In this paper, the full tracking problem in aircraft system identification and control is presented. Time domain output error method with maximum likelihood principle was used to perform system identification. The linear quadratic regulator (LQR)-based approach has been used for solving aviation full tracking problems in aviation. It has been shown that the generalized nonlinear LQR control is able to handle such problems even in case of inaccurate measurements and in the presence of moderate disturbances provided that the model of an aircraft is properly identified.

The diameter and configuration of tubes are important design parameters of power condensers. If a proper tube diameter is applied during the design of a power unit, a high energy efficiency of the condenser itself can be achieved and the performance of the whole power generation unit can be improved. If a tube assembly is to be replaced, one should verify whether the chosen condenser tube diameter is correct. Using a diameter that is too large increases the heat transfer area, leading to over-dimensioning and higher costs of building the condenser. On the other hand, if the diameter is too small, water flows faster through the tubes, which results in larger flow resistance and larger pumping power of the cooling-water pump. Both simple and complex methods can be applied to determine the condenser tube diameter. The paper proposes a method of technical and economic optimisation taking into account the performance of a condenser, the low-pressure (LP) part of a turbine, and a cooling-water pump as well as the profit from electric power generation and costs of building the condenser and pumping cooling water. The results obtained by this method were compared with those provided by the following simpler methods: minimization of the entropy generation rate per unit length of a condenser tube (considering entropy generation due to heat transfer and resistance of cooling-water flow), minimization of the total entropy generation rate (considering entropy generation for the system comprising the LP part of the turbine, the condenser, and the cooling-water pump), and maximization of the power unit’s output. The proposed methods were used to verify diameters of tubes in power condensers in a200-MW and a 500-MW power units.

The steam condenser is one of the most important element in whole power plant installation. Their proper design and operation makes a significant contribution to the efficiency of electricity production. The purpose of this article is to propose a two-dimensional mathematical model that allows modeling condenser work. In the model, the tube bundle is treated as a porous bed. The analysis has been subjected to a two passes power condenser with a capacity of 50 MW. The mathematical analysis was compared with the results of experimental studies. The average error between the model and the experiment for difference of cooling water temperatures was 5.15% and 11.60% for the first and second pass respectively. This allows to conclude that the proposed model is good enough to optimize future work of the condenser.

The aim of the study was to examine the efficiency of the thermal wave type adsorption refrigerating equipment working on a pair of activated carbon and methanol. Adsorption units can work in trigeneration systems and in applications driven by waste heat. They can be built also as a part of hybrid sorption-compressor systems, and they are very popular in solar refrigeration systems and energy storage units. The device examined in this study operates in a special mode called thermal wave. This mode allows to achieve higher efficiency rates than the normal mode of operation, as a significant contributor to transport heat from one to the other adsorber. To carry out the experiment a test bench was built, consisting of two cylindrical adsorbers filled with activated carbon, condenser, evaporator, oil heater and two oil coolers. Thermal oil circulation was responsible for providing and receiving heat from adsorbers. In order to perform the correct action a special control algorithm device was developed and implemented to keep the temperature in the evaporator at a preset level. The experimental results show the operating parameters changes in both adsorbers. Obtained COP (coefficient of performance) for the cycle was 0.13.

Adsorption refrigeration systems are able to work with heat sources of temperature starting with 50 °C. The aim of the article is to determine whether in terms of technical and economic issues adsorption refrigeration equipment can work as elements that produce cold using hot water from the district heating network. For this purpose, examined was the work of the adsorption air conditioning equipment cooperating with drycooler, and the opportunities offered by the district heating network in Warsaw during the summer. It turns out that the efficiency of the adsorption device from the economic perspective is not sufficient for production of cold even during the transitional period. The main problem is not the low temperature of the water supply, but the large difference between the coefficients of performance, COPs, of adsorption device and a traditional compressor air conditioning unit. When outside air temperature is 25 °C, the COP of the compressor type reaches a value of 4.49, whereas that of the adsorption device in the same conditions is 0.14. The ratio of the COPs is 32. At the same time ratio between the price of 1 kWh of electric power and 1 kWh of heat is only 2.85. Adsorption refrigeration equipment to be able to compete with compressor devices, should feature COP_ads efficiency to be greater than 1.52. At such a low driving temperature and even changing the drycooler into the evaporative cooler it is not currently possible to achieve.