Patent ID: 8924024

Claim:
A method for controlling removal of combustion deposits in a boiler using one or more sootblowers, the method comprising: providing a performance goal to a direct controller that is implemented using a deductive method, wherein said performance goal is a desired objective for at least one of a plurality of boiler performance parameters that characterize operating performance of the boiler; using the direct controller to determine values for said plurality of boiler performance parameters that characterize operating performance of the boiler at a current time; using the direct controller to compare (i) the values for said plurality of boiler performance parameters that characterize the operating performance of the boiler at the current time to (ii) values for said plurality of boiler performance parameters that characterize operating performance of the boiler to achieve the performance goal; determining a control move using the direct controller to minimize the difference between (i) the values for said plurality of boiler performance parameters that characterize operating performance of the boiler at the current time and (ii) the values for said plurality of boiler performance parameters that characterize operating performance of the boiler to achieve the performance goal, wherein the control move determined by the direct controller includes values for sootblower operating parameters for achieving the performance goal; and communicating the control move from the direct controller to the one or more sootblowers that direct a cleaning medium against surfaces of the boiler according to said values for the sootblower operating parameters for achieving the performance goal.