# US 2017/0255177 A1 · Control Parameter Automatic-Adjustment Apparatus, Control Parameter Automatic-Adjustment Method, and Control Parameter Automatic-Adjustment Apparatus Network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0255177 A1 - Document ID: US20170255177A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/418,976 - Filed: 2017-01-30 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-03 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. - Applicants: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. - Inventors: Yuya TOKUDA; Takaaki SEKIAI; Yasuhiro YOSHIDA; Takuya YOSHIDA; Kazunori YAMANAKA; Norihiro IYANAGA; Fumiyuki SUZUKI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170255177A1 ## CPC - G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence} - G05B 13/04: involving the use of models or simulators - G05B 17/02: electric - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G05B 2219/23005: Expert design system, uses modeling, simulation, to control design process - G06N 5/02: Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS ## Abstract Provided is a control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus that adjusts a control parameter which is used when a control apparatus of a plant calculates an operational control signal, the apparatus including: a simulator that simulates operation of the plant; a learning unit that searches for an optimal control parameter using the simulator; and a knowledge database that stores knowledge information which associates an amount of change in the control parameter with an amount of change in a state of the plant, in which the learning unit includes a search range determination unit that determines a control parameter search range based on the knowledge information that is stored in the knowledge database. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus that adjusts a control parameter which is used when a control apparatus of a plant calculates an operational control signal, the apparatus comprising: a simulator that simulates operation of the plant; a learning unit that searches for an optimal control parameter using the simulator; and a knowledge database that stores knowledge information which associates an amount of change in the control parameter with an amount of change in a state of the plant, wherein the learning unit includes a search range determination unit that determines a control parameter search range based on the knowledge information that is stored in the knowledge database. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the learning unit further includes a control parameter evaluation unit that sets an evaluation value for the control parameter according to the degree to which a purpose is achieved under a restriction condition, and a control parameter determination unit that searches for the control parameter for which the evaluation value is maximized. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search range determination unit includes a function of calculating an estimated value of the calculation time required to optimize the control parameter, and a function of reducing the control parameter search range based on the knowledge information that is stored in the knowledge database and on a predicted value of a simulation measurement signal of the simulator in response to the control parameter when the estimated value of the calculation time required to optimize the control parameter exceeds a limit time that is set in advance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search range determination unit predicts, using the simulator, a simulation measurement signal in response to the control parameter of which similarity to a control parameter that is stored in the knowledge database is equal to or greater than a prescribed value, excludes the control parameter from the control parameter search range when a predicted value does not satisfy a prescribed purpose, and includes the control parameter within the control parameter search range when the predicted value satisfies the prescribed purpose. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image display device that is constituted in such a manner as to display one or more of a setting value of an optimized control parameter, an estimated value of the calculation time required to optimize the control parameter, the knowledge information that is stored in the knowledge database, a screen through which the knowledge information is input into the knowledge database, a search range that is reduced by the search range determination unit, the time required to optimize the control parameter, and a correlation between the number of search range and the time required for the optimization. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plant is a thermal power generating plant that is equipped with a steam turbine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the learning unit further includes a control parameter evaluation unit that raises an evaluation value for the control parameter as a plant activation time gets shorter under an activation restriction condition, and a control parameter determination unit that searches for the control parameter for which the evaluation value is maximized. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the search range determination unit has a function of determining the control parameter search range based on the knowledge information that is stored in the knowledge database and on a predicted value of a simulation measurement signal of the simulator in response to the control parameter, and a function of estimating the calculation time required to optimize the control parameter, and wherein the search range determination unit reduces the control parameter search range when an estimated value of the calculation time required to optimize the control parameter exceeds a limit time that is set in advance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the knowledge database stores, as an amount of change in a state of the plant, one or more of a temperature of main steam, a pressure of the main steam, a flow rate of the main steam, a temperature of reheat steam, a pressure of the reheat steam, a flow rate of the reheat steam, a temperature of exhaust gas in a gas turbine or a flow rate of the exhaust gas, a temperature of a surface of a rotor of the steam turbine or an inside thereof; a thermal stress of the surface of the rotor of the steam turbine or the inside thereof, and thermal expansion of a casing of the steam turbine or the rotor thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control parameter evaluation unit evaluates the control parameter based on one or more of the activation time of the plant, a thermal stress of a surface of a rotor of the steam turbine or an inside thereof, thermal expansion of a casing of the steam turbine or a rotor thereof, and an amount of vibration of the rotor of the steam turbine, which are calculated using the simulator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus network comprising: one or more sites in which one or more of the control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatuses according to the claim 1 are arranged; a knowledge database management center in which one or more shared knowledge databases that each have the same constitutions as the knowledge databases that are included in the control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatuses according to claim 1 are kept; and a communication network that mutually connects between the sites and the knowledge database management center. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control parameter automatic-adjustment apparatus network according to claim 11, wherein the knowledge database management center keeps the shared knowledge databases that each correspond to constitutions of plants that are managed in the sites. ### Claim 13 A control parameter automatic-adjustment method of adjusting a control parameter that is used when a control apparatus of a plant calculates an operational control signal for the plant, the method comprising: searching for an optimal control parameter using a simulator; wherein the searching for the optimal control parameter includes determining a control parameter search range based on knowledge information that associates an amount of change in the control parameter with an amount of change in a state of the plant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control parameter automatic-adjustment method according to claim 13, wherein the searching for an optimal control parameter further includes setting an evaluation value for the control parameter according to the degree to which a purpose is achieved under a restriction condition, and searching for the control parameter for which the evaluation value is maximized. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control parameter automatic-adjustment method according to claim 13, wherein the determining of a control parameter search range includes estimating the calculation time required to optimize the control parameter, and reducing the control parameter search range based on the knowledge information that is stored in the knowledge database and on a predicted value of a simulation measurement signal of the simulator in response to the control parameter when an estimated value of the calculation time required to optimize the control parameter exceeds a limit time that is set in advance.