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This thesis describes a navigational strategy for automatically guided vehicles and a behavioural control implementation using a modified zero order Sugeno fuzzy inference engine. Animals are examined as a model of intelligent behaviour and behavioural control implementations discussed and compared. The features and the requirements of a behavioural control implementation are identified and modifications to Sugeno inferencing are then described which allow these to be met. A successful implementation is then presented. The navigation task is examined, as are various methods of representing space. Special structural features of constrained spaces are identified. A route based navigation system exploiting diese features is then developed. The strategy combines the representation of space with the task description into an easily communicated message. This navigational strategy is then successfully integrated with the behavioural control implementation presented earlier. The influence of spatial structure on the complexity of the navigation task is investigated with a view to the categorisation of space. A definition of maze-spaces is developed from this. Conclusions are then drawn on the themes of the work, and suggestions made for further investigations.

The objective of this thesis is to present the algorithm of achieving speed and lift force controls of transverse flux linear switched-reluctance machine (LSRM) simultaneously. A high-speed digital signal processor based (DSP-based) switching controller will be implemented, and the desired speed control objective is realized by using a fuzzy control scheme. On the other hand, by using an indirect field-oriented control scheme, the LSRM reluctance forces, which are magnetically decoupled and position dependent, can be projected onto sets of stationary axes that are aligned with the motor fixed secondary poles. Hence by controlling flux on the specific stationary axis, the machine lift force can be properly controlled. Finally, adequate duty cycle distribution will be discussed and examined to asynchronously supply the required speed and lift force control objectives simultaneously.

The performance of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) processes is adversely affected by the heterogeneous distribution of flow properties of the rock. The effects of heterogeneity are further highlighted when the mobility ratio between the displacing and the displaced fluids is unfavorable. Polymer flooding aims to mitigate this by controlling the mobility ratio resulting in an increase in the volumetric swept efficiency. However, the design of the polymer injection process has to take into account the uncertainty due to a limited knowledge of the heterogeneous properties of the reservoir. Numerical reservoir models equipped with the most updated, yet uncertain information about the reservoir should be employed to optimize the operational settings. Consequently, the optimal settings are uncertain and should be revised as the model is updated. In this report, a feedback-control scheme is proposed with a model updating step that conditions prior reservoir models to newly obtained dynamic data, and this followed by an optimization step that adjusts well control settings to maximize (or minimize) an objective function. An illustration of the implementation of the proposed closed-loop scheme is presented through an example where the rate settings of a well affected by water coning are adjusted as the reservoir models are updated. The revised control settings yield an increase in the final value of the objective function. Finally, a fast analog of a polymer flooding displacement that traces the movement of random particles from injectors to producers following probability rules that reflect the physics of the actual displacement is presented. The algorithm was calibrated against the full-physics simulation results from UTCHEM, the compositional chemical flow simulator developed at The University of Texas at Austin. This algorithm can be used for a rapid estimation of basic responses such as breakthrough time or recovery factor and to provide a simplified characterization the reservoir heterogeneity. This report is presented to fulfill the requirements to obtain the degree of Master of Science in Engineering under fast track option. It summarizes the research proposal presented for my doctorate studies that are currently ongoing. / text

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 99-104).

La problématique traitée dans cette thèse concerne la commande et l'équilibre des robots humanoïdes disposant d'une base mobile à roues omnidirectionnelles. Les méthodes développées visent à atteindre de hautes performances dynamiques pour ce type de robot, tout en assurant stabilité et équilibre. Les robots humanoïdes ont en général un centre de masse relativement haut en comparaison avec leur surface de contact avec le sol. Ainsi, la moindre accélération des corps du robot induit une large variation de la répartition des forces de contact avec le sol. Si celles-ci ne sont pas correctement contrôlées, alors le robot peut tomber. De plus, le robot disposant d'une base mobile à roues, une perturbation peut l'amener aisément à basculer sur deux roues. Enfin, un intérêt particulier a été apporté à la réalisation d'une commande temps-réel implémentée sur le système embarqué du robot. Cela implique principalement des contraintes concernant le temps de calcul de la loi de commande. Afin de répondre à ces problèmes, deux modèles linéaires du robot ont été réalisés. Le premier permet de modéliser la dynamique du robot lorsque celui-ci possède toutes ses roues en contact avec le sol. Le second permet de modéliser la dynamique du robot lorsque celui-ci bascule sur deux de ses roues. Ces modèles ont été réalisés en prenant en compte la répartition massique du robot. Ainsi, il a été judicieux de le modéliser comme un système à deux masses ponctuelles, pouvant se déplacer sur un plan parallèle au sol. La première correspond au centre de masse de la base mobile, la seconde à celui du reste du robot. Ces modèles sont ensuite utilisés au sein de deux commandes prédictives, permettant de prendre en compte à chaque instant les contraintes dynamiques ainsi que le comportement du robot dans le futur. La première commande permet de contrôler les déplacements du robot lorsque celui-ci possède toutes ses roues en contact avec le sol, lui assurant de ne pas basculer. La seconde permet au robot de se rattraper d'une situation où une perturbation l'amène à basculer, afin de ramener toutes ses roues en contact avec le sol. Aussi, un superviseur disposant d'une machine à état à été réalisé afin de définir quelle loi de commande doit être exécutée à chaque instant. Ce superviseur utilise les capteurs disponibles sur le robot afin d'observer son état de basculement. Enfin, afin de valider expérimentalement le résultat des développements de cette thèse, une série d'expériences a été présentée, mettant en évidence les différents aspects de la loi de commande. Notamment, des essais ont été réalisés concernant le suivi de trajectoires non physiquement réalisables, le rejet de perturbations appliqués à la base mobile, la stabilisation du robot lors de son basculement, ainsi que la compensation de variations de l'inclinaison du sol. / The problem of this thesis concerns the control of the movements and the equilibrium of humanoid robots that have a mobile base with omnidirectionnal wheels. The developed methods aim to reach high dynamical performances for this type of robot, while ensuring it stability and equilibrium. Humanoid robots have generally a center of mass relatively high compared to its contact surface with the ground. Therefore, the slightest acceleration of the robot bodies induces a large variation of the distribution of the contact forces with the ground. If they are not properly controlled, the robot can fall. Moreover, the robot having a mobile base with wheels, a disturbance can easily bring it to tilt on two wheels. Finally, a specific interest have been provided about the realisation of a real time controler implemented on the embedded system of the robot. This implies some constraints about the computationnal time of the control law. In order to answer these problems, two linear models of the robot have been developed. The first allows to modelize the dynamics of the robot when it has all of its wheels in contact with the ground. The second allows to modelize the dynamics of the robot when it tilts on two of its wheels. These models have been developed by taking into account the mass distribution of the robot. These models have been subsequently used in two predictive control laws, allowing to take into account at every instant the dynamical constraints as weel as the future behavior of the robot. The first allows to control the movements of the robot when it has all of its wheels in contact with the ground, preventing it for tilting. The second allows the robot to recover itself in a situation when a disturbance bring it to tilt, in order to bring back all of its wheels in contact with the ground. Also, a supervisor that has a state machine has been made in order to define which control law has to be executed at each instant. This supervisor uses the available sensors on the robot in order to observe its tilt state. Finally, in order to validate experimentally the results of the developments of this thesis, a series of experiments has been presented, demonstrating some aspects of the control law. In particular, some tests have been made concerning the tracking of non physically feasible trajectories, the reject of disturbances applied on the mobile base, the stabilisation of the robot during its tilt, and the compensation of the variations of the ground inclination.

Switched reluctance motor(SRM)drives are favored in many industrial applications because of their cost advantage and ruggedness. However, the torque ripple and bus current ripple of SRM restrict its application range  compared with traditional AC and DC motors due to the doubly salient pole structure and the highly non-linear coupling between torque, rotor position and phase current. As a result of the torque ripple on the shaft, unwilling large acoustic noises are generated. The large current ripple at the DC bus input requires large electrolytic capacitors for attenuation. However, electrolytic capacitors are of low reliability, which will reduce the duration of the control system. Because of these disadvantages, the acceptance of SRM by the industry, especially in servo-type applications which require stationary torque at low speed, is quite slow. In order to obtain high quality control, there have been many efforts in developing techniques for torque ripple attenuation. Primarily, two approaches are used to give a smooth torque. One is to improve the magnetic design, the other is to use sophisticated control techniques. Some torque control techniques have been proved to obtain a relatively good performance by simulations and experimental results. This thesis gives an alternative torque ripple minimization technique. Simulations and Experiments are conducted to show the effectiveness of this new control scheme. Under this new control scheme, the current controller are much easier to be designed under high speed application, which could be an advantage of it. First, the SRM operating principle is presented. The torque of SRM is produced by the tendency of its moveable part shifting to a position where the inductance of the exited winding is maximized. The torque ripple origin is discussed in terms of both magnetization and control. The torque ripple is produced during phase commutation interval because the phase current cannot rise from zero to the nominal value instantaneously due to the existence of the phase inductance. Second, a new torque control scheme is proposed. The new torque control of SRM is split into two cascade sub-tasks. At first, a current reference for ripple free torque is determined. Then a current controller is designed to regulate the current in the stator winding to reference value. Simulations are conducted to verify the effective of this torque control scheme in both ideal 'sinusoidal' SRM and a 'Pseudo-Sinusoidal' SRM. Finally, a motor drive control system is built to implement the new control scheme. The motor is tested under different speeds to see the torque ripple produced in different speed ranges. As a conclusion, the new control algorithm for constant torque and damped input bus current ripple is investigated. The advantages of this new torque control method are listed in the paper. Simulation and experimental results show the effectiveness of this new control method. / Master of Science

Com o advento da geração distribuída foi permitido aos sistemas de distribuição a possibilidade de operação de forma ilhada dos sistemas interligados de grande porte. Apesar de suas vantagens, do ponto de vista técnico, ainda existe uma série de desafios que necessitam ser superados para a plena aplicação desse conceito. Um desses desafios é definido pela transição dos modos operativos dos geradores distribuídos durante o processo de ilhamento. Da forma em que é reportada na literatura, infere-se que tal transição é realizada de um modo inadequado, amplificando os transitórios observados nas grandezas do gerador distribuído - e por consequência, da rede em que o mesmo se conecta - durante o processo de ilhamento, o que não é desejável. No contexto apresentado, a principal contribuição desta pesquisa está em propor uma estrutura híbrida de controle a ser aplicada aos sistemas de excitação de geradores síncronos que operam em sistemas de distribuição que permitem a operação ilhada de determinadas porções de suas redes. A principal característica da estrutura proposta está em atenuar os transitórios das variáveis do gerador controlado durante o processo de ilhamento. Além disso, o arranjo da estrutura proposta estabelece um compromisso entre a potência reativa e a tensão terminal do gerador controlado, quando o mesmo opera em paralelo com os sistemas interligados de grande porte. Nessa condição, o sistema de controle mantém a potência reativa próxima da referência ajustada atendendo a uma faixa adequada de valores de tensão terminal. / With the advent of distributed generation, the possibility of autonomous operation regarding the bulk power systems was allowed to the distribution systems. Despite its advantages, from the technical point of view, there are lots of challenges that need to be overcome for the full application of this concept. One of these challenges is the transition of distributed generators operating modes during the islanding process. Based in the literature survey, it is inferred that transition is performed in a wrong way, which amplifies the transients in controlled generator quantities and consequently, of the network connected to it during the islanding process, which is undesirable. In this context, the main contribution of this research is the proposal of a hybrid control structure to be applied to the excitation systems of synchronous generators that operate in distribution systems whose islanded operation of determined portions of its grids is permitted. The main characteristic of the proposed structure is the attenuation of transients of the controlled generator quantities during the islanding process. Furthermore, the design of this structure provides a compromise between the generator reactive power and terminal voltage when it operates in parallel with the bulk power systems. That way, the control system maintains the reactive power close to the adjusted reference attending an appropriate range of terminal voltage values.

Com o advento da geração distribuída foi permitido aos sistemas de distribuição a possibilidade de operação de forma ilhada dos sistemas interligados de grande porte. Apesar de suas vantagens, do ponto de vista técnico, ainda existe uma série de desafios que necessitam ser superados para a plena aplicação desse conceito. Um desses desafios é definido pela transição dos modos operativos dos geradores distribuídos durante o processo de ilhamento. Da forma em que é reportada na literatura, infere-se que tal transição é realizada de um modo inadequado, amplificando os transitórios observados nas grandezas do gerador distribuído - e por consequência, da rede em que o mesmo se conecta - durante o processo de ilhamento, o que não é desejável. No contexto apresentado, a principal contribuição desta pesquisa está em propor uma estrutura híbrida de controle a ser aplicada aos sistemas de excitação de geradores síncronos que operam em sistemas de distribuição que permitem a operação ilhada de determinadas porções de suas redes. A principal característica da estrutura proposta está em atenuar os transitórios das variáveis do gerador controlado durante o processo de ilhamento. Além disso, o arranjo da estrutura proposta estabelece um compromisso entre a potência reativa e a tensão terminal do gerador controlado, quando o mesmo opera em paralelo com os sistemas interligados de grande porte. Nessa condição, o sistema de controle mantém a potência reativa próxima da referência ajustada atendendo a uma faixa adequada de valores de tensão terminal. / With the advent of distributed generation, the possibility of autonomous operation regarding the bulk power systems was allowed to the distribution systems. Despite its advantages, from the technical point of view, there are lots of challenges that need to be overcome for the full application of this concept. One of these challenges is the transition of distributed generators operating modes during the islanding process. Based in the literature survey, it is inferred that transition is performed in a wrong way, which amplifies the transients in controlled generator quantities and consequently, of the network connected to it during the islanding process, which is undesirable. In this context, the main contribution of this research is the proposal of a hybrid control structure to be applied to the excitation systems of synchronous generators that operate in distribution systems whose islanded operation of determined portions of its grids is permitted. The main characteristic of the proposed structure is the attenuation of transients of the controlled generator quantities during the islanding process. Furthermore, the design of this structure provides a compromise between the generator reactive power and terminal voltage when it operates in parallel with the bulk power systems. That way, the control system maintains the reactive power close to the adjusted reference attending an appropriate range of terminal voltage values.

Šiame baigiamajame magistro darbe apžvelgti atmenieji lydiniai, pagrindinės jų savybės bei panaudojimo pavyzdžiai, atlikta literatūros nagrinėjama tematika apžvalga, pagrindiniai šių medžiagų panaudojimo privalumai ir trūkumai. Atlikus literatūrinos apžvalgą, remiantis teoriniais duomenimis ir charakteristikomis, suplanuotas ir atliktas eksperimentas — siekiant geriau išsiaiškinti pagrindines šių lydinių savybes bei charakteristikas, kurios reikalingos norint šias medžiagas panaudoti robotiškos srityje - robotų vykdikliams. Eksperimentiškai gauti duomenys pateikiami grafikų pavidalu, iš kurių nustatytos pagrindinės charakteristikos, kurios reikalingos norint sėkmingai šias medžiagas panaudoti projektuojant įvairius mechanizmus ir pavaras su šio lydinio vykdikliais. Eksperimento metu gauti duomenys panaudojami sudarant sistemos dinaminį modelį, kuris sumodeliuojamas skaitmeniniu būdu. Gaunamas sistemos atsakas, kuris patvirtina eksperimento metu gautus duomenis ir suteikia galimybę tolesnius eksperimento plėtojimo planus ir tyrimus vykdyti skaitmeniniais metodais. / This final master thesis contains an overview of shape memory alloys, their literature review, main characteristics, common sage examples as well as their advantages and disadvantages. After analyzing the literature review the experiment has been planed and made in purpose of researching the most basic characteristics of shape memory alloys. The experiment was made with a shape memory alloy spring. The main purpose of the research is to get the most of the characteristics that are mostly needed for the successful usage in the robotic actuators. The data that was taken from the experiment in included in this paper. Acording to this data the conclusions has been made. Based on the experiment data and theoretical data the system’s dynamic model has been made to confirm the results that were taken from the experiment. This thesis allows to use the data taken from the experiment to be used in digital modeling, so further experimenting and system’s designing can be done using digital methods.