A System Dynamics Model of Fire-Tube Shell Boiler

A system dynamics model of fire-tube shell boiler was developed. The derivation of the dynamics model started with a nonlinear time-variant dynamic modeling based on the transport phenomena in the fire-tube boiler. A linear time-invariant perturbed model around steady-state operating points was then derived. The identifiable parameters τ_mw, τ_wa, K, β, and τ_d were identified by using field test data and least-squares estimation method; the coefficients C’s were, meanwhile, directly predicted by using the small-perturbation relations. Empirical correlations of the identifiable parameters were further derived to account for the variation of parameters with operating conditions. The present perturbed model is thus semi-empirical and can describe the dynamic behaviour of fire-tube boilers over a wide range of operating conditions. The predictions of dynamic responses using the present model were shown to agree very well with the test results.