Optimal IOFL-based economic model predictive control technique for boiler-turbine system.

The optimal control design of the boiler-turbine system is vital to ensure feasibility and high responsiveness over desired load variations. Using the traditional linear control techniques realization of this task is difficult, as the boiler-turbine mechanism has strong nonlinearities. Besides, environmental and economic concerns have replaced existing tracking control ones as the primary concerns of advanced power plants. Thus, this study proposes an optimal economic model predictive controller (EMPC) scheme for this unit on the basis of the input/output feedback linearization (IOFL) method. By employing the IOFL method, this unit is decoupled into a new linearized model that is utilized for developing the suggested optimal IOFL EMPC technique. The proposed control scheme is formulated in an economic quadratic programming form that considers the input-rate and input limits of the unit for optimal economic performance. In addition, an adaptive iterative algorithm is utilized for constraints mapping with guaranteeing a feasible solution in a finite number of steps without violation of original constraints over the entire predictive horizon. The outcomes of the simulation show that the suggested optimal IOFL EMPC scheme offers an improved dynamic and economic output performance over fuzzy hierarchical MPC, fuzzy EMPC, and nonlinear EMPC techniques during various load variations.

Event-Based Switching Iterative Learning Model Predictive Control for Batch Processes With Randomly Varying Trial Lengths.

Iterative learning model predictive control (ILMPC) has been recognized as an excellent batch process control strategy for progressively improving tracking performance along trials. However, as a typical learning-based control method, ILMPC generally requires the strict identity of trial lengths to implement 2-D receding horizon optimization. The randomly varying trial lengths extensively existing in practice can result in the insufficiency of learning prior information, and even the suspension of control update. Regarding this issue, this article embeds a novel prediction-based modification mechanism into ILMPC, to adjust the process data of each trial into the same length by compensating the data of absent running periods with the predictive sequences at the end point. Under this modification scheme, it is proved that the convergence of the classical ILMPC is guaranteed by an inequality condition relative with the probability distribution of trial lengths. Considering the practical batch process with complex nonlinearity, a 2-D neural-network predictive model with parameter adaptability along trials is established to generate highly matched compensation data for the prediction-based modification. To best utilize the real process information of multiple past trials while guaranteeing the learning priority of the latest trials, an event-based switching learning structure is proposed in ILMPC to determine different learning orders according to the probability event with respect to the trial length variation direction. The convergence of the nonlinear event-based switching ILMPC system is analyzed theoretically under two situations divided by the switching condition. The simulations on a numerical example and the injection molding process verify the superiority of the proposed control methods.

An Efficient Iterative Learning Predictive Functional Control for Nonlinear Batch Processes.

Iterative learning model-predictive control (ILMPC) is very popular in controlling the batch process since it possesses not only the learning ability along batches but also the strong time-domain tracking properties. However, for a fast batch process with strong nonlinear dynamics, the application of the ILMPC is challenging due to the difficulty in balancing the computational efficiency and tracking accuracy. In this article, an efficient iterative learning predictive functional control (ILPFC) is proposed. The original nonlinear system is linearized along the reference trajectory to derive a 2-D tracking-error predictive model. The linearization error is compensated by utilizing the Lipschitz condition so that the objective function can be formulated with the upper bound of the actual tracking error. For enhancing control efficiency, predictive functional control (PFC) is applied in the time domain, which reduces the dimension of the decision variable in order to effectively cut down the computational burden. The stability and convergence of this ILPFC with terminal constraint are analyzed theoretically. Simulations on an unmanned ground vehicle and a typical fast batch reactor verify the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm.

Iterative Learning Model Predictive Control Based on Iterative Data-Driven Modeling.

Iterative learning model predictive control (ILMPC) has been recognized as an effective approach to realize high-precision tracking for batch processes with repetitive nature because of its excellent learning ability and closed-loop stability property. However, as a model-based strategy, ILMPC suffers from the unavailability of accurate first principal model in many complex nonlinear batch systems. On account of the abundant process data, nonlinear dynamics of batch systems can be identified precisely along the trials by neural network (NN), making it enforceable to design a data-driven ILMPC. In this article, by using a control-affine feedforward neural network (CAFNN), the features in the process data of the former batch are extracted to form a nonlinear affine model for the controller design in the current batch. Based on the CAFNN model, the ILMPC is formulated in a tube framework to attenuate the influence of modeling errors and track the reference trajectory with sustained accuracy. Due to the control-affine structure, the gradients of the objective function can be analytically computed offline, so as to improve the online computational efficiency and optimization feasibility of the tube ILMPC. The robust stability and the convergence of the data-driven ILMPC system are analyzed theoretically. The simulation on a typical batch reactor verifies the effectiveness of the proposed control method.

Maximizing Network Resilience against Malicious Attacks.

