International Journal of

Development of aControl,
Power Automation, and Tool
Plant Simulation Systems, vol. based
with GUI 3, no. 3,
onpp. 493-501,
General September
Purpose Design2005
Software 493

Development of a Power Plant Simulation Tool with GUI

based on General Purpose Design Software
Dong Wook Kim, Cheong Youn, Byung-Hak Cho, and Gihun Son

Abstract: A power plant simulation tool (‘PowerSim’) has been developed with 10 years
experience from the development of a plant simulator for efficient modeling of a power plant.
PowerSim is the first developed tool in Korea for plant simulation with various plant
component models, instructor station function and the Graphic Model Builder (GMB).
PowerSim is composed of a graphic editor using general purpose design software, a netlist
converter, component models, the scheduler, Instructor Station and an executive. The graphic
editor generates a netlist that shows the connection status of the various plant components from
the Simdiagram, which is drawn by Icon Drag method supported by GUI environment of the
PowerSim. Netlist Converter normalizes the connection status of the components. Scheduler
makes scheduling for the execution of the device models according to the netlist. Therefore, the
user makes Simdiagram based on the plant Pipe and Instrument Drawing (P&ID) and inputs the
plant data for automatic simulating execution. This paper introduces Graphic Model Builder
(GMB), instructor station, executive and the detailed introduction of thermal-hydraulic
modeling. This paper will also introduce basic ideas on how the simulation Diagram, based on
netlist generated from general purpose design software, is made and how the system is
organized. The developed tool has been verified through the simulation of a real power plant.

Keywords: Graphic model builder, instructor station, netlist, component model, simulation
solver.

1. INTRODUCTION technology of developing simulators can be applied to

design for plant system modeling and verification
As the advanced computer technologies are being codes. But developing simulators is different from
expanded to every field, the analog control equipments developing plant simulation tools. The power plant
of power plants are being replaced with the advanced system has various types of component such as heat
digital equipments such as DCS (Distributed Control exchangers, pumps, pipes, valves and tanks.
System). Therefore, simulators are needed for training Furthermore, the component-to-component connections
purposes or verifying the function of the DCS itself. for a power system are quite complicated. For
Simulators are composed of simulation tool that simulation of the complex system, manual coding is
includes plant system model, real-time executive, very tedious and inefficient. It is very important to
database, Instructor station and input/output control have the developing tool for constructing the
devices. Among them, plant system modeling requires simulators, which provides automatic processing and
a long period of time to be developed. The experienced execution by putting the drawing of the plant systems
and data. Also, the maintenance of the models results
__________ in many problems. Therefore, simulation tools based
Manuscript received February 14, 2005; accepted July 20, on GUI (Graphical User Interface) such as MMS
2005. Recommended by Editorial Board member In Beum Lee (Modular Modeling System), PRO_TRAX and
under the direction of Editor Keum-Shik Hong..
Dong Wook Kim is with NETEC, 103-16 Munji-dong, SIMPORT have been developed[1-3]. However, the
Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-380, Korea (e-mail: dongwook@ existing simulation tools have the limitation in
khnp.co.kr). component expandability because of constructive
Cheong Youn is with the Department of Computer Science, problems and marketing strategies. The user who
Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-dong, Yuseong-gu, wishes to add his or her own component model
Daejeon 305-764, Korea (e-mail: cyoun@cs.cnu.ac.kr). algorithm into the simulation tool for a specific
Byung-Hak Cho is with Korea Electric Power Research
Intitute, 103-16 Munji-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-380,
system, generally can not expand them. In Korea,
Korea (e-mail: chobh@kepri.re.kr). however, power plant simulation tools are not yet
Gihun Son is with the Department of Mechanical Engineer- developed and thus in order to develop a power plant
ing, Sogang University, 1 Sinsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121- training simulator or boiler/turbine control system
742, Korea (e-mail: gihun@sogang.ac.kr).
494 Dong Wook Kim, Cheong Youn, Byung-Hak Cho, and Gihun Son

