Process Control Group

Research team

Ioan Nascu, Silviu Folea, Tudor Buzdugan, Adrian Stan

Research fields

• Modern methods for design, development, implementation of digital control for technological processes

Adaptive and self-tuning control strategies have long been an attractive option to improve the performance of difficult control loops. Our research activities in this field combine adaptive control techniques and auto-tuning techniques implemented on digital boards with microcontrollers and the development of hierarchical control systems. This approach eases significantly the study and development of control strategies for real-life industrial processes. The research activities in this field aim to take into account the emerging problems that the real plants have to deal with (e.g. uncertainties and disturbances, constraints on control states and outputs, fault detection and diagnosis).

• Internet-based laboratory for distance learning in control

An internet based control engineering laboratory has been developed. The implemented system is generally applicable to a large category of real processes. Any plant that accepts PWM control signals as input and has analog output within the range of 0-5V can be used. Also noise/load control is possible, if accepted by the plant. The plant control is very reliable, providing safety mechanisms (turning of the plant between experiments) and restricting experiment parameters as indicated by the experiment’s administrator. Experiment results are made available for the user both as database and as a plot of relevant signals. The user interface works as an expert system assisting the student while performing experiments. Based on knowledge provided by the teacher it suggests experiment parameters and applies restrictions on dangerous experiment parameters. The user interface is user friendly and self explaining. The system works ”live on CD” simplifying the

work of the professor, as there is no need to install anything on the server’s hard-disk. At the student’s side only a standard browser is required.

Recent research projects

“Advanced control algorithms for the optimization of the biological process parameters in a waste water treatment plant”, research project PNCDI-MENER no. 23831/20.09.2004, (2004-2006).

”Workforce e-market for the north-western development region”, Phare Project (2006).

Publications

L. Tamas, I. Nascu, R. De Keyser, “The NEPSAC Nonlinear Predictive Controller in a Real Life Experiment”,th International Conference on Intelligent Engineering Systems INES 2007, June 29-July 1, 2007, Budapest, Hungary, pp. 229-234. Proceedings of 11

I. Nascu, R. De Keyser, S. Folea, “Development and Evaluation of a PID Auto-tuning Controller”, Proceedings of the IEEE-TTTC International Conference on Automation, Quality and Testing, Robotics, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, May 25-28, 2006, Tome I, pp. 122-127.

I. Nascu, R. De Keyser, C. Ionescu, “Introducing A Novel Auto-Tuner As An Educational Tool”, Preprints of the 7th IFAC Symposium on Advances in Control Education, Madrid, Spain, 21-23 June , 2006, paper 083.

T. Buzdugan, I. Nascu, R. De Keyser, “An Internet-Based Laboratory For Distance Learning”, Preprints of the 16th IFAC World Congress, Prague, Czech Republic, 4-8 July 2005, paper 02242

Research description

Internet-Based Laboratory for Distance Learning in Control Engineering

Introduction

Nowadays, in control engineering schools, the real life experiments are often replaced by computer simulations, this being a cheap alternative to providing laboratories with support for a large number of students. Moreover, distance learning in engineering fields, especially in control engineering is difficult, and the hands-on

experience of the student is obtained from simulations only. Therefore, control engineering laboratories able to support large numbers of students, distance learning and to provide real-plant experiments are needed.

Objectives

The purpose of this tool is to help teachers and students rediscover the laboratory experiments, with less resources and lower costs. Therefore, the main objective of this project is the design and implementation of a control engineering laboratory able to support large numbers of students, distance learning and to provide real-plant experiments. It is intended to be a general tool, able to work with a large category of real processes and to provide support for the most common and specific laboratory experiments in the field of control engineering.

Available Experiments

The project intends to provide a general set of built-in experiments, able to cover most of the needs of control engineering disciplines. The experiments have been grouped into the following categories:

- Systems Identification - providing Step Response, Stair-Case Response, Custom Signal Response experiments;

- Classic Controllers - PID Controller, PID Relay Auto-tuning, Poles-Zeros Allocation;

- Fuzzy Controller - a Mamdani based Quasi-PID Fuzzy Controller.

Our services

The research team is involved in several projects concerning modeling, identification and control of complex systems. The research projects are oriented to: a) advanced control strategies; b) adaptive - predictive control; c) auto-tuning and identification methods; d) implementation of complex control algorithms; e) development of prototype embedded systems; f) telemetry SCADA and supervising systems.