‘A-Style’, an equivalent capacity ‘W-Style’ condenser is shorter and lighter, thereby reducing
structural steel requirements, foundation loads, and cost.
Natural Draft Cooling Tower (NDCT) – The design-point sizing model was improved and the off-design calculation
logic was revised. NDCTs may now be used behind steam turbines as small as about 70 MW. PEACE cost estimates
and site plan layouts are now reported for GT PRO and GT MASTER models that include NDCTs. In STEAM PRO,
STEAM MASTER, and THERMOFLEX, the modifications allow use of NDCTs with smaller steam turbines.
Gas Turbine Data Base – The gas turbine database was updated as shown below. Some of these engine models were
included in revisions to TFLOW28 available from our online Service Center.
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711 MAN 20V36/44G (50Hz) 712 MAN 20V36/44G (60Hz) 713 MAN 18V51/60G (50Hz)
714 MAN 18V51/60G (60Hz) 719 MAN THM 1304-10N 720 MAN THM 1304-12N
721 MAN MGT6000-1S-02 722 MAN MGT6000-2S-01 723 MAN MGT6000-2S-02
724 MHPS H-100 (50Hz) 725 MHPS 701 JAC (2015) 726 MHPS 701 JAC (2018)
Reciprocating Engine Data Base - The reciprocating engine database used by THERMOFLEX, RECIPRO, and NOVO PRO
was updated to include models for the following gensets. These engines were included in revisions to TFLOW28
available from our online Service Center.
444 Jenbacher J920 (50Hz) 446 MAN 20V36/44G (50Hz) 448 MAN 18V51/60G (50Hz)
445 Jenbacher J920 (60Hz) 447 MAN 20V36/44G (60Hz) 449 MAN 18V51/60G (60Hz)
450 WinGD 9X62DF (50 Hz)
Gas Turbine Off & HRSG Fresh Air Fired - GT MASTER now allows operating the HRSG with fresh air firing when the
GT is off-line. This enhanced flexibility allows you to model cases where the HRSG is used to provide steam for a
process when the GT is unavailable, or its power is unwanted.
User-defined Plant Net Power or Process Heat Output – GT MASTER now includes a Duct Burner Operating Mode
that automatically fires the duct burner to achieve desired net plant power for condensing combined cycles and back
pressure combined cycles. It also includes another mode to automatically fire the DB to achieve desired process heat
output for GT+HRSG plants and back-pressure combined cycles. These options are available from the Duct Burner
panel on the [HRSG Main Inputs] tab. Previously, these control schemes were only available by user-defined “Control
Loop” which lengthened computation time.
THERMOFLEX / PEACE
Fuel Cell Icon – A fuel cell system model was added for THERMOFLEX/PEACE licensees. The component includes a
small library of commercially available units together with ability to create user-defined fuel cells. The icon, located
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on the [Gas / Air] tab, has connections for gas fuel supply, combustion air source, flue gas exhaust, and optional
connections for low or high grade heat rejection. The model predicts performance and estimates cost.
Electrolyzer – A new component that produces hydrogen and oxygen from water, using electricity, is available on the
[Other Fluids] tab. This icon models a standalone electrolysis unit using a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM). The
model includes a small built-in library of commercially-available units, courtesy of Siemens. It also includes a User-
Defined Electrolyzer option. The model computes hydrogen and oxygen production for a given power input, or power
consumption needed for a desired hydrogen production rate. The output includes estimated system cost. Generous
assistance by Siemens in characterizing their equipment is greatly appreciated.
Steam Methane Reformer – A new component to reform natural gas mixed with steam to produce hydrogen and CO,
using heat from burning fuel, is available on the [Other Fluids] tab. This component models the core conversion
process at the heart of a complete SMR plant, typical of those used to produce about 95% of the world’s output of
industrial hydrogen. The component is intended for use in building plant models that include heat recovery from flue
gases and hydrogen-rich product streams.
Gas / High Pressure Air Heat Exchanger Icon – An HRSG component, used to heat/cool compressed air, was added to
the [Boilers/HRSGs] tab on the icon bar, for THERMOFLEX/PEACE licensees. This icon, similar in utility to all other
HRSG heat exchangers, may be included in HRSG assemblies. A use of this icon is to transfer heat from gas turbine
cooling air to the flue gases passing through the HRSG. Sample file (S2-39) HRSG with HPAirHX.TFX
illustrates this scenario.