verification simulator, simulation tools have to be how the simulation Diagram (SimDiagram) based on
imported from other countries[4]. Along with the ten- Netlist, which is generated from general purpose
year knowledge on simulators, research has been done design software, is made and how the system is
to develop an independent power plant simulation tool. organized.
A simulation tool, PowerSim, operating in
windows(NT) is developed by applying existing 2. STRUCTURE OF POWERSIM
commercial software and general purpose design
software as a model builder GUI. General purpose The PowerSim comprises four basic elements,
design software was used as a library of power plant which are the Graphic Model Builder called GMB,
component symbols such as heat exchangers, pumps, Instructor Station, Executive and Database. Fig. 1
valves, tanks, and etc. From this, procedures for shows its structural overview.
getting Netlist, which contains information on the
relationship between each element and the procedures 2.1. Graphic Model Builder
for constructing a simulator environment, was Graphic Model Builder is composed of Graphic
developed. Editor, Netlist Converter, Plant Component Library,
This paper describes a new simulation methodology Simulation Solver and Scheduler. The graphic editor
for reducing cost and improving the expandability creates and edits component icons and adds them into
limitation of existing tools. Developing tool has the the component library. The graphic editor also
GMB in addition to the elements of the simulator. provides SimDiagram with drawing functions that
This paper introduces GMB, Instructor Station and the construct plant system objects to be simulated by
real-time Executive. This paper provides a description placing graphical icons selected from the component
and algorithm of the thermal-hydraulic modeling of library. The Netlist Converter transforms the output of
power plant components such as heat exchangers, the Simulation Diagram into a serial information lists
pumps, pipes, valves, tanks and solver applied to the to be used for modeling. The Simulation Solver
simulation tool, and system model fitted to Netlist, calculates the plant dynamics with the netlist data
which was created from general purpose design received from the netlist generating from general
software adjusted to the relation information to purpose design software. The Scheduler makes an
describe processes of simulating a power plant system. order for executing the device models, which are the
The tool developed has been verified through subroutine for them.
simulating a real power plant.
The power plant model applied in this verification 2.1.1 General purpose design software and Model
is a feed water system of the Honam thermal power Builder
plant. This paper will also introduce basic ideas on Since a power plant has complex connections of

C om p on en t D B
P lant D ata
P & ID C on trol L ogic

Sim ulation D iagram

C om ponent E ditor
Schem atic File
G raphic L ibrary File
Sym bol GUI
N etlist

A lgorithm C om ponent N etlist C onverter

G raphic L ibrary
E ditor D atabase C onverted
(O rC A D ) N etlist File

C om ponentt
A lgorithm L ibrary
Solver TM O
O bject O riented - C ontrol
PG M - Process
GMB
Instructor Station

W indow s N T

Fig. 1. Structural overview of PowerSim.

 Development of a Power Plant Simulation Tool with GUI based on General Purpose Design Software 495

O u tp ut
S im u lation D iagram
G en era l P u rp o se
(P rocess & C on trol)
D esig n S o ftw a re

In p u t O u tpu t
O b ject O rien ted
L ib ralies S ch em atic F ile
P rogram GUI
P lan t D ata
G rap h ic L ib rary F ile
(G U I
P & ID
T ran slator)
N etL ist F ile
C on trol L ogic

Fig. 2. GMB configuration using General purpose design software.

