| Units: | GJ (Metric), MMBtu (U.S. Imperial) |
| Mode: | Input Only |
| Multi-band: | True |
| Default Value: | 1E+30 |
| Validation Rule: | Any Value |
| Key Property: | No |
| Description: | Detailed regime for running the unit up from zero to [Min Stable Level] when [Run Up Rate] is non-constant. |
Heat Plant Start Profile defines a series of megawatt steps that the generating units pass through while starting up. Note that if this running up rate is constant for any given cooling state you should use the Run Up Rate property instead.
Start Profile may also be used to define a ramping rate while a unit is 'cold' that is different to its normal Max Ramp Up—see Example 3 below. This feature is allowed because once a unit reaches Min Stable Level, then by default, the Start Profile acts only as an upper limit on Generation. However this behavior can be changed with the Start Profile Range setting.
The input scheme for Start Profile is a special case, where the Timeslice field is used to identify the stages of the start-up. Multiple bands are then used to vary the start-up regime according to the cooling state of the unit. When using multiple bands in this way you should also define the Start Cost and Start Cost Time using the same number of bands.
Example 1 not using cooling states
| Property | Value | Units | Band | Timeslice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Max Capacity | 100 | GJ | 1 | |
| Min Stable Level | 40 | GJ | 1 | |
| Start Cost | 3000 | $ | 1 | |
| Start Profile | 10 | GJ | 1 | H01 |
| Start Profile | 30 | GJ | 1 | H02 |
| Start Profile | 50 | GJ | 1 | H03 |
Example 2 using hot/warm/cold states
| Property | Value | Units | Band | Timeslice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Max Capacity | 100 | GJ | 1 | |
| Min Stable Level | 40 | GJ | 1 | |
| Start Cost | 1000 | $ | 1 | |
| Start Cost | 2500 | $ | 2 | |
| Start Cost | 5000 | $ | 3 | |
| Start Cost Time | 3 | hrs | 1 | |
| Start Cost Time | 3 | hrs | 2 | |
| Start Cost Time | 6 | hrs | 3 | |
| Start Profile | 30 | GJ | 1 | H01 |
| Start Profile | 60 | GJ | 1 | H02 |
| Start Profile | 10 | GJ | 2 | H01 |
| Start Profile | 30 | GJ | 2 | H02 |
| Start Profile | 50 | GJ | 2 | H03 |
| Start Profile | 5 | GJ | 3 | H01 |
| Start Profile | 15 | GJ | 3 | H02 |
| Start Profile | 30 | GJ | 3 | H03 |
| Start Profile | 40 | GJ | 3 | H04 |
Example 3 modelling a slower ramp rate when unit is cold
In this case the Start Profile limits the ramping capability of the unit to (10 GJ/hr) for the first 10 hours after a start. After this time the normal ramping rate of 0.5 GJ.min. applies. This is illustrated in Figure 1.
| Property | Value | Units | Band | Date From | Date To | Timeslice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | 1 | - | 1 | |||
| Max Capacity | 100 | GJ | 1 | |||
| Min Stable Level | 40 | GJ | 1 | |||
| Fuel Price | 5 | $/GJ | 1 | |||
| Heat Rate | 10 | GJ/GJ | 1 | |||
| Start Profile | 10 | GJ | 1 | H01 | ||
| Start Profile | 20 | GJ | 1 | H02 | ||
| Start Profile | 30 | GJ | 1 | H03 | ||
| Start Profile | 40 | GJ | 1 | H04 | ||
| Start Profile | 50 | GJ | 1 | H05 | ||
| Start Profile | 60 | GJ | 1 | H06 | ||
| Start Profile | 70 | GJ | 1 | H07 | ||
| Start Profile | 80 | GJ | 1 | H08 | ||
| Start Profile | 90 | GJ | 1 | H09 | ||
| Start Profile | 100 | GJ | 1 | H10 | ||
| Max Ramp Up | 0.5 | GJ/hr. | 1 | |||
| Max Ramp Down | 0.5 | GJ/hr. | 1 |
See also: