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Self-Tuning Control of a Solar Power Plant with a Distributed Collector Field E.F. Camacho, F.R. Rubio, and F.M. Hughes A self-tuning controller for 4 sola sistibuted caller field, based on # pole fsssignment approach which employs seria ‘compensation to cope wih measurable exter ral disturbances, s presente. The scheme is ‘compared here withthe more commonly ‘Mopted pale feedforward approach by both simulation and implementation onthe lan isl Control of Solar Collectors Solar power provides an energy souce which varies independemly and cannot be a jute vo suc the dested demand. Akhoogh ‘lar ration does have predictable seasonal fn ily eele variations also affected Iyunpredicable variations du to armosphe- ie comtions ike cloud cover, humidity. nd sieanspaeney. ‘When sing sola power asa primary heat source the major aims to maimize te usage Of the avilable energy while maintaining ‘ested operating conditions fr the process involves Anehereptimivationceteumcon sting other important operating fcr 5 derbi |. With the touted collector field of eoncer, he solarradiation ie ooused by mirors onto a pipe thravgh which oi Mow, The energy collected is tasted toa Sorge tink, which an be ped when con Aiton: demand, ono either seam generator for electrical power generation or the heat xchange of desalination pant, The prime contol equrement so main- tain the ote ol temperature of he il a onsan vale. Since the solar raditon ean ft be aus, ths an only be achieved by theadjusmenfthe fo of ei ad the daily solar powercycle characteristic isch thatthe EF Camacho and ER. Rubio are with the Dpto, Ing, Electrénica, de Sistemas y Ancomdtion, ETS. Ingenieros Indutites Unis Sevilla, 41012, Sevilla, Span. FM. Hughes is with the Deparment of Blecrcal Engineering and Electonics, UMIST, United Kingdom. This work us supported by the EEC under the ALS! program and by the CICYT under Grant ROBS9-0614-C03-01, Fig [ Dusrbued collector field cil ow has to change substaniiy doing ‘operation, Tis lead o significant variations inthe dyamic charcterstso the ied such fs eaponse rte an ime delay which cause simcuiesinobsining adequate performance ‘over the operating range with @ fixed prumeter cooler. Se-ning contol of fers an approach by which contol parameters canbe sted doing operation tocompensate for changes in dynamic charac tents ofthe fel an hereby maintain the sired conta performance. The enploymet and eppiation ose ‘using Proportional pls Emegral (PI) como Terbased om poe asignmen = covered. Such appooches have bendevslpedy Welltead ral. (2}and Aligna and Haghes [3] and the Specific ecigue employed is described by Rubio eral (1, The se cning conoler exign employs a simple wansfer function rode ofthe plat in which the out empera- tore isconsidered tobe slly fonction ofthe controller oi flow. In reality, the outlet temperature als dynamically dependent on the inlet oil temperature (which varies Synamialy when he paces loa conitons thangs) and on sola ration (which can Change rapidly and significa with cloud (0272-170992803.0001921EEE movement) and these also neat! 1 be taken "The fl dynamic compensation frinsla tion variation and inlet oil temperature evens difiaties bah ia tem of model Complesity and estimation (although sole Fadhation and inlet temperature can be Ineasued,silicient dynamic excitation to perit the estimation of model parameters not be guaranteed). Two spi ap proaches to compensate forthe effets of ‘lain and lt temperature changes ne presen in the paper The fist employs a parle! feedforwr tenn and the secoad in trodces seis compensation elrent ito the loop, In oth eases the nition, inlet temperate, serves to disci ast the oi ‘ot othe valve which scalculated tom tain the ut empeatre atthe desire evel This rexrics the ute emperanre excursions, wich desiale fom the coal viewpoint tnd ensuite that the outlet temperatures predominantly function othe ci fow.thereby reserving the vali of the simplified model {hed in the estimation alot ‘The paral! compensation element ino ces problems eoneeming