various components, the graphical procedures in general purpose design software, although a limitation
which components are placed and connected with on the information general purpose design software
each other are essentially required for efficient system can provide exists.
simulation.
Since developing a new graphic editor takes time, 2.2. Netlist Converter
PowerSim uses general purpose design software, The Netlist Converter automatically generates
which is one of many commercial CAD programs. dynamic models represented by the SimDiagram and
The general purpose design software has the normalizes the components symbols by the pin order
advantages in managing the device symbols as library using Netlist files, Schematic files, Graphic library
and providing information on connection status of the files. Then the Converter makes the output files,
components for designing electric circuits. The ‘.CON’, ‘MAIL’ which represent the connection status
component editor and library are used to enable users of the controlling symbols such as External Parameter
to add or change component icons. Users can create or (EP), Boundary Condition(BC) and the all symbols
change component icons and save the icons in the drawn in Simulation Diagram. If the Converter finds
component library. Therefore in the present tool, the an abnormal connection, it makes a report file, ‘.RPT’.
system design tool does not generate a source code for for the user.
simulation unlike other commercial simulation tools
which generates code. This may be more convenient 2.2.1 Conversion of Control Simulation Diagrams
for the general users. Once users complete a system The last pin was selected for the output of the
design and execute simulation, the simulation can be symbol in the Control SimDiagram. Fig. 3 shows the
executed immediately by the Executive. Fig. 2 shows Converter normalizes the process of the Control
the process of the automatic generation of GUIs for SimDiagram.
instructor station and dynamic plant models. First, a Each connection status between the symbols is
graphic library of component symbols should be made processed after normalizing. When all of the input
according to the order required for Netlist Converter. pins connected to the symbols have the new values,
Then, SimDiagram should be made using the library, the output pin sends the signal ‘Active’ to the next
plant data, Pipe and Instrument Drawing (P&ID) and symbol so that it recognizes the inputs have been
control logic.
General purpose design software provides a
Schematic file (.SCH), a Library file(SRC) and a
Netlist file(.NET) for each SimDiagram.
Since the Schematic file is made of binary that has
the locating information such as symbol, line, text and
so on, the file needs conversion to ASCII. And the
Library file provides the width, height and graphic
information of symbols. Other GMBs such as
ProTRAX and SIMPORT use the graphic editor and
the GUI at same time. But PowerSim generates the
GUI using Visual C++ from the drawing information
of the graphic editor.
Therefore, PowerSim can easily modify the
functions of the GUI through the information from Fig. 3. Normalization of control SimDiagram.
496 Dong Wook Kim, Cheong Youn, Byung-Hak Cho, and Gihun Son

updated. This is similar to the process of the feed scheduling the subroutines for components. But other
forward in Neural Network. But, when the symbols tools generate raw codes from the converter and
have any inner feedback loop, they use the old values executable files through compiling and linking.
for the input pins. Mail Addresses for the ‘Label’
manages exchanging data between SimDiagrams. On 3. INSTRUCTOR STATION AND GUI
the other hand, the Converter does not manage the
Addresses in the same Simdiagram, since the Netlist Instructor Station provides many functions such as
makes the connection status automatically. Other run, stop, Snapshot, Reset of the initial conditions,
connection to the symbol such as Reset, Malfunction, Trend Display, Remote Function to effectively operate
Parameter update and so on will be explained in the simulator. In addition, PowerSim has the
Executive to be followed. advantage in integrating the GMB and the Instructor
Station since it supports the function to add/delete the
2.2.2 Conversion of Process SimDiagrams SimDiagrams. In other GMBs which generate raw
Process is composed of pipes, pumps, valves, heat codes, the parameters of the components should be
exchangers, drums and etc. The rules for connecting selected in graphic editor and the executable file can
symbols in Process SimDiagram are more be generated through compiling and linking. In
complicated than in Control SimDiagram. PowerSim, the parameters can be selected through the
Fig. 4 shows the Converter normalization process dialog box of the instructor station during running.
of the Process SimDiagram. When the fluid has two- Therefore, it has the advantage of making the
way flow such as heat exchangers, the rule for developing period of the simulator short.
connecting the symbols also has two ways as follow.
That is, pin 1 and 2 are for primary flow and pin 3 and 3.1. Graphic user interface(GUI)
4 are for secondary flow. Connecting rules of other The basic information of the GUI is the Schematic
pins are defined for each symbol. Boundary Condition and library files from general purpose design software.
(BC) is added for process simulation. The converter The graphic functions of the GUI are developed in the
for Process SimDiagram needs Admittance Matrix for environment of the Multiple Document Interface
finding the pressure on the symbol. Inverse of the (MDI) using the Microsoft Foundation Class(MFC)
matrix gives the pressure difference between plant provided by Visual C++.
components. Then the flow rate is solved from the
result. The temperature of fluid is caculated from the 3.2. The functions of the instructor station
flow rate and the input and output of the heat energy. The relationship between the Instructor Station
functions is shown in Fig. 5 as follows. These
2.3. Scheduler functions are represented from menus and dialog
Using the connection relationship from the Netlist boxes supported by the Instructor Station. The
Converter, Scheduler makes the environment and Instructor Station has not only the function of
database which calls the subroutines of the device controlling the simulator but also the function of
models for executing the system model in the appending the plant system models.
SimDiagram. The Scheduler selects the input/output Fig 6 shows many functions of the Menu. Most
data between different SimDiagrams using the file, important variables such as the functional output
‘.MAIL’. PowerSim makes the executable model by values of Control SimDiagrams, flow rates,
temperatures, pressures of Process SimDiagrams are
displayed on the space under each symbol. Other
variables can be recognized and altered through the
dialog box. The operation of the developed simulator
can be worked on through a personal computer and
the simulating environments can be stored at the
database using the Snapshot of the Menu. Fig. 7
shows the dialog boxes of the PowerSim.

