[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":631},["ShallowReactive",2],{"site-footer-common":3,"glossary:capacity-factor":45,"glossary-related:capacity-factor":222},{"id":4,"extension":5,"footer":6,"meta":40,"navbar":41,"stem":43,"__hash__":44},"common\u002Fcommon.yml","yml",{"tagline":7,"links":8,"sections":9},"Acoustic cleaning intelligence for industrial fouling, soot, ash, dust and build-up.",[],[10,19,31],{"title":11,"links":12},"Product",[13,16],{"label":14,"to":15},"How it works","\u002F#product",{"label":17,"to":18},"Cost assessment","\u002F#hero",{"title":20,"links":21},"Company",[22,25,28],{"label":23,"to":24},"What we build","\u002F#about",{"label":26,"to":27},"Careers","\u002F#careers",{"label":29,"to":30},"Contact","\u002F#contact",{"title":32,"links":33},"Resources",[34,37],{"label":35,"to":36},"Blog","\u002Fresources\u002Fblog",{"label":38,"to":39},"Glossary","\u002Fglossary",{},{"links":42},[],"common","YocmZRy1AYfBbpgGVms-zhdiABlF8VTxHx6h4rDmZBA",{"id":46,"title":47,"aliases":48,"body":51,"category":204,"description":205,"extension":206,"meta":207,"navigation":208,"path":209,"relatedTerms":210,"seo":213,"sources":216,"stem":220,"term":47,"__hash__":221},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fcapacity-factor.md","Capacity factor",[49,50],"load factor","plant capacity factor",{"type":52,"value":53,"toc":197},"minimark",[54,67,72,143,147,174,178],[55,56,57,60,61,66],"p",{},[58,59,47],"strong",{}," is the actual energy output of a plant divided by the theoretical maximum if it had run at full nameplate continuously over the same period. Capacity factor combines ",[62,63,65],"a",{"href":64},"\u002Fglossary\u002Favailability-factor","availability"," (the plant's readiness to operate) with market dispatch (whether the plant was actually called upon).",[68,69,71],"h2",{"id":70},"typical-values","Typical values",[73,74,75,88],"table",{},[76,77,78],"thead",{},[79,80,81,85],"tr",{},[82,83,84],"th",{},"Sector",[82,86,87],{},"Typical capacity factor",[89,90,91,100,108,116,124,135],"tbody",{},[79,92,93,97],{},[94,95,96],"td",{},"Coal-fired baseload",[94,98,99],{},"50–70% (falling with renewables penetration)",[79,101,102,105],{},[94,103,104],{},"CCGT baseload",[94,106,107],{},"60–75%",[79,109,110,113],{},[94,111,112],{},"CCGT load-following",[94,114,115],{},"30–50%",[79,117,118,121],{},[94,119,120],{},"Peaker plants",[94,122,123],{},"5–15%",[79,125,126,132],{},[94,127,128],{},[62,129,131],{"href":130},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fwaste-to-energy","Waste-to-energy",[94,133,134],{},"85–92% (close to availability — always dispatched)",[79,136,137,140],{},[94,138,139],{},"Recovery boiler \u002F cement kiln",[94,141,142],{},"88–95% (always dispatched)",[68,144,146],{"id":145},"relationship-to-fouling","Relationship to fouling",[55,148,149,150,153,154,158,159,163,164,168,169,173],{},"For always-dispatched plants (",[62,151,152],{"href":130},"WtE",", cement, ",[62,155,157],{"href":156},"\u002Fglossary\u002Frecovery-boiler","recovery boiler","), capacity factor approaches availability factor — fouling-driven ",[62,160,162],{"href":161},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fforced-outage","outages"," and ",[62,165,167],{"href":166},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fderate-capacity","derates"," translate directly into lost capacity factor. For market-dispatched plants (coal-fired, CCGT), capacity factor depends on market position more than on fouling, but fouling-driven ",[62,170,172],{"href":171},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fheat-rate","heat-rate"," degradation can push the plant down the merit order and reduce dispatched hours indirectly.",[68,175,177],{"id":176},"related-terms","Related terms",[179,180,181,187,192],"ul",{},[182,183,184],"li",{},[62,185,186],{"href":64},"Availability factor",[182,188,189],{},[62,190,191],{"href":171},"Heat rate",[182,193,194],{},[62,195,196],{"href":166},"Derate (capacity)",{"title":198,"searchDepth":199,"depth":199,"links":200},"",2,[201,202,203],{"id":70,"depth":199,"text":71},{"id":145,"depth":199,"text":146},{"id":176,"depth":199,"text":177},"kpis-measurements","Capacity factor is the actual energy output of a plant divided by the theoretical maximum if it had run at full nameplate continuously over the same period. Capacity factor combines availability (the plant's readiness to operate) with market dispatch (whether the plant was actually called upon).","md",{},true,"\u002Fglossary\u002Fcapacity-factor",[211,172,212],"availability-factor","derate-capacity",{"title":214,"description":215},"Capacity factor — actual energy output as percentage of theoretical maximum","Capacity factor is actual energy output divided by theoretical maximum if a plant ran at full nameplate continuously. Combines availability with market dispatch.",[217],{"title":218,"url":219},"Wikipedia — Capacity factor","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FCapacity_factor","glossary\u002Fcapacity-factor","KPXEr-TQGJAmTfU3hU4teIYaFCgW7GO9yxnG0SdtueQ",[223,364,494],{"id":224,"title":186,"aliases":225,"body":227,"category":204,"description":349,"extension":206,"meta":350,"navigation":208,"path":64,"relatedTerms":351,"seo":355,"sources":358,"stem":362,"term":186,"__hash__":363},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Favailability-factor.md",[65,226],"plant availability",{"type":52,"value":228,"toc":344},[229,234,238,306,310,325,327],[55,230,231,233],{},[58,232,186],{}," is the percentage of total hours in a period (typically a year, 8,760 hours) during which a plant is available to operate, whether or not it actually does. It is calculated as (total period hours − unavailable hours) \u002F total period hours, where \"unavailable\" includes both planned and forced outages.",[68,235,237],{"id":236},"typical-industrial-availability","Typical industrial availability",[73,239,240,249],{},[76,241,242],{},[79,243,244,246],{},[82,245,84],{},[82,247,248],{},"Typical availability",[89,250,251,259,267,276,284,296],{},[79,252,253,256],{},[94,254,255],{},"Coal-fired utility",[94,257,258],{},"80–88%",[79,260,261,264],{},[94,262,263],{},"Combined-cycle gas turbine",[94,265,266],{},"90–95%",[79,268,269,273],{},[94,270,271],{},[62,272,131],{"href":130},[94,274,275],{},"85–92%",[79,277,278,281],{},[94,279,280],{},"Cement plant kiln",[94,282,283],{},"88–94%",[79,285,286,293],{},[94,287,288,289],{},"Refinery ",[62,290,292],{"href":291},"\u002Fglossary\u002Ffluid-catalytic-cracking","FCC",[94,294,295],{},"95%+ (4-year turnaround cycle)",[79,297,298,303],{},[94,299,300],{},[62,301,302],{"href":156},"Pulp mill recovery boiler",[94,304,305],{},"90–96%",[68,307,309],{"id":308},"why-availability-matters","Why availability matters",[55,311,312,313,315,316,319,320,324],{},"Every percentage point of availability translates directly to revenue for a tipping-fee-driven ",[62,314,152],{"href":130}," plant, a cement plant constrained by clinker output, or a recovery-boiler-limited pulp mill. Cleaning systems that defer ",[62,317,318],{"href":161},"forced outages"," are central to availability defence — ",[62,321,323],{"href":322},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsonic-horn","sonic horns"," installed for fouling control protect availability against the most common cleaning-related outage causes.",[68,326,177],{"id":176},[179,328,329,333,338],{},[182,330,331],{},[62,332,47],{"href":209},[182,334,335],{},[62,336,337],{"href":161},"Forced outage",[182,339,340],{},[62,341,343],{"href":342},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fmtbf","MTBF",{"title":198,"searchDepth":199,"depth":199,"links":345},[346,347,348],{"id":236,"depth":199,"text":237},{"id":308,"depth":199,"text":309},{"id":176,"depth":199,"text":177},"Availability factor is the percentage of total hours in a period (typically a year, 8,760 hours) during which a plant is available to operate, whether or not it actually does. It is calculated as (total period hours − unavailable hours) \u002F total period hours, where \"unavailable\" includes both planned and forced outages.",{},[352,353,354],"capacity-factor","forced-outage","mtbf",{"title":356,"description":357},"Availability factor — percentage of time a plant is available to operate","Availability factor is the percentage of total hours that a plant is available to generate, whether or not it actually does. Distinguishes equipment readiness from market dispatch.",[359],{"title":360,"url":361},"Wikipedia — Availability factor","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FAvailability_factor","glossary\u002Favailability-factor","yfvmet8u9_2svfJtk9NnZ2BnFizIXUrDRvQ-TQxm2r8",{"id":365,"title":191,"aliases":366,"body":370,"category":477,"description":478,"extension":206,"meta":479,"navigation":208,"path":171,"relatedTerms":480,"seo":485,"sources":488,"stem":492,"term":191,"__hash__":493},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fheat-rate.md",[367,368,369],"boiler heat rate","plant heat rate","heat-rate degradation",{"type":52,"value":371,"toc":472},[372,377,381,384,430,436,440,443,445],[55,373,374,376],{},[58,375,191],{}," is the fuel energy consumed per unit of electrical energy generated, measured in BTU\u002FkWh (US) or kJ\u002FkWh (everywhere else). Lower heat rate equals higher thermodynamic efficiency. Heat rate is the central economic KPI of every coal-fired and gas-fired power plant — a 1% rise in heat rate at sustained load costs the operator 1% more fuel per MWh forever.",[68,378,380],{"id":379},"heat-rate-and-convective-pass-fouling","Heat rate and convective-pass fouling",[55,382,383],{},"Heat rate degrades from many causes. The fouling-driven contribution is normally split between:",[179,385,386,396,405,419],{},[182,387,388,395],{},[58,389,390,394],{},[62,391,393],{"href":392},"\u002Fglossary\u002Feconomiser","Economiser"," fouling"," — feedwater pre-heat falls, steam-cycle efficiency drops",[182,397,398,404],{},[58,399,400,394],{},[62,401,403],{"href":402},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fair-heater","Air heater"," — combustion-air pre-heat falls, boiler efficiency drops",[182,406,407,418],{},[58,408,409,413,414,394],{},[62,410,412],{"href":411},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fsuperheater","Superheater"," \u002F ",[62,415,417],{"href":416},"\u002Fglossary\u002Freheater","reheater"," — outlet temperatures fall, turbine efficiency drops",[182,420,421,429],{},[58,422,423,424,428],{},"Forced ",[62,425,427],{"href":426},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fattemperator-desuperheater","attemperation"," loss"," of margin",[55,431,432,433,435],{},"A typical poorly-maintained coal-fired unit carries 2–4% heat-rate penalty from cumulative fouling. Aggressive cleaning, including ",[62,434,323],{"href":322}," on convective surfaces, can recover 1–3% of that — equivalent to USD 1–5 million annual fuel saving for a 500 MW unit.",[68,437,439],{"id":438},"how-heat-rate-recovery-is-monetised","How heat-rate recovery is monetised",[55,441,442],{},"Heat-rate recovery is the headline business case for sonic-horn retrofits on coal and biomass boilers. The savings flow directly through fuel cost; payback periods of 12–24 months are routinely quoted.",[68,444,177],{"id":176},[179,446,447,453,457,461,467],{},[182,448,449],{},[62,450,452],{"href":451},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fboiler","Boiler",[182,454,455],{},[62,456,393],{"href":392},[182,458,459],{},[62,460,403],{"href":402},[182,462,463],{},[62,464,466],{"href":465},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fconvective-pass-backpass","Convective pass \u002F backpass",[182,468,469],{},[62,470,471],{"href":322},"Sonic horn",{"title":198,"searchDepth":199,"depth":199,"links":473},[474,475,476],{"id":379,"depth":199,"text":380},{"id":438,"depth":199,"text":439},{"id":176,"depth":199,"text":177},"boiler","Heat rate is the fuel energy consumed per unit of electrical energy generated, measured in BTU\u002FkWh (US) or kJ\u002FkWh (everywhere else). Lower heat rate equals higher thermodynamic efficiency. Heat rate is the central economic KPI of every coal-fired and gas-fired power plant — a 1% rise in heat rate at sustained load costs the operator 1% more fuel per MWh forever.",{},[477,481,482,483,484],"economiser","air-heater","convective-pass-backpass","sonic-horn",{"title":486,"description":487},"Heat rate — the fuel-efficiency metric used by every coal and gas plant","Heat rate is the fuel energy required to produce one unit of electrical output, measured in BTU\u002FkWh or kJ\u002FkWh. Fouling on convective surfaces directly degrades heat rate.",[489],{"title":490,"url":491},"Wikipedia — Heat rate (efficiency)","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FHeat_rate_(efficiency)","glossary\u002Fheat-rate","OgQ7351DfpLtBl2D9AWNTCFTk4exqZE2ZLpWrVGyJWA",{"id":495,"title":196,"aliases":496,"body":500,"category":543,"description":619,"extension":206,"meta":620,"navigation":208,"path":166,"relatedTerms":621,"seo":623,"sources":626,"stem":628,"term":629,"__hash__":630},"glossary\u002Fglossary\u002Fderate-capacity.md",[497,498,499],"capacity derate","load derate","generation derate",{"type":52,"value":501,"toc":613},[502,513,517,561,565,568,572,591,593],[55,503,504,505,508,509,512],{},"A ",[58,506,507],{},"derate"," is reduced operating capacity below the equipment's nameplate, imposed because a limiting condition has been reached. Unlike a ",[62,510,511],{"href":161},"forced outage"," (full shutdown), a derate keeps the unit running at lower throughput while the limit persists.",[68,514,516],{"id":515},"fouling-driven-derates","Fouling-driven derates",[179,518,519,534,545,555],{},[182,520,521,528,529,533],{},[58,522,523,527],{},[62,524,526],{"href":525},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fid-fan","ID fan"," capacity limit"," — high baghouse ",[62,530,532],{"href":531},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fdifferential-pressure-baghouse","ΔP"," demands more fan power than available, forcing load reduction",[182,535,536,539,540,544],{},[58,537,538],{},"Boiler tube-metal temperature limit"," — ",[62,541,543],{"href":542},"\u002Fglossary\u002Ffouling","fouling"," reduces heat absorption, raising tube-metal temperature; protective derate engaged",[182,546,547,539,550,554],{},[58,548,549],{},"Stack opacity limit",[62,551,553],{"href":552},"\u002Fglossary\u002Felectrostatic-precipitator","ESP"," efficiency loss forces load reduction to meet emission limits",[182,556,557,560],{},[58,558,559],{},"HRSG approach-temperature limit"," — fouling on gas-side surfaces reduces heat recovery; gas-turbine output drops",[68,562,564],{"id":563},"economic-impact","Economic impact",[55,566,567],{},"Derates are usually less costly per hour than outages but can persist much longer. A 5% derate sustained for a month on a 500 MW unit loses ~9,000 MWh — comparable to a multi-day forced outage but easier to overlook in the maintenance ledger.",[68,569,571],{"id":570},"sonic-horns-and-derate-avoidance","Sonic horns and derate avoidance",[55,573,574,577,578,580,581,585,586,590],{},[62,575,576],{"href":322},"Sonic horns"," preserve heat-transfer effectiveness, ",[62,579,553],{"href":552}," collection efficiency, ",[62,582,584],{"href":583},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fbaghouse","baghouse"," ΔP and ",[62,587,589],{"href":588},"\u002Fglossary\u002Fhopper","hopper"," discharge. Each of these directly defends against the most common fouling-driven derate triggers.",[68,592,177],{"id":176},[179,594,595,599,603,608],{},[182,596,597],{},[62,598,337],{"href":161},[182,600,601],{},[62,602,191],{"href":171},[182,604,605],{},[62,606,607],{"href":542},"Fouling",[182,609,610],{},[62,611,612],{"href":531},"Differential pressure (baghouse)",{"title":198,"searchDepth":199,"depth":199,"links":614},[615,616,617,618],{"id":515,"depth":199,"text":516},{"id":563,"depth":199,"text":564},{"id":570,"depth":199,"text":571},{"id":176,"depth":199,"text":177},"A derate is reduced operating capacity below the equipment's nameplate, imposed because a limiting condition has been reached. Unlike a forced outage (full shutdown), a derate keeps the unit running at lower throughput while the limit persists.",{},[353,172,543,622],"differential-pressure-baghouse",{"title":624,"description":625},"Derate (capacity) — reduced operating capacity below nameplate due to a limiting condition","A derate is operation below nameplate capacity because a limiting condition has been reached. Fouling-driven derates from ID fan, ΔP or boiler tube limits are common.",[627],{"title":218,"url":219},"glossary\u002Fderate-capacity","Derate","KbTPnqtYNK8jv3MrWXST3jBravYd08-1niXaklKEyxE",1782613743767]