Model-based Predictive Control for the Exhaust Gas Cycle of an Oxyfuel-Process

Abstract

The global environmental warming which is discussed these days is, at the opinion of many experts, amongst other things ascribed to human induced carbon dioxide emissions which intensify the greenhouse effect. To face and overcome the negative consequences like environmental disasters, the rising mean sea level and others, new power plant concepts are researched and developed. In this article a novel, zero emission, oxyfuel power plant concept is discussed. Due to the novelty of the process it is examined in calculations, simulations and laboratory tests by a research group at RWTH Aachen university and does not exist in reality by now. Besides a conventional water cycle, an exhaust gas cycle has a major function in the process. The operation of the exhaust gas cycle requires an automation concept. In this paper an object-oriented model is used as a basis for examining the process behaviour and developing a controller for the multivariable and strongly coupled system. For the sliced exhaust gas cycle a model-based predictive controller is introduced. A parameter study presents the impact of selected controller parameters.