Energy balance model based fuzzy controller for combustion of utility boiler

An innovative combustion controller is developed with an objective to maintain the steam pressure inlet to the turbine in a thermal power plant at a predetermined value by modulating proper air/fuel controller under varying load conditions. An energy balance model based fuzzy controller is designed to maintain proper fuel flow throughout the combustion cycle. The fuel flow requirement with respect to load at any instant is derived from energy balance model is fed to fuzzy controller to regulate the fuel flow to the boiler. At the same time air flow requirement with respect to load at any instant is derived from air/load characteristics. A lab scale experimental setup was fabricated and studies were carried out using conventional PID and the proposed energy balance model based fuzzy controller. Data was obtained from the thermal power plants to validate the controller's performance. The advantages of the proposed scheme over the conventional controller are highlighted.