Digital excitation control system utilizing swarm intelligence and an associated method of use

A system for self-tuning a PID controller for controlling an exciter and generator comprising:

• a power source;
• an exciter electrically connected to the power source;
• a generator;
• a first processor that provides a PID controller with a combination of a reference voltage, a system disturbance by increasing the voltage reference by a predetermined percentage over a predetermined time period and a calculated generator voltage;
• and
• a second processor that receives the system disturbance and the calculated generator voltage through a communications link and then compares a simulation of a disturbance using the system disturbance and measured disturbance from a voltage regulator and then performs an adjustment using particle swarm optimization which is then provided to the simulation of a disturbance and also utilized in calculating an estimated exciter time constant, an estimated generator time constant, and PID gains, which are then provided through the communications link to the first processor, wherein the second processor controls a self-tuning mode and obtains operating status, which includes at least one of the estimated exciter time constant, the estimated generator time constant and the PID gains;
• and
• wherein the calculating of the estimated exciter time constant and the estimated generator time constant comprises:
• performing a system disturbance by increasing a voltage reference by a predetermined percentage over a predetermined time period,
• initializing each particle position of the particle swarm optimization with an initial exciter time constant and generator time constant,
• calculating a generator voltage,
• performing a fitness evaluation, and
• obtaining and updating the best values;
• and repeating the calculating, fitness evaluation, and updating over a predetermined number of iterations;
• wherein the gain values calculated for the PID controller are based on the estimated exciter time constant and estimated generator time constant for control of the exciter field voltage;
• and
• and an electronic display that is electrically connected to the second processor for displaying at least one of the operating status, a diagnostic function, the estimated exciter time constant, the estimated generator time constant and the PID gains with real time monitoring.

A method for self-tuning a PID controller comprising:

• calculating an estimated exciter time constant and an estimated generator time constant with particle swarm optimization;
• and
• calculating gain values for the PID controller based on the estimated exciter time constant and estimated generator time constant;
• and
• providing the gain values to the PID controller for control of the exciter field voltage;
• wherein the calculating of the estimated exciter time constant and the estimated generator time constant comprises:
• performing a system disturbance by increasing a voltage reference by a predetermined percentage over a predetermined time period,
• initializing each particle position of the particle swarm optimization with an initial exciter time constant and generator time constant,
• calculating a generator voltage,
• performing a fitness evaluation, and
• obtaining and updating the best values;
• and
• repeating the calculating, fitness evaluation, and updating over a predetermined number of iterations.