Signal Calibration, Estimation for Real-Time Monitoring and Control

This chapter presents a calibration and estimation filter for redundancy management of sensor data and analytical measurements. It also presents formulation and validation of an adaptive filter for real-time calibration of redundant signals consisting of sensor data and/or analytically derived measurements. Performance, reliability, and safety of complex dynamical processes such as aircraft and power plants depend upon validity and accuracy of sensor signals that measure plant conditions for information display, health monitoring, and control. Redundant sensors are often installed to generate spatially averaged time-dependent estimates of critical variables so that reliable monitoring and control of the plant are assured. The filter is validated based on redundant sensor data of throttle steam temperature collected from an operating power plant. The filter simultaneously calibrates the sensors to generate a time-dependent estimate of the throttle steam temperature that is spatially averaged over the main steam header.