The threat of a malicious attack is one of the major security problems in complex networks. Resilience is the system-level self-adjusting ability of a complex network to retain its basic functionality and recover rapidly from major disruptions. Despite numerous heuristic enhancement methods, there is a research gap in maximizing network resilience: current heuristic methods are designed to immunize vital nodes or modify a network to a specific onion-like structure and cannot maximize resilience theoretically via network structure. Here we map complex networks onto a physical elastic system to introduce indices of network resilience, and propose a unified theoretical framework and general approach, which can address the optimal problem of network resilience by slightly modifying network structures (i.e., by adding a set of structural edges). We demonstrate the high efficiency of this approach on three realistic networks as well as two artificial random networks. Case studies show that the proposed approach can maximize the resilience of complex networks while maintaining their topological functionality. This approach helps to unveil hitherto hidden functions of some inconspicuous components, which in turn, can be used to guide the design of resilient systems, offer an effective and efficient approach for mitigating malicious attacks, and furnish self-healing to reconstruct failed infrastructure systems.

Iterative tuning of modified uncertainty and disturbance estimator for time-delay processes: A data-driven approach.

Uncertainty and disturbance widely exist in the process industry, which may deteriorate control performance if not well handled. The uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE) emerges as a promising solution by treating the external disturbances and internal uncertainties simultaneously as a lumped term. To overcome its limitation caused by time delay, a modified UDE (MUDE) has been proposed recently. However, its parameter tuning relies heavily on trial-and-error, thus being time-consuming in balancing the robustness and performance. To this end, this paper aims to develop an automatic tuning procedure for the MUDE-based control system. The quantitative relationship between system performance and the scaled parameters is empirically built. Iterative Feedback Tuning (IFT) is utilized to approximate the nominal model towards actual process. Through the empirical formula and optimized model, an automatic design procedure is proposed after taking into account the system robustness and output performance simultaneously. Simulation results show the superiority of the closed-loop performance over the original MUDE controllers. The experimental results validate the feasibility of the method proposed in this paper, depicting a promising prospect in the practical application.

Hysteretic Noisy Chaotic Neural Networks for Resource Allocation in OFDMA System.

This paper addresses two-stage resource allocation in the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access system. In the subcarrier allocation stage, hysteretic noisy chaotic neural network (HNCNN) with a newly established energy function is proposed for subcarrier allocation to improve the optimization performance and reduce the computational complexity. Activation functions with both anticlockwise and clockwise hysteretic loops are applied to the HNCNN. A new energy function is established for an objective function, which can be calculated offline, resulting in a lower computational complexity in solving subcarrier allocation than the previous energy function. In the power allocation stage, the water-filling algorithm is employed to attain optimal power allocation. Simulation results show that the energy function established in this paper can decrease the runtimes of the neural networks, and that the HNCNN with both anticlockwise and clockwise hysteretic-loop activation functions can improve probabilities of feasible and optimal solutions at higher noises. The two-stage algorithm in this paper outperforms the previous algorithms in fairness, system throughput, and resource utilization.

Direct energy balance based active disturbance rejection control for coal-fired power plant.

The conventional direct energy balance (DEB) based PI control can fulfill the fundamental tracking requirements of the coal-fired power plant. However, it is challenging to deal with the cases when the coal quality variation is present. To this end, this paper introduces the active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) to the DEB structure, where the coal quality variation is deemed as a kind of unknown disturbance that can be estimated and mitigated promptly. Firstly, the nonlinearity of a recent power plant model is analyzed based on the gap metric, which provides guidance on how to set the pressure set-point in line with the power demand. Secondly, the approximate decoupling effect of the DEB structure is analyzed based on the relative gain analysis in frequency domain. Finally, the synthesis of the DEB based ADRC control system is carried out based on multi-objective optimization. The optimized ADRC results show that the integrated absolute error (IAE) indices of the tracking performances in both loops can be simultaneously improved, in comparison with the DEB based PI control and H∞ control system. The regulation performance in the presence of the coal quality variation is significantly improved under the ADRC control scheme. Moreover, the robustness of the proposed strategy is shown comparable with the H∞ control.

A Combination of Egg Yolk IgY and Phosvitin Inhibits the Growth of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 and K99.

BACKGROUND: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the main cause of fatal diarrhea in piglets during the first week of life and over the time of weaning. Pathogenesis of ETEC-causing diarrhea involves intestinal colonization mediated by fimbriae. Although, both IgY and egg yolk phosvitin (PV) possess antimicrobial activity, their combined activity has not been explored. A combination of IgY specific for ETEC and metal-chelating PV may show synergistic effect in reducing the growth of ETEC by inhibiting bacterial proliferation and stipulating protection against ETEC infection. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine the effects of anti-ETEC IgY and PV on in vitro growth inhibition of ETEC strains possessing K88 and K99 fimbriae prevalent in the porcine population. METHODS: Anti-K88 and -K99 IgY antibodies were obtained from egg yolks of 23-week-old Single- Comb White Leghorn hens immunized with K88 and K99 fimbriae of ETEC, respectively, with high titres sustained over 6 to 8 weeks of the immunization period. Specific IgY, PV, and PV-hydrolysate from alcalase-hydrolysis under high hydrostatic pressure (PVH-Alc-HHP) alone or in combination, were used to treat ETEC K88 and K99 cultures at optimal concentrations of 100 µg/mL, 1 mg/mL, and 1 mg/mL, respectively, for 24 h. RESULTS: PVH-Alc-HHP demonstrated the highest degree of hydrolysis, 38.9%. Combined use of IgY and PVH-Alc-HHP showed the highest bactericidal effect resulting in ETEC K88 and K99 growth inhibition of 2.8 and 2.67 log CFU/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: Combined IgY-PVH effectively control ETEC, therefore holds a great potential for microbial control in veterinary pharmaceutical industry.