Fig. 4. Normalization of process SimDiagram. Fig. 5. Functional block diagram of the Instructor.
 Development of a Power Plant Simulation Tool with GUI based on General Purpose Design Software 497

(a) PID.
(a) Reset.

(b) Execute.

(b) DRUM.
Fig. 7. Instructor station dialog box.

(c) Display.

(d) snapshot.

Fig. 6. Instructor station menu.

4. EXECUTIVE
Fig. 8. Structure of the PowerSim.
The Executive runs the dynamic model from Netlist
and Scheduler in real time and writes the execution supports the periodical scheduling by Time-Trigger
results on the database. It manages the Activities and interruptible scheduling by Message Trigger.
related to the User Interface. PowerSim selected PowerSim uses only the Time-Triggered function.
Time-Triggered Message-Triggered Object system PowerSim is composed of GMB, Executive and
(TMO) for the real time Scheduler of the Executive, Instructor station shown in Fig. 8. Database is made of
which is different from the Scheduler for the device the Structures of C language defined in the Document
models, explained in the previous section. The Class in Visual C++. Using the Snapshot via the
Scheduler has an important function in real time Instructor station makes all the simulating
running for the whole simulator. TMO, developed in environments store in the hard disk. In back, using the
University of California at Irvine, is used for Reset with an initial condition reloads the
industrial applications in Korea nowadays. TMO environments from the hard disk.
498 Dong Wook Kim, Cheong Youn, Byung-Hak Cho, and Gihun Son

5. IMPLEMENTATION OF THERMAL- method. Detailed process is described below.

HYDRAULIC(TH) MODELS INTO
POWERSIM (i) Sequence of the matrix element that is assigned
zero is continuously saved to specific matrix element
5.1. Overview of TH models that is assigned zero. Fundamental methodology is the
Fig. 9 shows the interconnection between components Gauss elimination method.
such as heat exchanger, pump, valve, and tank. A node (ii) Save the vector that has the sequence of
is defined as a point that interconnects each operation in Gauss Elimination.
component. The conservation equations of mass, (iii) Save the matrix element that is assigned zero
momentum, and energy are the governing equations of continuously and also save the vector P including the
each component’s thermal hydraulic phenomena, and vector q in equation (4).
they are represented as follows: (iv) Operate according to the sequence that are
stored in step (ii) and obtain the vector P that
dρ generates the pressure value.
V = Fin − Fout , (1)
dt
F = α∆p + b , (2) In this algorithm, step (i) and (iii) are executed
before calculating the model. In the step (iii) and (iv),
d dp
V ρ h = Fin hin − Fout hout + Q + V . (3) the unnecessary operation on the vector elements that
dt dt are assigned as zero is prevented.
In (1)-(3), V and Q are the volume and inlet calorie
6. VERIFICATION OF SIMULATION TOOL
respectively while a and b are the coefficients which
are generally functions of pressure. F, h, and p are the
The tool developed has been verified through
flow rate, enthalpy, and pressure that are obtained
simulating a real power plant. The power plant model
from (1)-(3). The density, ρ, is determined from the applied in this verification is a feed water system of
equation of state which is a function of p and h. In the the Honam thermal power plant. Fig. 10 is an outline
present model, the density is calculated from the of the feedwater system of Honam thermal power
equation of state used in RETRAN [6]. plant schematized with AutoCAD.
5.2. Simulation Solver 6.1. Thermal modeling for Honam power plant
To solve for enthalpy and pressure, the energy and The feed water system of Honam thermal power
pressure equations should be solved. These equations plant is composed of a number of pumps, valves, heat
can be solved from the connecting status of each exchangers, economizer, and boiler drum as shown in
component, and is obtained by the Netlist. From the Fig. 10. The procedures of thermal hydraulic
information of the connecting status, the energy modeling of each component are presented in the
equation can be solved. On the other hand, to solve following:
the pressure equation, the matrix solving process of The two-phase flow of water and vapor exists in the
following equation is needed: boiler drum and the shell side of the feed water heat
→ → → → exchanger. Thermodynamic equilibrium is assumed
A p = q → p = A −1 q . (4) for this condition. An explicit method is used to
discretize the governing equations of a large volume
To get the real time simulation, the effective such as drum according to time. In this case, the
algorithm solver of reverse matrix is necessary. This equation (1) and (3) are represented as follows:
matrix is a sparse matrix, but has no continuity due to
the randomness of the component number. In addition, δt
the matrix solver should be processed in each time ρ n +1 = ρ + ( Fin − Fout ) , (5)
V
step because the variables are functions of time. The
basic concept of this algorithm is to skip the ( ρ h − p )n +1 = ( ρ h − p )n
calculation of the element that is assigned zero. δt (6)
+ ( Fin hin − Fout hout + Q),
Fundamental methodology is the Gauss elimination V

