On transitioning from PID to ADRC in thermal power plants

Abstract

This paper focuses on the recent progress in the adoption of active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) in thermal processes as a viable alternative to proportional-integral-derivative (PID), especially in coal-fired power plants. The profound interpretation of this paradigm shift, with backward compatibility, is discussed in detail. A few fundamental issues associated with ADRC's applications in thermal processes are discussed, such as implementation, tuning, and the structural changes. Examples and case studies are presented, encompassing coal-fired power plants, gas turbines and nuclear power plants, as well as highlighting results of field applications. Also discussed are future research opportunities brought by ADRC's entry as the baseline control technology in thermal processes.

Performance Portrait Method: An Intelligent PID Controller Design Based on a Database of Relevant Systems Behaviors

“…Although over time it has become possible to achieve a significant improvement in the dynamic properties of the circuit with more complex structures (as, for example, [ 58 ]), due to their simplicity, PID controllers still maintain an exceptional place in practice. As mentioned in Section 2 , in [ 33 , 34 , 35 , 44 ], and in many other ADRC [ 31 , 32 ] or MFC publications [ 29 , 30 ], the use of ultra-local models to approximate different dynamical processes is an important robust control tool in which the system’s internal feedback is included in an equivalent disturbance compensated by an integral action of the controller. Their optimal setting for the control of DIPDT models using PPM thus naturally complements the work [ 38 , 39 ] devoted to the optimal and robust setting of PI controllers for IPDT models.…”

“…The presented work brings a more consistent emphasis on two aspects of PID controller design—system modeling using ultra-local integral models and possible DOB-based PID interpretation—which belong to the basic indebtedness of traditional methods of automatic control and their innovative modifications used within intelligent control. Whereas the use of ultra-local models is today frequently preferred in such areas as model-free control (MFC) [ 29 , 30 ], or active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) [ 31 , 32 ], in terms of use in the field of PID control (despite frequent use, as in [ 33 , 34 , 35 ]), this is a neglected issue. Furthermore, the DOB-based view on PID control represents a relatively new and not yet sufficiently and systematically explored topic [ 27 , 28 ].…”

Ship Dynamic Positioning Control Based on Active Disturbance Rejection Control

“…The structure of ADRC is shown in Figure 3 [42]. ADRC is a nonlinear control that does not rely on precise mathematical models [43]. It promotes and enriches the errorbased idea of classical control and has strong advantages, especially in uncertain models and the ocean environment [44], which has fast speed, strong anti-disturbance ability and good nonlinear control performance.…”

“…When |x(t)|> The feedback structure of fal function filter can be shown in Figure 6 [45]. The formula of this filter can be expressed as [46]: q̇=k * fal(e,α,δ) e=p − q p 0 =q (43) where k is the scale factor. p is the input signal of the filter and p 0 is the output of the filter.…”

“…p is the input signal of the filter and p 0 is the output of the filter. This paper analyzes the filter shown in Equation (43). When |e|>δ, nonlinear feedback k * |e| α sign(e) makes the system state rapidly approach the input signal p, so that the error e approaches δ.…”