Intelligent Control System Design for Implementation of Control Strategies for Supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle-Cooled Reactor System

Abstract

The Supercritical CO₂ (S-CO₂) Brayton cycle-cooled nuclear reactor system offers advantages such as high efficiency and a compact configuration, both essential to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of nuclear energy. Robust control strategies are required to maintain its performance and stability during operational and accidental conditions. For the implementation of advanced control methods, an integrated simulation platform SCTRAN/CO₂-SIMULINK is adopted. Thermal hydraulics and turbomachinery calculations are carried out using system code SCTRAN/CO₂, while control actions are taken using SIMULINK and data between them is exchanged in run-time. Backpropagation and least-squares regression method is used for Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to tune the parameters of FIS controllers. These controllers are used to control the coupled dynamics of the turbine shaft speed and compressor mass flow rate of the cycle. Furthermore, the compressor inlet temperature controller is designed to keep the system in a supercritical state, and the turbine inlet temperature controller is developed to regulate the reactivity in the reactor core to keep the turbine inlet temperature constant. The use of an intelligent control system with the integrated simulation platform has demonstrated promising results for load following operation of the cycle.