Autonomous Satellite Rendezvous and Proximity Operations with Time-Constrained Sub-Optimal Model Predictive Control

The model predictive control (MPC) of voltage source pulse width modulation (PWM) rectififier is extremely dependent on system model in control process. System model mismatch will make the prediction results deviate from the actual value, seriously affect the system control results, even caused the system to be unstable. In addition, MPC is a control method based on state space model and predictive state of controlled system. In each control cycle, it performs an ergodic optimization to solve the online optimization, and thus determines optimal driving signal of the switching device. However, to obtain the optimal control variables online usually leads to a high amount of computation, which is one of the difficulties in the implementation of MPC on PWM rectifier. To solve these problems, neural network is used to approximate the unknown functions in system model. A finite set model predictive path integral control (FCS-MPPIC) based on neural network is proposed to effectively decrease computational complexity of control algorithm under premise of ensuring the distortion rate of the grid side current. At the same time, dynamic response speed of the system is improved. Finally, the availability of this method is verified through the simulation results.

Model predictive control (MPC) as a nonlinear control method, is being studied for a wide variety of power electronics applications targeting various power ranges. The fast dynamic response, robustness under different load conditions, multi-objective control, and simplicity of implementation are the main features of MPC. However, the implementation of finite control set MPC (FCS-MPC) or direct MPC in its basic form for multilevel converters (MLCs) demonstrates the inability to generate the staircase multilevel output voltage waveform in a voltage sourced inverter (VSI) application. Adding a reference evaluation block to the basic FCS-MPC method can significantly improve its multilevel voltage generation capability. In this paper, an enhanced model predictive nearest level control (EMP-NLC) is proposed and implemented on a 5-Level flying capacitor multilevel converter (FCMC). The proposed method is simulated under different load conditions, while a comparison against existing MPC techniques is also presented. Experimental results verified the efficacy of the proposed controller.

This paper describes a model predictive control (MPC) strategy to optimize the operation of a building HVAC system with phase change material-based energy storage integrated in supply air ducts. The control problem is nonlinear due to the piece-wise linearity of the PCM dynamics and dependence of the convective heat transfer coefficient on variable airflow. To eliminate the nonlinearity, a set of discrete airflow rates are used and the airflow mode switches are optimally scheduled through a MPC implementation. A mixed-integer linear program (MILP) is formulated for the MPC problem by using the classic big M method and is solved with mature MILP solvers. The developed MPC method was tested and compared to a baseline control strategy via simulation tests. The results showed that the developed strategy could lower the demand and energy charges by 30% and 8.1%, respectively.

This paper shows how explicit model predictive control (MPC) strategies can be implemented in Python. They use a pre-calculated map between state measurements and control inputs to simplify and accelerate the calculation of optimal control inputs. By shifting majority of the computational effort off-line, the concept of explicit MPC offers a significantly faster and cheaper implementation of model predictive control. We show how explicit MPC feedbacks are designed and exported to a self-contained Python code that can be easily merged with existing applications. Two examples are provided to illustrate the procedure. One considers the design of an artificial player for a videogame. The second one tackles the problem of quadrocopter control.

The applicability of linear model predictive control to the 2-butene metathesis process is studied. Similarly to industrial practice, the model predictive controller is configured on a supervisory level, providing set points to basic process controllers. The development of the process model is based on open-loop identification from input–output data extracted from dynamic simulation performed in Aspen Plus Dynamics. The model predictive controller, designed using MATLAB tools, supervises a system consisting of two inputs (feed rate and reaction temperature) and two outputs (ethylene and propylene production rates). The performance of the model-based control strategy is assessed by Aspen Plus Dynamics-Simulink co-simulation and compared to regulatory control through several indexes (mean square error, integral square error, peak error, and integral absolute error). The model predictive controller outperforms the feedback controller. Considerations regarding the workflow for the implementation of model predictive control in an industrial environment are provided.

Model predictive control (MPC) has emerged as a promising approach to control a modular multilevel converter (MMC). With the help of a cost function, the control objectives of an MMC are achieved easily by using an MPC approach. However, the MPC has several technical challenges and issues including the need of accurate system models, computational complexity, and variable switching frequency operation and weighting factor selection, when it comes to the control of an MMC. In the past few years, several research studies are conducted to address some of the challenges and issues in an MPC and developed several model predictive algorithms for an MMC. In this paper, the importance of each challenge and its impact on the system performance is discussed. Also, the MMC mathematical models used in the implementation of MPC are presented. Furthermore, some of the popular MPC algorithms are discussed briefly, and their features and performance are highlighted through case studies. Finally, summary and future trends of MPC for an MMC are presented.

Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a proven control concept with many applications in the process industry. Popularity of the framework is mainly due to its ability to optimize behavior of the process while respecting physical and economical constraints. The major challenge of implementing MPC in real time on low-cost hardware is the inherent computational complexity. To address this goal, it is proposed to solve a given MPC problem using parametric programming, which encodes the optimal control moves as a lookup table. A great advantage being that such tables can then be processed even with low computational resources and therefore allow MPC to be deployed to low cost control devices. In the paper we present a unique software tool which allows MPC problems to be designed with low human effort, and is capable to automatically generate real-time executable code for various target platforms.

Model predictive control (MPC) presents important advantages in the control of the power converter and drives such as, fast dynamic response and capability to include nonlinear constrains. These have positioned MPC as a powerful and realistic control strategy, however, it also has disadvantages such as variable switching frequency and parameter sensitivity. This paper applied a modulated model predictive speed control that guarantees a fix switching frequency and, thanks to disturbance compensation, robustness to parameters variation. The strategy is validated and compared to finite set model predictive speed control through simulation results.

A successful implementation of Model Predictive Control (MPC) requires appropriately tuned parameters. This paper presents a novel tuning approach based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN). To build the data learning base of the ANN, we adopted the Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) method, and we used the reliable algorithm, Online Sequential Extreme-Learning-Machine (OS-ELM) to learn the ANN. The objective of this work is to show that good tuning of MPC parameters makes it possible to reach closed-loop stability and ensure robustness against disturbances and sensor noises, without using robustification approaches in addition to MPC. The effectiveness of our approach is brought to light by comparing the obtained performances to other MPC tuning approaches without disturbances, and also to a robustified Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) using Youla parametrisation in the presence of disturbances.

In this paper, a Model Predictive Controller (MPC) is proposed to control the nonlinear vibrations of a horizontally supported Jeffcott-rotor system (JRS). MPC systems obtain the control values for the plant by solving an online optimization problem formulated using plant mathematical model and real-time measurements [7]. In the mathematical model of the Jeffcott rotor system, a nonlinear restoring force is considered. The MPC is integrated into the system via two pairs of electromagnetic poles in an active magnetic bearing (AMB). The non-linearity due to electromagnetic coupling is considered in the system model. A block diagram representing the system dynamics is constructed and MPC implementation is done in SIMULINK using MPC design toolbox. Time response and phase plane plots of both the uncontrolled and controlled systems are obtained by numerically integrating the governing differential equations using an in-built ‘ode’ solver in the software package ‘MATLAB’. The comparison of these plots shows significant reduction in steady state vibration amplitude of the controlled system.KeywordsJeffcott rotorModel predictive controlActive magnetic bearing

— The objective of this paper is to investigate the Model Predictive Control (MPC) strategy, analyze and compare the control effects with Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control strategy in maintaining a level of spherical tank system using VFD. An advanced control method, MPC has been widely used and well received in a wide variety of applications in process control, it utilizes an explicit process model to predict the future response of a process and solve an optimal control problem with a finite horizon at each sampling instant. In this paper, an algorithm is developed for controlling the speed of the pump using VFD to maintain the level of the spherical tank system. Next, the system is modeled and linearized for analysis and design. Model is implemented in a simulation environment based on LabVIEW. Both MPC and PID control methods are tried to design the controller for the water level system in a spherical tank and compared the results in terms of peak time, settling time, overshoot, and steady-state error under various operational conditions including time delays. The results showed the advantage of MPC for dealing with the system dynamic over PID and could be designed for more complex and fast system dynamics even in presence of constraints and Reduction of power consumption by the pump due to usage of VFD for controlling level by varying the speed of the pump based on the level of the tank. Keywords: Non Linear - Spherical Tank System – Level Control – Variable Frequency Drive – PID Controller – MPC Controller – Modeling - LabVIEW. Cite this Article R. Dhanasekar, S. Vijayachitra, M. Pravin Savaridass. Controlling of Level Process in Nonlinear System Using Variable Frequency Drive. Current Trends in Information Technology. 2019; 9(1): 24–33p.

