Intelligent Temperature and Vacuum Pressure Control System for a Thermionic Energy Converter

摘要

For a vacuum thermionic energy converter with a dispenser cathode, the cathode temperature affects the vacuum pressure level, especially in the cathode activation process. Adding an adaptive setting system of temporary reference temperature value due to pressure level to a typical digital PID controller ensures the control of the TEC cathode temperature while maintaining the required vacuum pressure level at any time. The results of the cathode temperature tests in the range from 340 K to 1273 K show that at any time the pressure value in a TEC vacuum chamber is kept within the specified range. This work describes dispenser cathode requirements, the adaptive algorithm, its software and hardware implementation and controller test results. The original intelligent controller is highly suitable for powering the dispenser cathode of the thermionic energy converter both during its activation and in standard operation.