Novel Wireless Sensor Integration in Process Control

Many power generation systems have complicated fuel delivery and ash recovery systems that can cause reduced efficiency or safety issues if not carefully monitored and controlled. Non-linear process control techniques, such as the Kaman filter, can provide much more powerful and flexible process control than traditional linear feedback loops, when applied to power generation and distribution. The advent of low cost digital signal processing platforms together with low-cost distributed sensor systems can enable a new, non-hierarchical process control architecture that offers better performance, reliability, and safety. However, these control systems can become unstable when the communication channels implicit in such architectures are noisy or failing. This project will develop technology to improve stability by using remotely located wireless sensors as part of the Kaman filter control loopCommercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The control technology developed under this effort could be used in new power generation systems or retrofitted to existing ones to improve efficiency and safety, reduce emissions, and lower operating costs.