A physically based PID controller for the power maneuvering of nuclear reactors

Development of rapid and efficient regulators for the load following operation of nuclear power plants is an ongoing research interest. A physics-based PID regulation approach which adopts Ziegler-Nichols tuning mechanism is therefore attempted in this work. To this end, the prompt jump approximation inspiring the broader singular perturbation framework is resorted. PID parameters obtained in this regard give rise to a rapid and efficient closed loop power tracking performance during load following operation. Stable closed loop tracking at various operating power levels is moreover procured through this approach.