Instrumentation
and
Control
in
Power
Plants
The instruments are used in power plants for a number of reasons as to operate the power plant most efficiently. Instruments furnish accurate information for guidance to safe, continuous and proper plant operation. The information given by the recording units from the control room helps to direct its operation so as to achieve the best performance possible and furnish data for calculation so that results may to compared from time to time. These may be used to check on the internal condition of equipment and indicate
when and where maintenance or repair is needed.
This
also
helps
to
an
operating
crew
to
detect
appreciable
deviation
from
normal.
The
functions
of
instruments
to
be
performed
are
listed
below:
(I)
Operating
guidance.
(2)
Performance
calculations.
(3)
Maintenance
and
repair
guidance.
(4)
Economical
supervision,
and
(5)
Cost
allocation.
The
instruments
used
in
modem
power
plants
include
the
pressure
and
temperature
measurements
of
steam
and
water,
the
flow
measurement,
CO2
indicator,
air
flow
recorder,
draft
gauge,
vacuum
gauge,
flue
gas
thermometer,
fuel
meter,
watt
hour
meter
and
many
others.
The
installation
of
recording
type
instruments
to
aid
operating
supervision
will
depend
on
the
extent
to
which
it
is
necessary
for
the
superintendent
to
have
a
check
record
on
the
work
of
his
staff.
With
the
introduction
of
modern
type
of
steam
power
plants
there
is
tendency
towards
remote
control
of
power
plant
equipment.
The
use
of
computer
has
opened
a
new
era
for
the
successful
control
and
operation
of
power
plants.
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