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Abstract

The design and simulation of an H∞ control system for an experimental 87 MW fluidizedbed coal gasification reactor (‘gasifier’) are described. This is a highly coupled multivariable system that produces fuel gas by reacting coal, air and steam at a high temperature and pressure. H∞ optimization is used to design a robust controller that attenuates the effect of a pressure disturbance on four key outputs. The initial design was fairly robust to changes in load condition and to input non-linearities, but the performance was only moderate; it violated nine out of 48 limits given in a tentative specification, including some at nominal conditions. A redesign led to a 20-state controller that essentially met the specification, bar the transient violation of a lower pressure limit at the extreme operating point. This is shown to be due to the effect of input rate limits.

Keywords

H∞ control regulation disturbance rejection gasification plant gasifier coprime factors

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H∞ control of gasification plant

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