Wet-surface Air Cooler Icon – This new heat exchanger is generally similar to the wet-surface condenser that has
been available for many years in GTP/GTM/TFX, except that the substance being cooled is a liquid stream (water or
heat transfer fluid) rather than condensing steam. It models an air-cooled wet-surface cooler in which hot liquid
flows within horizontal tubes, over which water and air flow downward, the water being sprayed from above the
tubes and the air being drawn by an induced draft fan. Gravity collects the water in a sump beneath the tubes from
which it is re-circulated, whilst the air is reversed in direction to be expelled vertically upward by the fan. The model
predicts cooler thermal performance, auxiliary load for the fans, size, weight, and cost of the complete cooler system.
It is available to licensees of THERMOFLEX/PEACE.
‘Adiabatic’ Furnace with Grate – A new furnace icon, burning solid fuels to produce flue gas, without generating
steam, is now available on the [Boilers/HRSGs] tab. This component includes nodes for fuel supply, under-fire and
over-fire air, flue gas recirculation, and grate-cooling. The exiting flue gas can be cooled in separate radiant and/or
convective heat exchangers placed downstream from this combustor in the THERMOFLEX network. The assistance of
LAWI Engineering GmbH, Germany, in establishing geometric defaults is appreciated.
User-Defined Phase Change Fluid – The refrigerant fluid list now includes a new ‘User-Defined’ option. It allows you
to provide your own thermodynamic properties for fluids not included in the THERMOFLEX or NIST database.
Thermodynamic properties are entered on a specially built input menu similar to that used to define LNG fuels. All
thermodynamic data is user-defined, typically by pasting data in from an external data source. During system
calculation, whenever user-defined property data are needed, THERMOFLEX interpolates within the user-defined
dataset to retrieve values. THERMOFLEX relies entirely on the data you enter to represent the behavior of the fluid!
Therefore your data needs to cover a sufficiently wide Pressure-Temperature range, the curves should be smooth,
internally consistent, and have sufficient resolution to enable a successful calculation. A plotting feature is available
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from the data input menu to review entered data on various diagrams (T-s, P-h, etc.) to ensure the specified input
data are smooth and well-behaved.
Master Control Loop – A new feature was added to aid solution of models with two interrelated control loops. Now,
one control loop can be declared to be the ‘Master’. During calculation, THERMOFLEX adjusts parameters for the
‘Master’ loop only after the other control loop has converged. This gives you control over the order the
interdependent loops are executed, to help ensure they both converge to the desired result. Sample file (S2-
40) Master Control Loop.tfx illustrates this feature. This model is configured to simultaneously achieve
desired DH final water temperature and net plant power from a GTCC that heats DH water using steam from the
steam turbine, which also contributes to the net power generated.
REFPROP Version 10 – The software now uses REFPROP Version 10. If you need NIST REFPROP material properties,
you'll be prompted to download and install this particular software feature from our online Center. See [Help] –
[Download TF REFPROP] for instructions.
Electric Heater – A new icon that heats streams using electricity is now available on the [General] tab. This icon
provides similar functionality to its cousin, the Heat Adder. However, in this case the connected stream can only be
heated, never cooled, and the energy used is accounted for in the plant’s auxiliary power consumption, by default.
Solar PV – The Solar PV model was revised as described in the NOVO PRO section below.
Windfarm – The Windfarm model was revised as described in the NOVO PRO section below.
Battery – The battery model was revised as described in the NOVO PRO section below.
Others – Prices for desalinated water, fuels, and other streams exiting the model are now set on the relevant process
and sink icons, rather than at the [Economics] menu. Mixer fractions for fuels and gas/air mixers may be set on a
mole basis. A new switch to suppress gaseous fuel condensation messages is available on the [Current Settings]
menu.
Flue Gas Cooler – A new ability to bypass HP FWHs is now available to supplement the ability to bypass LP heaters.
Evaporator Drum Steam - Steam from the boiler drum may now be selected to provide process steam, heat
feedwater, and/or to run the steam air heater.
Steam Air Heaters – Models without flue gas air heaters may now have two steam air heaters on each of the primary
and secondary air streams. Each heater may be fed by its own steam source from an appropriate ___location in the
cycle. Previously, the model supported only one SAH on each of the primary and secondary streams.
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NOVO PRO
Thermoflow Suite 29 includes NOVO PRO Version 1.7. The following is an overview of improvements introduced since
NOVO PRO’s initial release, at the end of 2018.
Hydrogen Production
An option to include one or more Electrolyzers in the NOVO PRO plant is now available. Electrolyzers are powered by
excess renewable energy. They produce hydrogen exported from the NOVO PRO system at a price you specify.
Wind Data
Worldwide wind data is available for download from our online Service Center
(https://www.thermoflow.com/ServiceCenter/TFWR). This data is based on ERA5 reanalysis data made available by
the European Union's Copernicus program.
Wind data, for the same TMY locations included in the built-in the solar irradiance database, is also available for
download from our online Service Center. Data is available for 2400 sites for the years 2000 to 2018.
Economics
Default values of financing assumptions were revised. An input for ‘Investment tax credit, % of total project cost’ is
now available.
Battery
You can now choose between Lithium Ion, Lead Acid, Sodium Sulphur, and User-defined batteries. Performance- and
cost-related inputs are initialized with values appropriate for chosen battery type. The automatic degradation
estimate is also dependent on the selected battery type. Default inputs for Sodium Sulphur batteries are appropriate
for those produced by NGK INSULATORS, LTD. and distributed by BASF. The generous support of these companies is
appreciated.
Solar PV Plants
Default inputs for newly added plants were revised. The cost estimate was updated to better reflect current average
costs for US-sited, utility-scale projects.
Solar insolation may now be user-defined on a monthly basis as a third way to specify the solar resource.
The solar field now includes one dimensional tracking with optional backtracking. It also includes ability to model
arrays that use seasonal or monthly tilt adjustment.
The AC/DC inverter now uses a variable efficiency model by default. It reports the CEC and EU weighted efficiencies
on output. The inverter model also includes capacity derating for operation in hot ambient conditions.
Inputs are now available to include far-field shading effects, and losses for high incident angles.
A number of new output reports are available to characterize solar PV field capacity and performance for the year.
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Wind Farms
A wind turbine database including specs for 55 machines from eight manufacturers spanning the power range 200 to
9500 kW is now included to augment the user-defined turbine option.
A new [Turbine Count & Layout] tab is included with inputs to define how turbines are arranged on the site. A
number of easy-to-define geometric arrangements are available along with a user-defined layout option where the
___location of each turbine is specified independently. An automatic method to estimate the performance reduction
due to turbine-to-turbine interference is now included by default. An option is also available to user-define this factor
using data you provide.
The cost estimate was updated to better reflect current average costs for US-sited, utility-scale projects.
Two methods to account for wind turbine availability were added. The first applies a user-defined average outage
percentage to the entire farm, for the whole year. The second applies a user-defined number of turbine outage days
per year. These outages are scheduled by the program, uniformly throughout the year.
A number of new output reports are available to characterize windfarm capacity and performance for the year.
Automatic dispatch, Import price ignored – Dispatch thermal plants for lowest operating cost, with minimum Import
power. NOVO PRO finds the lowest cost operating configuration that satisfies Demand, if possible. If internal
generators lack capacity to satisfy Demand, Import power is used to makeup for the unavoidable shortfall. In this
mode, Import power is only used as a last resort, never because it is cheaper than self-generation. Operating cost
considers running fuel costs, startup fuel costs, and variable O&M.
Automatic dispatch, Import price considered – Dispatch thermal plants for lowest operating cost, using Import power
if it’s cheaper than self-generating. In this mode, the system thermal generators compete against each other, and
also the grid to find a lowest-cost operating configuration. This method is useful to model grid-connected systems
where relatively small Demand shortfalls can be offset by importing power, instead of a less-economical choice to
start and run a thermal plant at relatively low load where it’s inefficient.
Spinning Reserve – In addition to the optimized dispatch methods described above, any thermal plant may now be
declared to operate in spinning reserve duty for any hour(s) of the year. When chosen, the plant is operated at its
minimum load or higher depending on prevailing need for thermal power to satisfy Demand.
PEACE
Gas turbine prices for particular engines were revised based on informal feedback from some OEMs. Other engine
prices were left unchanged from Version 28. Due to ongoing pricing pressure in the power generation equipment
market, steam turbine pricing was reduced by 5%, while other specialized equipment pricing was left unchanged
from last year. Pipe and fitting prices were revised to reflect trends in BLS data. Labor prices and miscellaneous
equipment and material prices were increased, in the range of 4 to 6%, to reflect strength in the building market. In a
case with unchanged GT price, the EPC price for typical 2x1 RHT GTCC is about 2% higher in Version 29 compared
with Version 28. However, this will vary with plant details.
Reference currency exchange rates, relative to the USD, and regional cost multipliers were revised.
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