Non-linear control of the reactor power in a PWR using online parameter adaptation

Abstract

In this paper, an adaptive sliding mode control system is presented to control the Pressurised-Water Nuclear Reactor (PWR) core power. Sliding mode controller is a robust non-linear control but chattering in this method is undesirable; large parameter uncertainties accommodation envisaged by designing adaptive mechanisms for the controller and high chattering authority are inhibited. The reactor core is simulated based on the point kinetics equations and one delayed neutrons group. The stability analysis is given by means of the Lyapunov approach, thus the control system is guaranteed to be stable within a large range. The adaptive sliding mode control exhibits the desired dynamic properties during the entire output-tracking process independent of the perturbations. Copyright opy; 2016 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.