Modeling, Analysis, and Control of the Power and Temperature Dynamics of a Heavy-Duty Gas Turbine

Abstract Operational flexibility of a gas turbine power plant crucially depends on an accurate feedforward control of the prime mover. Since the power & temperature dynamics of a gas turbine are characterized by a non-minimum phase transmission zero, the associated feedforward control problem cannot be solved through system inversion, as the resulting controller would be unstable. In this article, a model-based feedforward controller that overcomes the problem of the non-minimum phase transmission zero is derived based on a validated model of Ansaldo Energia’s GT36 gas turbine. The controller is designed to follow a reference model trajectory on the power output and to enable a configurable but consistent trade-off between temperature control performance and increasingly harsh actuator commands. In a simulation case study, the functionality of the controller is verified, and the specific benefits of its design are discussed. Finally, the strong dynamic capabilities of the GT36 are demonstrated by comparing the ideal response of the linear system with measured engine data in a rapid de-loading/loading transient.