Dynamic controllers for I/O decoupling of neutral time delay systems with application to a coupled core nuclear reactor

In the present paper I/O decoupling controllers using either dynamic realizable state or output feedback and dynamic precompensator for the general class of linear neutral multi delay systems are derived. In both cases it is proven that the problem is always solvable while the general form of the decoupling controllers is presented. Finally, in order to demonstrate the proposed technique, it is applied to a numerical example as well as to the dynamic model of a coupled core nuclear reactor. In particular for the case of the nuclear reactor, a dynamic output feedback controller is presented analytically and the performance of the closed loop system is investigated. It was observed that the responses of the performance outputs were indeed decoupled. Furthermore, the behaviors of the responses correspond to the chosen closed loop transfer matrix. With respect to the remaining state variables and the control inputs, it was observed that they remained within acceptable limits.