Optimal Control of a Nuclear Reactor in Load Follow Based on LQG/LTR

Abstract

Load follow is necessary in the operation of a power plant due to the need of power changing with time. In the load following of a nuclear plant, many special factors have to be considered, which makes the control strategy particularly difficult as well as important. Among many strategies, Linear Quadratic Gaussian and Loop Transfer Recovery (LQG/LTR) design approach is an efficient method for L-F, and is applied to a model of a practical nuclear reactor. The simulation shows the robust control method LQG/LTR meet the control requirements of the neutron flux spatial distribution during load following. And a Kalman-filter based feedback control is also applied in this approach to eliminate the oscillations caused by Xenon poisoning within the nuclear reactor.