where δ t is the time interval used in numerical

calculation, and the upper n is the discretized time
nδ t .
To solve the equation (6), which has two unknowns
(p, h), Newton-Raphson iteration combined with the
Fig. 9. Connections between components. equation of state, ρ = ρ ( p, h) , is used.
 Development of a Power Plant Simulation Tool with GUI based on General Purpose Design Software 499

Fig. 10. Schematic of the feed water system of Honam thermal power plant model.

When applying the equation of energy conservation analysis. Momentum equation of the feed-water
to the heat exchanger such as economizer or small system is a function of the flowrate and the pressure.
components, the following implicit method, which has Most of the pressure loss in the loop is proportional to
no limitation on time interval, is used: the square of the flowrate.

V ρ n h n + δ t ( F in + h inn + Q ) F = K ∆p (10)
h n +1 = , (7)
V ρ n + δ tF in
The K factor in (10) is determined based on the
where the pressure variation is neglected since it is configuration of the loop. In this study, the overall
very small and the complete mixing (hout=h) is pressure losses including those of the pump are
assumed. considered as following:
In the equation of heat transfer between tube and
shell of the feed water heat exchanger, the two F = C1∆p + C 2 N 2 , (11)
sections of drain and steam are calculated separately
as follows: where N is the speed of the pump and C1, C2 are the
drain section: constants determined based on the performance curve
of the pump.
h sheel , out = h shell − Q shell / F shell , out To obtain the pressure and the flowrate, equation
h tube = h tube , in + Q drain / F tube (11) is substituted into the mass balance equation and
the following equation is obtained:
Q = (UA ) drain (T shell , out − T tube , in − T shell + T tube )
/ In [( T shell , out − T tube ,in ) /( T shell − T tube )] − ain pin + (ain + a out ) p − a out p out = bin − bout . (12)
Q drain = Q drain + a ( Q − Q drain ) To solve (12) defined at a number of nodes, a
(8)
matrix solver is needed because the pressure between
steam section: the adjacent nodes should be obtained simultaneously.
As shown in the Fig. 10, there are many kinds of
h tube , out = h tube − Q steam / Ftube volumes and the flow paths. Present study adopted an
Q = (UA ) steam (T shell − T tube − T shell + T tube ,out ) automatic method of calculating pressure using
/ In [( T shell − T tube ) /( T shell − T tube ,out )] “Netlist” which is generated from the general purpose
design software.
Q steam = Q steam + a ( Q − Q steam ) (9)
6.2. System configuration using the Netlist
In the above equations, the overall heat transfer As shown in Table 1, information between the
coefficient(UA) is a function of the volumetric flow- connecting nodes can be generated based on the
rate and the void fraction. To solve the equation, a general purpose design software program. The
relaxation factor is adopted to solve the non-linear component number represents a component type. The
terms. It is determined as 0.1 after the sensitivity numbers assigned to each component are randomly
500 Dong Wook Kim, Cheong Youn, Byung-Hak Cho, and Gihun Son

Table 1. Netlist file of feedwater system. the digits displayed on components show calculation
results of mass flow rate(F), enthalpy(H), pressure(P),
level(L), and the position of a valve(y) when the level
and pressure of a drum is maintained to 50% and 174
kg/cm2 respectively.
As shown Fig. 11, the mass flow rate of inflow
from the feed water tank equals to the mass flow rate
of outflow into the main steam under steady state.
This verifies that pressure equations governing the
mass conservation are correct.