the estimation of eee Cont Sisters ACUREX itd Storage Tank Fig 2 Schema dram of clr ‘eansfer function parame the model wo forthe selfuning contol. These problems ‘can be alleviated considebly bythe seis ommpessation apprch. The appliation of both compensation approaches are covered here and sults obtained by simulation Using nonlinear mode! ofthe plantand esi rom the plant il are resend Systems Description The system considered comespond othe ACUREX istnbited collector field ofthe SPS solar plan lcaedin Ameria Southorn Spain. The main ebjecive of the dnvibted eld st collec solar energy by heating oi psig hough tho Fl The fed ay shown In ig. consis of 480 distribu solar eo lector. These collectors ae aranged in 20 ‘os which fo 10 atl loops, sindcated In ig. 2 andi along an eas-west axis ‘The collector uses a parabolic surface to ceoncoagate a dieet normal Ream onto the recvivertabe which islocted atthe focal point of the parabola. The heat ansfer Mid is [pumped trough the receiver uke and picks ‘Up the hea ranafered though the receiver tube walls, "The fils so provided wit a aching system whieh eases the mars revolve sound an axis prali 0tht ofthe pipe to ‘enable the varying inclination of the sun o be followed. The col nk oli extracted trom tho Bottom ofthe storage tank ad is assed "ough the eld using pap located in he Seld ne, This ids heated ad then nt Adcedino asorage unk ote ued frelece ‘al energy generation. The ystems provided with tse way vale located in the field ‘et tha allows the ol toe ese in he Feld uni tsouettemperaureis adequate for Ape 1992 centring azo the wp ofthe sore tank. A tote deed deseipton ofthe ste il is provided (3). Fach of the loops mentioned above is formed by four welve module collectors suitably comecte in seis. The Loop i 172 mong, the aetive prof the loop measuring 12 mand the passive part 30 Control Structure For sef-cuning contol purposes a simple linear anal which relates changes in Hid Now. the adjustable input variable tochanges inoatet temperatures required, Observations of step responses obtained from the plan in ‘kate that nthe continous ime domain be havior cane closely approximated by 2 fest onder wansfer function with atime delay wee K/L) ‘Thetimedelay tine conta rand gain ‘Kofthesysem vary with he il low ate and tthe loner operational Now rate the dla Spproximately vice that a the maxima Mow rate It asec shown], that one 2 ‘of seceding this aration inte delay Fstouse a mode ofthe form, a2) ot 9 Alma) ‘Tre sample periods chosen o be equal ‘he minimum ime delay valu. Te einiman ‘ale of delay i therefore epresened bythe ‘moget having parameter by = 0. When b= 0, the model provides its maximum delay valve lofrwo sample period. For values ofthe tine Aelay whew es soniategermuliple of the sampling period, ie, P< &y © 27 the factor (ho bis ats discrete fs dee Pade approximation to a delay term. Based om the shove model he following ple placement PL Self-tuning controler canbe developed “The transfer fonction ofthe PL cone AG) Is given by Ha=goe@e)/a-25 By choosing the contller zero to cancel theplant pole, choosing a= the sytem closed lop characterise peli PI). ven ap Fogo bose godt IF the closed lop systom is quired 10 ‘ave isdn pole at == then frm he «haracterstie polynomial P(2)evauated at ‘oischosen such that set UAV Ube A +0) Hence knowing a, be andy from the ‘model: the controller parameters and 220 be cacultd to provide a specitid closed Joop dominant poe at := A. Analysis of) prides the locaton ofthe ther two system pokes S(1-A) ste bo AUI-ADEAY Pec Root aus analysis ofthe gstem indicts that apr from the pleat: = A. the system wil ave two other rel pols, one negative an one postive. Solving PU) enables the Focations ofthese poles 10 be determined to ensure tal they comespond to ead decay ‘ng modes and tha the speed pole t= fs the dominant pole. Self-Tuning Controt An explicit stetuning contol algorithm ‘vas developed incorporating the pele assign ‘ett design method of the previous section, the parameters of the system model being

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