Experimental Study and Identification of Linear Model with Parameter Variation for Drum Type Laboratory Scale Boiler

Abstract

Water-drum boilers (i.e., steam generators) are commonly used in power plants and other related industries. In the coming years, these boilers are expected to be operated over a broad range of operational scenarios, such as when the steam-to-boiler load changes due to variations in the electrical power as a result of renewable integration. The boiler system is multivariable in nature, and its behaviour changes considerably over a wide range of operational scenarios. However, exploring advanced control solutions to improve boiler operability is challenging due to the lack of experiments conducted on industrial boilers. Hence, a lab-scale experimental boiler is designed for control system research and education. This setup has a multivariable structure and exhibits a similar dynamic to the industrial boiler. Moreover, it is relatively simple to experiment on, in comparison with the real-world boiler. Thus, students and researchers are able to connect theory with practice and develop control solutions for practice. This paper presents the results of the experiments conducted on the lab boiler to develop a linear transfer function matrix model with parameter variations targeting robust control research.