Robust controller design for a laboratory heat exchanger. (5th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Vasičkaninová, Anna; Bakošová, Monika; Čirka, Ľuboš; Kalúz, Martin; Oravec, Juraj
• Is Part Of: Applied thermal engineering. Volume 128(2018)
• Page Start: 1297
• Page End: 1309
• Publication Date: 2018-01-05
• Subjects: Heat exchanger -- Uncertainty -- Robust control -- Process control -- Real-time control; Heat engineering -- Periodicals; Heating -- Equipment and supplies -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 621.40205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.09.086
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-4311

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Heat exchangers have non-linear and asymmetric behaviour. Six robust control approaches are used for robust controller design. Six robust controllers control the laboratory heat exchanger with uncertainty. H 2, H∞ controllers are the best according to design, structure and performance. Robust controllers are successfully used in a real-time application. Abstract: This paper aims to show that various robust controllers can be successfully used in practical applications. Six robust control techniques were used for controller design, i.e. robust PI controller design based on plotting the stability boundary in the plane of controller parameters, the design method based on the small gain theorem, the H 2, H∞, H 2 / H∞ control syntheses and the µ- synthesis with D-K iteration. The design approaches were selected based on authors' previous theoretical work and developed robust controllers were implemented for a laboratory heat exchanger that had non-linear and asymmetric behaviour and could be modelled as an uncertain system. The uncertainty in the controlled process included in the process gain, the time-constant and the time-delay took into account incomplete knowledge of process parameters, parameter changes, and measurement noise. The designed controllers were implemented in laboratory conditions and real-time control of a laboratory heat exchanger was realized. The control results achieved using various robust controllers were compared via three quality criteria. Taking into account the controller design, controller structure, robustness and performance, the H 2, H∞ controllers are reasonable compromises between the design demands, structure complexity, robustness and control performance. The results obtained on the laboratory heat exchanger confirmed that robust controllers can be successfully used in real-time applications and using of them is able to assure good control performance.