Multi-Model-Based Predictive Control for Divisional Regulation in the Direct Air-Cooling Condenser

Flow distortions caused by ambient wind can have complex negative effects on the performance of direct air-cooling condensers, which use air as their cooling medium. A control-oriented model of the direct air-cooling condenser model, considering fan volumetric effectiveness and plume recirculation rate, was developed, and its linearization model was derived. The influences of fan volumetric effectiveness and plume recirculation rate on backpressure were analyzed, and the optimal backpressure was calculated. To improve both the transient performance and steady-state energy saving of the condenser, a multi-model-based predictive control strategy was proposed to divisionally adjust the fan array. Four division schemes of the direct air-cooling fan array constituted the local models, and in each division scheme, axial fans were divided into three groups according to the wind direction: windward fans, leeward fans, and other fans. The simulation results showed that the turbine backpressure can be increased by 15 kPa under the influence of plume recirculation and the reduction of the fan volumetric efficiency. The fan division adjustment strategy can achieve satisfactory control performance with switching rules.