FOPID based Feed-Forward Temperature Control of a 100°C Thermal Reservoir

This study explores the effectiveness of a Fractional-Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative (FOPID) controller combined with feed-forward control (FFC) for temperature regulation in thermal reservoirs, focusing on systems subject to dynamic disturbances. The thermal reservoir is modeled using a first-order transfer function, and the effects of external disturbances on temperature stability are examined. The FOPID controller presents fractional-order dynamics, enhancing system tuning and performance. Simulations demonstrate the use a fractional integral order of 0.8 resulted in a settling time of 21 seconds, a 40% improvement over traditional PID controllers, which settled in 35 seconds. Furthermore, the overshoot has been minimized to 5%, and temperature deviations maintained at $\pm 2^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ of the setpoint during disturbances. The integration of FFC allows to emit disturbances, significantly improving system responsiveness. This research highlights the advantages of FOPID and FFC in achieving precise and efficient temperature control as a valuable approach for enhancing thermal management systems.