Hierarchical Decomposition for Betweenness Centrality Measure of Complex Networks.

Betweenness centrality is an indicator of a node's centrality in a network. It is equal to the number of shortest paths from all vertices to all others that pass through that node. Most of real-world large networks display a hierarchical community structure, and their betweenness computation possesses rather high complexity. Here we propose a new hierarchical decomposition approach to speed up the betweenness computation of complex networks. The advantage of this new method is its effective utilization of the local structural information from the hierarchical community. The presented method can significantly speed up the betweenness calculation. This improvement is much more evident in those networks with numerous homogeneous communities. Furthermore, the proposed method features a parallel structure, which is very suitable for parallel computation. Moreover, only a small amount of additional computation is required by our method, when small changes in the network structure are restricted to some local communities. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated via the examples of two real-world power grids and one artificial network, which demonstrates that the performance of the proposed method is superior to that of the traditional method.

Optimal disturbance rejection for PI controller with constraints on relative delay margin.

Performance optimization with robustness constraints is frequently encountered in process control. Motivated by the analytical difficulties in dealing with the conventional robustness index, e.g., maximum sensitivity, we introduce the relative delay margin as a good alternative, which gives much simpler robust analysis. This point is illustrated by designing an optimal PI controller for the first-order-plus-dead-time (FOPDT) model. It is first shown that the PI controller parameters can be analytically derived in terms of a new pair of parameters, i.e., the phase margin and gain crossover frequency. The stability region of PI controller is subsequently obtained with a much simpler procedure than the existing approaches. It is further shown that a certain relative delay margin can represent the robustness level well and the contour can be sketched with a simpler procedure than the one using maximum sensitivity index. With constraints on the relative delay margin, an optimal disturbance rejection problem is then formulated and analytically solved. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed methodology is better than that of other PI tuning rules. In this paper, the relative delay margin is shown as a promising robustness measure to the analysis and design of other advanced controllers.

Fuzzy modeling and predictive control of superheater steam temperature for power plant.

This paper develops a stable fuzzy model predictive controller (SFMPC) to solve the superheater steam temperature (SST) control problem in a power plant. First, a data-driven Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy model is developed to approximate the behavior of the SST control system using the subspace identification (SID) method. Then, an SFMPC for output regulation is designed based on the TS-fuzzy model to regulate the SST while guaranteeing the input-to-state stability under the input constraints. The effect of modeling mismatches and unknown plant behavior variations are overcome by the use of a disturbance term and steady-state target calculator (SSTC). Simulation results for a 600 MW power plant show that an offset-free tracking of SST can be achieved over a wide range of load variation.

Data-driven modeling and predictive control for boiler-turbine unit using fuzzy clustering and subspace methods.

This paper develops a novel data-driven fuzzy modeling strategy and predictive controller for boiler-turbine unit using fuzzy clustering and subspace identification (SID) methods. To deal with the nonlinear behavior of boiler-turbine unit, fuzzy clustering is used to provide an appropriate division of the operation region and develop the structure of the fuzzy model. Then by combining the input data with the corresponding fuzzy membership functions, the SID method is extended to extract the local state-space model parameters. Owing to the advantages of the both methods, the resulting fuzzy model can represent the boiler-turbine unit very closely, and a fuzzy model predictive controller is designed based on this model. As an alternative approach, a direct data-driven fuzzy predictive control is also developed following the same clustering and subspace methods, where intermediate subspace matrices developed during the identification procedure are utilized directly as the predictor. Simulation results show the advantages and effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Power quality control of an autonomous wind-diesel power system based on hybrid intelligent controller.

Wind power generation is gaining popularity as the power industry in the world is moving toward more liberalized trade of energy along with public concerns of more environmentally friendly mode of electricity generation. The weakness of wind power generation is its dependence on nature-the power output varies in quite a wide range due to the change of wind speed, which is difficult to model and predict. The excess fluctuation of power output and voltages can influence negatively the quality of electricity in the distribution system connected to the wind power generation plant. In this paper, the authors propose an intelligent adaptive system to control the output of a wind power generation plant to maintain the quality of electricity in the distribution system. The target wind generator is a cost-effective induction generator, while the plant is equipped with a small capacity energy storage based on conventional batteries, heater load for co-generation and braking, and a voltage smoothing device such as a static Var compensator (SVC). Fuzzy logic controller provides a flexible controller covering a wide range of energy/voltage compensation. A neural network inverse model is designed to provide compensating control amount for a system. The system can be optimized to cope with the fluctuating market-based electricity price conditions to lower the cost of electricity consumption or to maximize the power sales opportunities from the wind generation plant.