Autonomous Reactor Control Using Model Based Predictive Control for Space Propulsion Applications
- University of Michigan, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)
Reliable reactor control is important to reactor safety, both in terrestrial and space systems. For a space system, where the time for communication to Earth is significant, autonomous control is imperative. Based on feedback from reactor diagnostics, a controller must be able to automatically adjust to changes in reactor temperature and power level to maintain nominal operation without user intervention. Model-based predictive control (MBPC) (Clarke 1994; Morari 1994) is investigated as a potential control methodology for reactor start-up and transient operation in the presence of an external source. Bragg-Sitton and Holloway (2004) assessed the applicability of MBPC to reactor start-up from a cold, zero-power condition in the presence of a time-varying external radiation source, where large fluctuations in the external radiation source can significantly impact a reactor during start-up operations. The MBPC algorithm applied the point kinetics model to describe the reactor dynamics, using a single group of delayed neutrons; initial application considered a fast neutron lifetime (10-3 sec) to simplify calculations during initial controller analysis. The present study will more accurately specify the dynamics of a fast reactor, using a more appropriate fast neutron lifetime (10-7 sec) than in the previous work. Controller stability will also be assessed by carefully considering the dependencies of each component in the defined cost (objective) function and its subsequent effect on the selected 'optimal' control maneuvers.
- OSTI ID:
- 20630588
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 746, Issue 1; Conference: STAIF 2005: Conference on thermophysics in microgravity; Conference on commercial/civil next generation space transportation; 22. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion; Conference on human/robotic technology and the national vision for space exploration; 3. symposium on space colonization; 2. symposium on new frontiers and future concepts, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 13-17 Feb 2005; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1867199; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
ALGORITHMS
DELAYED NEUTRONS
FAST NEUTRONS
FAST REACTORS
FLUCTUATIONS
OPTIMAL CONTROL
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR KINETICS
REACTOR OPERATION
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR START-UP
SPACE PROPULSION REACTORS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems