Power converters are electronic circuits for conversion, control and regulation of electric power for various applications, such as from tablet computers in milliwatts to electric power systems at megawatts range. There are three basic types of power converters: buck (output voltage less than the input voltage), boost (output voltage higher than the input voltage) and buck-boost converters. The reliability of the power converters has become an essential focus of industrial applications. This research presents modeling and control of DC/DC boost converter using several control methods, such as Proportional-Integral (PI), Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) control, and nonlinear control concepts. Based on standard circuit laws, a mathematical model of the boost converter is derived which is expressed as a bilinear system. First a small signal model of the converter is derived to analyze the small deviations around the steady-state operating point which is used to develop closed loop control using the PI and the LQR methods. Simulation results show that the performance of the converter is good for operation around the operating state, however is unacceptable if there are large variations in the load or the reference input. To improve the performance of the closed loop system, the nonlinear control concept is used which shows excellent closed loop performance under large variations of load or setpoint. Comparative simulation results are presented for closed loop performance under various types of disturbances including random variations in load. / Electrical and Computer Engineering

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<p> Within recent years, there has been a renewed interest in developing data-driven learning based algorithms for solving longstanding challenging control problems. This interest is primarily motivated by the availability of ubiquitous data and an increase in computational resources of modern machines.  However, there is a prevailing concern on the lack of provable performance guarantees on data-driven/model-free learning based control algorithms. This dissertation focuses the following key aspects: i) with what facility can state-of-the-art learning-based control methods eke out successful performance for challenging flight control applications such as aerobatic maneuvering?; and ii) can we leverage well-established tools and techniques in control theory to provide some provable guarantees for different types of learning-based algorithms?  </p> <p>To these ends, a deep RL-based controller is implemented, via high-fidelity simulations, for Fixed-Wing aerobatic maneuvering. which shows the facility with which learning-control methods can eke out successful performances and further encourages the development of learning-based control algorithms with an eye towards providing provable guarantees.<br> </p> <p>Two learning-based algorithms are also developed: i) a model-free algorithm which learns a stabilizing optimal control policy for the bilinear biquadratic regulator (BBR) which solves the regulator problem with a biquadratic performance index given an unknown bilinear system; and ii) a model-free inverse reinforcement learning algorithm, called the Model-Free Stochastic inverse LQR (iLQR) algorithm, which solves a well-posed semidefinite programming optimization problem to obtain unique solutions on the linear control gain and the parameters of the quadratic performance index given zero-mean noisy optimal trajectories generated by a linear time-invariant dynamical system. Theoretical analysis and numerical results are provided to validate the effectiveness of all proposed algorithms.</p>

This thesis considers the development of a Hammerstein-bilinear approach to non-linear systems modelling, analysis and control systems design, which builds on and extends the applicability of an existing bilinear approach. The underlying idea of the Hammerstein-bilinear approach is to use the Hammerstein-bilinear system models to capture various physical phenomena of interest and subsequently use these for model based control system designs with the premise being that of achieving enhanced control performance. The advantage of the Hammerstein-bilinear approach is that the well-structured system models allow techniques that have been originally developed for linear systems to be extended and applied, while retaining moderate complexity of the corresponding system identification schemes and nonlinear model based control designs. In recognition of the need to be able to identify the Hammerstein-bilinear models a unified suite of algorithms, being the extensions to the simplified refined instrumental variable method for parameter estimation of linear transfer function models is proposed. These algorithms are able to operate in both the continuous-time and discrete-time domains to reflect the requirements of the intended purposes of the identified models with the emphasis being placed on straightforward applicability of the developed algorithms and recognising the need to be able to operate under realistic practical system identification scenarios. Moreover, the proposed algorithms are also applicable to parameter estimation of Hammerstein and bilinear models, which are special cases of the wider Hammerstein-bilinear model class. The Hammerstein-bilinear approach has been applied to an industrial heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which has also been the underlying application addressed in this thesis. A unique set of dynamic control design purpose oriented air temperature and humidity Hammerstein-bilinear models of an environmentally controlled clear room manufacturing zone has been identified. The greater insights afforded by the knowledge of the system nonlinearities then allow for enhanced control tuning of the associated commercial HVAC control system leading to an improved overall control performance.