Development of a control system for a gas turbine power unit with a thermal energy storage

The article deals with the problem of synthesis of the control system of the power unit of a solar space gas turbine power unit. To ensure the uninterrupted operation of the turbine in the shadow region of the orbit, a thermal storage unit is used as an energy source, which prudently stores solar energy in the light region of the orbit. Operation of the turbine is provided by the system "receiver of solar radiation – thermal storage", which forms a single power unit. The problem of structural and parametric identification of its mathematical model is solved. Thermal storage efficiency is justified by maximum possible temperature of working fluid at turbine inlet. The criterion of optimality of choice of operating parameters of power plant is to ensure constancy of thermal storage characteristics at maximum thermodynamic efficiency of the system, which is equivalent to maximization of exergy efficiency of the system. The results of calculations have shown the possibility of using the proposed structural solutions to control the capacity of the power unit.