An adaptive temperature control law for a solar furnace

This paper describes the development of an adaptive control law based on the exact feedback linearization and Lyapunov adaptation of the process dynamics applied to a solar furnace. The algorithm resulting from these underlying design principles is approximated in order to relate it with an adaptive PI controller with feedforward. The controller is tested on a 6 kW solar furnace model that represents a plant installed at the Odeillo Processes Materials and Solar Energy Laboratory (Oriental Pyrenees in the South of France). The adaptive features allow to tackle the problems posed by knowledge uncertainty about furnace dynamics. It is concluded that the specifications related to material testing are met. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.