Design and Evaluation of Model-Based Compensators for the Control of Steam Generator Level

Abstract

The design and evaluation of a controller that uses modelbased compensators to offset the inverse response behavior of water level in the steam generators of nuclear power plants is described. Included is a review of steam generator level dynamics, the development of a model that replicates the effects of feedwater and steam flowrate as well as temperature on steam generator level, the design of both the compensators and the overall controller, and the results of simulation studies in which the performance of this modelbased controller and existing analog ones were compared. The compensator-based controller is stable and its use significantly improves the controllability of steam generator level.