Research on the Desired Dynamic Selection of a Reference Model-Based PID Controller: A Case Study on a High-Pressure Heater in a 600 MW Power Plant

Abstract

Nowadays, the proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller dominates industrial process control. Because of the compromise between parameters, its tuning is still a challenge for practitioners. A reference model (RM)-based PID controller—the desired dynamic equational (DDE) PID controller—is regarded as a viable alternative since it can readily eliminate the compromise. However, how to design its desired dynamic equation remains an unsolved problem which limits the application of DDE PID controllers in large-scale industrial systems. Therefore, this paper studies the desired dynamic selection of DDE PID controllers and proposes a simple and practical selection procedure without using the accurate plant model. Simulations, experiments and filed tests demonstrate the convenience and advantages of the proposed method, thus making DDE PID an effective controller type which is specifically appealing to engineers. Moreover, the successful application of DDE PID controllers to a high-pressure (HP) heater in a coal-fired power plant shows their promising prospects in the future power industry with the increasing demand to integrate more renewables into the grid.