Model-Reference Adaptive Control for a nonlinear boiler-turbine system

Boiler-turbine unit is one of the most important nonlinear systems in the steam power plant that has uncertainties. In case of parametric uncertainties, in this paper, design of model-reference adaptive controller (MRAC) for this system is presented. For achieving this purpose, first MRAC is designed for a class of nonlinear MIMO systems whose state equations match with boiler-turbine state equations. Closed loop stability, output tracking with zero steady state error and perfect performance against changing parameters for this class, are established using Lyapunov function. Then, the presented MRAC design method is simulated on the boiler-turbine unit which has parametric uncertainties. Simulation results on the boiler- turbine system show that stability, tracking and perfect performance are satisfied well in the presence of parametric uncertainties. In addition, disturbance rejection and robust stability of the system to nonparametric uncertainty have been shown by simulation results.