7. CONCLUSIONS

The power plant simulation tool PowerSim has

been developed with new methodology. The functions
of the PowerSim have been verified through the
simulation of Honam power plant. The functions on
generated from the general purpose design software. Plant models and Instructor station were recognized as
Fig. 10 shows the connecting status. In this figure, the normal through simulating the level control system of
number in the circle means the node number and the the boiler. Generally, to develop a simulation Diagram
number in the square shows the component for each system model of a power plant with
information. Therefore, the Netlist file shown in Table conventional method takes about 16 hours by an
1 provides the most of system information and it can expert developer. However, the same model was
be used to generate the feedwater system model input. created in about 8 hours. It is recognized that tuning
the simulator is easy and developing period can be
6.3. Result of simulation shortened through integrating the GMB based on
The input data for fluid-thermal model is given general purpose design software. Using general
through a dialog box assigned to each component. In purpose design software, a commercial product, for
the simulation of water supply system, the pressure of GMB gives low cost for developing the PowerSim.
a feed water tank and main steam is used for the The developed simulators through the PowerSim can
boundary conditions of pressure equations. In Fig. 11, be operated on PC and dose not require experts for

Fig. 11. Result of simulation of the feed water system of the Honam power plant.
 Development of a Power Plant Simulation Tool with GUI based on General Purpose Design Software 501

operation. It is expected that the simulators will be Byung-Hak Cho received the B.S.
very effective for training the plant operators and I&C degree in Electrical Engineering from
engineers who have knowledge of CAD. PowerSim Han-Yang University 1982, and the
will be updated for development of full-scope M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Nuclear
Engineering from KAIST in 1986 and
simulator in the future.
1996 respectively. He has been a
principal member of technical staff at
REFERENCES KEPRI since 1990. His research
[1] C. S. McKim and M. T. Matthews, “Modular interests include system identification,
modeling system model builder,” Proc. of real-time simulation, and robots for hazardous environment
Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering applications.
Conference, Washington, D.C., 1996.
[2] ProTRAX, ProTRAX Analyst’s Instruction
Manual Volume 1 and 2, TRAX Corporation, 107 Gihun Son received the B.S. and M.S.
degree in Mechanical Engineering
Vista Centre Drive, Forest, VA 24551, 1998.
from Seoul National University in
[3] SIMPORT, Analyst and Developer User Guide, 1986 and 1988, respectively. He
DS&S, 2003. received the Ph.D. degree in Mechani-
[4] Software System Group, The Development of cal Engineering from UCLA in 1996.
Full Scope Simulator for Power Plants [Final His research interests include multi-
Report], KEPCO, September 1998. phase dynamics, heat transfer and
[5] OrCAD CAPTURE for Windows, OrCAD Inc., power system simulation.
1995.
[6] J. H. McFadden et. al., RETRAN-02-A Program
for Transient Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of
Complex Fluid Flow Systems, Volume 1: Theory
and Numerics(Revision 5), EPRI NP-1850-CCM,
1992.
[7] Operation Diagram for Honam Fossil Power
Plant.

Dong Wook Kim received the B.S.

degree in Computer Statistics from
Honam University in 1995, and the
M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer
Science from Chungnam National
University 1999 and 2005 respectively.
His research interests include system
identification, software requirements
analysis, and real-time simulation.

Cheong Youn received the B.S. degree

in Physics from Seoul National
University in 1979, M.S. degree in
Computer Science from University of
Illinois in 1983. He received the Ph.D.
degree in Computer Science from
Northwestern University in 1988. His
research interests include software
engineering, object oriented software
system analysis, and system identification.