An adaptive load-following control system for a space nuclear power system
Abstract
An adaptive load-following control system is proposed for a space nuclear power system. The conceptual design of the SP-100 space nuclear power system proposes operating the nuclear reactor at a base thermal power and accommodating changes in the electrical power demand with a shunt regulator. It is necessary to increase the reactor thermal power if the payload electrical demand exceeds the peak system electrical output for the associated reactor power. When it is necessary to change the nuclear reactor power to meet a change in the power demand, the power ascension or descension must be accomplished in a predetermined manner to avoid thermal stresses in the system and to achieve the desired reactor period. The load-following control system described has the ability to adapt to changes in the system and to changes in the satellite environment. The application is proposed of the model reference adaptive control (MRAC). The adaptive control system has the ability to control the dynamic response of nonlinear systems. Three basic subsets of adaptive control are: (1) gain scheduling, (2) self-tuning regulators, and (3) model reference adaptive control.
- Publication:
-
Space Nuclear Power Systems
- Pub Date:
- 1987
- Bibcode:
- 1987snps.symp..229M
- Keywords:
-
- Adaptive Control;
- Control Systems Design;
- Dynamic Response;
- Nuclear Reactor Control;
- Space Power Reactors;
- Bypasses;
- Control Theory;
- Current Regulators;
- Power Factor Controllers;
- Service Life;
- Thermal Stresses;
- Turbogenerators;
- Nuclear and High-Energy Physics