Model-based network-wide optimizations in real-time emergency control of power systems are largely bottlenecked by the fast computational requirements. Furthermore, the operational aspects of modern power and energy systems are going through transformative changes to tackle global renewable energy expansion-related issues. Decentralized operations in power systems are becoming essential with the influx of distributed energy resources (DERs), dynamic loads, and electric vehicles (EVs). This research considers a well-known model-based strategy, Model Predictive Control (MPC), for real-time operation and controls of power systems and proposes novel methods utilizing machine learning, data-driven methods, and operator theory to solve computational challenges by making those real-time for the first time. Additionally, we develop a distributed MPC framework to address the recent needs of power systems' operation and control. In Part I, we first present a machine learning (ML)-accelerated MPC implementation in emergency voltage control problems. This method computes an optimal control strategy for the nominal system model offline and performs successive online control corrections at each control instant to adapt the offline computed controls for real-time scenarios. In the online phase, the required voltage trajectory prediction and its sensitivity computation to control inputs are achieved by machine learning-based approaches, thereby accelerating the overall control computation multiple times. Next, we present an alternative data-learned linear Koopman embedding approach for model predictive emergency voltage control in a power grid. This approach involves a "basis-dictionary free" method to lift the nonlinear power system dynamics to a higher dimensional linear space where MPC is exercised in a real-time fashion. We propose a novel data-driven encoder-decoder architecture, Koopman-inspired deep neural network (KDNN), which supports end-to-end learning from trajectory data. The MPC optimization in linear space makes the problem scalable and rapid for real-time implementations. Part II of this research focuses on distributed MPC design for quasi-static power flow-based voltage control problems under short-term (15-minute) variations of load and generation profiles. To realize the proposed distributed control, first, a centralized voltage control problem assuming grid observability is formulated and next transferred to the distributed versions based on both bus-wise and area-wise decomposition of the network. Distributed versions are solved via the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM), utilizing only neighbor-to-neighbor communications to attain optimal solutions. The implementation, efficacy, performance, and robustness of proposed research approaches are validated with IEEE test system benchmarks.

The constraints of output variables, input variables and intermediate variables exist widely in chemical process control. The inconsistency in different constraints may make constrained model predictive controller have no feasible solutions, which will bring harmful effect to practical production. To ensure the implementation of model predictive control, using its global optimization performance and constraint handling mechanism, a new particle-swarm optimization algorithm with the function of constraint handling, was proposed in this article. Taking into account the form of constraints and the constraints characteristics of MIMO (multi-input multi-output) predictive control system, this thesis, based on convex polyhedron geometry, discuss the feasibility of constrained model predictive control. Combined with duality theorem, the output constraints of system are transformed into constraints of input. After that, the constraints form which meets the requirements of control algorithm is obtained. Finally, particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to conduct the optimization of predictive control system. The simulation results of MIMO model with constraints showed the advantages and effectiveness of this algorithm.

This work investigates the event‐driven model predictive control problem for perturbed nonlinear systems with input and state constraints. Firstly, a new event‐driven triggering condition, considering the gradient and accumulation of the error between the optimal and actual states at adjacent moments with a state‐dependent relative threshold is designed with a guaranteed positive inter‐event time to avoid Zeno behaviour. Secondly, an error gradient and accumulation type event‐driven model predictive control framework is designed based on the new triggering condition and the dual‐mode strategy, for effectively reducing the calculation and communication burden of the model predictive control controller while ensuring desired control performance. Furthermore, the feasibility and the input‐to‐state practical stability (ISpS) of gradient and accumulation‐type event‐driven model predictive control are rigorously guaranteed theoretically. At last, the simulation results are provided to validate the this algorithm.

Over the last decade, anesthesia research community witnessed numerous advances in controllers and their implementation platforms to control the depth of anesthesia (DoA) in a patient undergoing surgery. Today's operating theaters are extremely complex and crowded. New surgical techniques bring new medical technologies and more devices in the operation rooms, which often results in complex configurations, computer based control, and cable clutter. In an effort to reduce hardware size and to the improve quality control of anesthesia, we present a field programmable gate array (FPGA) based explicit model predictive control (EMPC) scheme which can take into account the control and state constraints that naturally arise in anesthesia. Real-time implementation of model predictive control (MPC), mainly requires solving an optimization problem at regular time intervals. We propose an FPGA-based EMPC-on-a-chip algorithm with customized 32-bit floating-point addition, substation, and multiplication algorithms. Simulation results with four compartmental PK-PD model, input constraints and a variable bispectral index (BIS) set-point are presented. The real-time simulation results are achieved with Xilinx's Vertex 4 XC4VLX25-10FF668 FPGA.