Use of Dynamic Time Warping for Description of Combustion Process in a Biomass Boiler

Abstract The efficient biomass energy use is a key prerequisite for the implementation of renewable energy development strategies on a regional level. For the highly efficient energy use in the combustion process, it is necessary to properly regulate the process based on its precise description. The paper aim is to evaluate whether dynamic time warping (DTW) methods can be used for this description, as well as for the recognition of the specific operating state of a biomass boiler. For the DTW analysis, operating records of more than 10 hours of a laboratory biomass boiler (P = 25 kW) were used, including an emission analysis, for which the operating modes were intentionally alternated in order to identify the stable and transient states of boiler operation. Based on the results, it can be stated that the identical partial operating sections of the controlled variables can be reliably identified in the operating variables of boiler by means of the DTW method, since its manifestations of operating regulation showed compliance with the given operating state, and it is possible to identify a partial quantity for estimating the total operating boiler state.