IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OF SMALL HYDROPOWER PLANTS THROUGH OPTIMIZATION OF CONTROL SYSTEMS

Abstract

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26565/2079-1747-2025-36-07

The article addresses the problem of improving the comprehensive quality indicators of small hydropower plants by optimizing the automatic control systems of hydroelectric generating units. It is shown that, under conditions of increasing penetration of decentralized energy sources and heightened requirements for energy efficiency, the quality of dynamic processes occurring during load changes in small HPPs becomes particularly important. To solve this problem, an approach is proposed for optimizing the parameters of a PID controller within the automatic speed regulation system of a hydroturbine, based on modeling its dynamics as a second-order system with typical hydraulic and electromechanical time constants. A model of a small-capacity Francis turbine with nominal parameters – net head of 74 m, discharge of 2.05 m³/s, and nominal output of approximately 1.28 MW – is used as the research object. Generalized head, efficiency, and power characteristics of the turbine are presented. Simulation studies of the turbine’s response to step load changes were carried out for two configurations of the PID controller: non-optimal and optimized. A quantitative assessment of transient quality was performed using integral error- and time-based criteria, as well as energy efficiency indicators, including the relative loss of generated energy during the transient mode. It is demonstrated that optimal PID tuning significantly reduces the amplitude and duration of oscillations, accelerates the establishment of steady-state conditions, and decreases energy losses from 12.9% to 2.1%. A comprehensive quality index is proposed, integrating dynamic and energy criteria, which can be used as a universal metric for comparing different control strategies. The obtained results confirm the feasibility of optimizing control systems as one of the most effective ways to enhance the performance and reliability of small hydropower plants.