Model based decoupling control for waste incineration plants

A simple yet effective approach for a decoupling control of a waste incineration plant with fluidized bed is presented. The main problems for designing a decoupling controller are the nonlinear inner dynamics of the process, large time- delays, and unknown model parameters. The proposed control scheme utilizes the inversion of simple balance equations with a minimum of parameters and compact nonlinear characteristics. The main advantage of this concept is the simple incorporation of all relevant inputs and outputs of the plant into the decoupling equations. This ensures robust performance even in the presence of nonmeasurable disturbances and simple retrofitting. The proposed control scheme has been implemented in a 38 MW domestic waste incineration plant and the performance is demonstrated by measurements.