Self-Tuning Control of a Liquid-Saturated Steam Heat Exchanger

Abstract This paper is concerned with the self-tuning control of a simulated liquid-saturated steam heat exchanger. The problem is to control the fluid outlet temperature by adjusting the fluid flow-rate. Since the process dynamics is characterized by a number of zeros close to the unit circle, ‘cancellation’ controllers cannot be applied. The class of self-tuner employed are generalised-minimum variance self-tuning controllers, interpreted here as ‘detuned model-reference’ system. Good control performance is obtained, provided that a sensible choice of the system time delay is made.