Advanced Control of a Steam Generator

Economic feasibility of a nuclear power plant requires smooth and uninterrupted plant operation in the face of varying electrical power demand. The feed-water system in a nuclear power plant is a major contributor to plant unavailability. The investigations about operation experiences of a power plant show that one of frequent causes of shutdowns is by violation of safety limits on the water level and is common at low operating power where the plant exhibits strong non-minimum phase characteristics. This paper presents a framework for addressing this problem based on a method of advanced control based on fuzzy model predictive control. Furthermore, fuzzy model based fault detection methods are elaborated envisaging fault tolerant control. Results from validation of the advanced control system are presented. A new concept of modular advanced control system designed for a seamless and gradual integration into the existing distributed control system is proposed.