Robust fault-tolerant flight path angle control

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to design a nonlinear dynamic inversion (NDI) based robust fault-tolerant control (FTC) for aircraft longitudinal dynamics subject to system nonlinearities, aerodynamic parametric variations, external wind disturbances and fault/failure in actuator. Design/methodology/approach An uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE) technique is used to provide estimate of total disturbance enabling its rejection and thereby achieving robustness to the proposed NDI controller. As needed in the NDI design, the successive derivatives of the output are obtained through an UDE robustified observer making the design implementable. Further, a control allocation scheme consigns control command from primary actuator to the secondary one in the event of fault/failure in the primary actuator. Findings The robustness is achieved against the perturbations mentioned above in the presence of actuator fault/failure. Practical implications Lyapunov analysis proves practical stability of the controller–observer structure. The efficacy and superiority of the proposed design has been demonstrated through Monte-Carlo simulation. Originality/value Unlike in many FTC designs, robustness is provided against system nonlinearities, aerodynamic parametric variations, external wind disturbances and sinusoidal input disturbance using a single control law which caters for fault-free, as well as faulty actuator scenario.

Measurement of sound absorption coefficient in a reverberant room using probability density function of damping constant

The measurement method of the sound absorption coefficient in a reverberation room is standardized in ISO 354. However, the measurement accuracy often deteriorates at low frequencies. This paper proposes a method that improves the measurement accuracy of the sound absorption coefficient at low frequencies. It calculates the sound absorption coefficient using reverberation time (RT) that is derived from the distribution of a damping constant for a sinusoidal input. The measured values by the proposed method were compared with those by the ISO 354 method. As a result, the proposed method reduces the spatial variability of RT and gives a better agreement with the statistical absorption coefficient that is calculated by a transfer matrix model at low frequencies.

Robotic arm joint position control using iterative learning and mixed sensitivity H∞ robust controller

This paper proposes an improved control strategy of a robotic arm joint using hybrid controller consist of H∞ robust controller and iterative learning controller. The main advantage of this controller is the simple structure that made it possible to be implemented on a small embedded system for frugal innovation in industrial robotic arm development. Although it has a simple structure, it is a robust H∞ controller that has robust stability and robust performance. The iterative learning controller makes the trajectory tracking even better. To test the effectiveness of the proposed method, computer simulations using Matlab and hardware experiments were conducted. Variation of load was applied to both of the processes to present the uncertainties. The superiority of the proposed controller over the proportional integral derivative (PID) controller that usually being used in a low-cost robotic arm development is confirmed that it has better trajectory tracking. The error tracking along the slope of sinusoidal trajectory input was suppressed to zero. The biggest error along the trajectory that happened on every peak of the sinusoidal input, or when the direction is changed has been improved from 15 degrees to 4 degrees. This can be conceived that the proposed controller can be applied to control a low-cost robotic arm joint position which is applicable for small industries or educational purpose.

Numerical Quantification of Controllability in the Null Space for Redundant Manipulators

Redundant motion, which is possible when robotic manipulators are over-actuated, can be used to control robot arms for a wide range of tasks. One of the best known methods for controlling redundancy is the null space projection, which assigns a priority while executing desired tasks. However, when the manipulator is projected into null space, its motion would be limited, since the motion is only permitted in the direction that does not interfere with the primary task. In this study, we have analyzed the null space projector matrix to derive the appropriate direction of the redundant motion by quantifying the allowed motion in each direction. As a result, we have found an ellipsoidal boundary, in which the redundant motion is permitted to move. We have named this ellipsoidal boundary as ’null space quality’ in directions. The proposed null space quality shows similar aspects with that of the robot manipulability, but it reveals a decisively different value when the manipulator operates within the null space. The experimental results showed that the robotic manipulator tracked the sinusoidal input trajectory with reduced root mean square (RMS) error by 33.84%. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the obstacle avoidance of a robotic arm utilizing the null space projector while considering the null space quality.

Hybrid Three-Phase Rectifiers with Active Power Factor Correction: A Systematic Review

The hybrid three-phase rectifiers (HTR) consist of parallel associations of two rectifiers (rectifier 1 and rectifier 2), each one of them with a distinct operation, while the sum of their input currents forms a sinusoidal or multilevel waveform. In general, rectifier 1 is a GRAETZ (full bridge) (can be combined with a BOOST converter) and rectifier 2 is combined with a DC-DC converter. In this HTR contest, this paper is intended to answer some important questions about those hybrid rectifiers. To obtain the correct answers, the study is conducted as an analysis of a systematic literature review. Thus, a search was carried out in the databases, mostly IEEE and IET, and 34 papers were selected as the best corresponding to the HTR theme. It is observed that the preferred form of power distribution in unidirectional hybrid three-phase rectifiers (UHTR) is 55%Po (rectifier 1) and 45%Po (rectifier 2). For the bidirectional hybrid three-phase rectifiers (BHTR), rectifier 1 preferably takes 90% of Po and 10% of Po is processed by rectifier 2. It is also observed that the UHTR that employ the single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC) or VIENNA converter topologies in rectifier 2 can present sinusoidal input currents with low total harmonic distortion (THD) and high Power Factor (PF), even successfully complying with the international standards. The same can be said about the rectifier that employs a pulse-width (PWM) converter of BOOST topology in rectifier 2. In short, the HTR are interesting because they allow using the GRAETZ full bridge topology in rectifier 1, thus taking advantage of its characteristics, being simple, robust, and reliable. At the same time, the advantages of rectifier 2, i.e., high PF and low THD, are well used. In addition, this article also points out the future direction of research that is still unexplored in the literature, thus giving opportunities for future innovation.

Measuring the Pollutants in a System of Three Interconnecting Lakes by the Semianalytical Method

Pollution has become an intense danger to our environment. The lake pollution model is formulated into the three-dimensional system of differential equations with three instances of input. In the present study, the new iterative method (NIM) was applied to the lake pollution model with three cases called impulse input, step input, and sinusoidal input for a longer time span. The main feature of the NIM is that the procedure is very simple, and it does not need to calculate any special type of polynomial or multipliers such as Adomian polynomials and Lagrange’s multipliers. Comparisons with the Adomian decomposition method (ADM) and the well-known purely numerical fourth-order Runge-Kutta method (RK4) suggest that the NIM is a powerful alternative for differential equations providing more realistic series solutions that converge very rapidly in real physical problems.

Harmonics Analysis of Input Current of 3-Phase PWM Rectifier

Rectifier is a non-linier load that causes harmonic distortion in the power system. Pulse-width modulation (PWM) method is an effective method in pressing the magnitude of harmonics in a rectifier application, it provides an almost sinusoidal input current. However, the variation of loads that supplied by a rectifier cause the harmonics that arise can still beyond the applicable standard. The amount of harmonics in the operating range of a rectifier need to be identified to determine the filter on the input side. In this research article, 3-phase PWM rectifier was designed with hysteresis current control technique using PSCAD software simulation. Harmonic compensation was carried out by applying an active filter based on P-Q theory to reduce the harmonic distortion that occurs in the input current, thus giving a low total harmonic distortion (THD) value. Based on the simulation, 3-phase PWM rectifier operation starting at a power level of 150 kW, giving a THD value above 5-10% by the increasing the amount of load supplied by the rectifier. The application of active filter based on the P-Q theory is able to compensate harmonics in the input current wave with a THD value below 5% in the rectifier operating range.