Current submerged science projects such as VENUS and NEPTUNE have revealed the need for small, low-cost and easily deployed underwater remotely operated vehiclemanipulator (ROVM) systems. Unfortunately, existing small remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV) are not equipped to complete the complex and interactive submerged tasks required for these projects. Therefore, this thesis is aimed at adapting a popular small ROV into a ROVM that is capable of low-cost and time-efficient underwater manipulation. To realize this objective, the coordinated control of ROVM systems is required, which, in the context of this research, is defined as the collection of hardware and software that provides advanced functionalities to small ROVM systems. In light of this, the primary focus of this dissertation is to propose various technical building blocks that ultimately lead to the realization of such a coordinated control system for small ROVMs. To develop such a coordinated control of ROVM systems, it is proposed that ROV and manipulator motion be coordinated optimally and intelligently. With coordination, the system becomes redundant: there are more degrees of freedom (DOF) than required. Hence, the extra DOFs can be used to achieve secondary objectives in addition to the primary end-effector following task with a redundancy resolution scheme. This eliminates the standard practice of holding the ROV stationary during a task and uncovers significant potential in the small ROVM platform. In the proposed scheme, the ROV and manipulator motion is first coordinated such that singular configurations of the manipulator are avoided, and hence dexterous manipulation is ensured. This is done by using the ROV's mobility in an optimal, coordinated manner. Later, to accommodate a more comprehensive set of secondary objectives, a fuzzy based approach is proposed. The method considers the human pilot as the main operator and the fuzzy machine as an artificial assistant pilot that dynamically prioritizes the secondary objectives and then determines the optimal motion. Several model-based control methodologies are proposed for small ROV/ROVM systems to realize the desired motion produced by the redundancy resolution, including an adaptive sliding-mode control, an upper bound adaptive sliding-mode control with adaptive PID layer, and an H∞ sliding-mode control. For the unified system (redundancy resolution and controller), a new human-machine interface (HMI) is designed that can facilitate the coordinated control of ROVM systems. This HMI involves a 6-DOF parallel joystick, and a 3-D visual display and a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables a human pilot to smoothly interact with the ROVM systems. Hardware-in-theloop simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of the coordination schemes. On the thrust allocation side, a novel fault-tolerant thrust allocation scheme is proposed to distribute forces and moments commanded by the controller over the thrusters. The method utilizes the redundancy in the thruster layout of ROVM systems. The proposed scheme minimizes the largest component of the thrust vector instead of the two-norm, and hence provides better manoeuvrability. In the first phase of implementation, a small inspection-class ROV, a Saab-Seaeye Falcon™ ROV, is adopted. To improve the navigation, a navigation skid is designed that contains a Doppler Velocity Log, a compass, an inertial measurement unit, and acoustic position data. The sensor data is blended using an Extended Kalman Filter. The developed ROV system uses the upper bound adaptive sliding-mode control with adaptive PID layer. The theoretical and practical results illustrate that the proposed tools can transform, a small, low-cost ROVM system into a highly capable, time-efficient system that can complete complex subsea tasks. / Graduate

La congestion des autoroutes est un problème qui apparait de façon récurrente et qui a un large impact économique, environnemental et social. Ce problème peut être résolu en augmentant la capacité des autoroutes ou en diminuant la demande de trafic. Ces solutions sont longues à mettre en oeuvre et sont très coûteuses. Une solution accessible à plus court terme consiste à mettre en oeuvre un système de gestion du trafic. Dans cette optique, plusieurs actions et mesures de contrôle ont été développées pour améliorer l’efficacité des autoroutes. Parmi ces actions, on peut citer le contrôle d’accès et la limitation dynamique de la vitesse. Le contrôle d’accès consiste en une régulation du flux de véhicules désirant entrer sur une autoroute à partir d’une rampe. Nous avons développé la stratégie DFC (Différence de Flux Caractérisée par une densité désirée). Elle vise à maintenir sur la chaussée principale, au niveau de la rampe d’entrée,une densité inférieure à une cible déterminée au préalable à l’aide de simulations. Cette nouvelle stratégie a été comparée aux stratégies existantes telles que ALINEA et PI-ALINEA. La stratégie DFC présente l’intérêt de ne pas générer de phénomènes oscillatoires dans les trajectoires du flux et de ne pas nécessiter de paramètres à régler. La limitation dynamique de la vitesse impose sur plusieurs tronçons de la chaussée principale une limitation de vitesse qui dépend des conditions de circulation. L’objectif est d’éviter la congestion au niveau d’un goulot d’étranglement qui se trouve en aval. Nous avons proposé plusieurs stratégies de limitation dynamique de la vitesse. Elles utilisent toutes le modèle de trafic METANET. Deux des méthodes proposées exploitent le terme d’anticipation du modèle METANET et la troisième est basée sur le flux. Enfin, les différentes stratégies de limitation dynamique de la vitesse ont été utilisées en coordinationavec le contrôle d’accès DFC. La coordination permet d’obtenir des résultats meilleurs qu’un contrôle d’accès utilisé seul ou une limitation dynamique de la vitesse utilisée seule. / The highways congestion is a problem which appears in a recurring way and which has a wide economic, environmental and social impact. This problem can be resolved by increasing the highways capacity or by decreasing the traffic demand. These solutions are long to operate and are very expensive. An accessible solution in the shorter run consists in implementing a traffic management system.In this optics, several actions and control measures were developed to improve the efficiency of highways. Among these actions, we can quote the ramp metering control and the dynamic speed limits.The ramp metering consists of a regulation of the vehicles flow wishing to enter on a highway from an on-ramp. We developed the DFC strategy (Différence de Flux Characterisée par une densité désirée). It aims at maintaining on the main road, at the vicinity of the on-ramp, a density lower than a target beforehand determined by means of simulations. This new strategy was compared with the existing strategies such as ALINEA and PI-ALINEA. The DFC strategy presents the interest not to generate oscillatory phenomena in the trajectories of flow and not to require parameters to be adjusted. The dynamic speed limits imposes on several sections of the main road a speed limit which depends on traffic conditions. The objective is to avoid the congestion at a downstream bottleneck. We proposed several strategies of dynamic speed limits. They use quite the METANET model of traffic. Two of the proposed methods exploit the model METANET anticipation term and the third is based on the flow. Finally, the various strategies of dynamic speed limits were used in coordination with the DFC ramp metering. The coordination allows to obtain the results better than ramp metering used only or dynamic speed limits used only.

Solar and wind generation are one of the most rapidly growing renewable energy sources, and is regarded as an appealing alternative to conventional power generated from fossil fuel. This is leading to significant levels of distributed renewable generation being installed on distribution circuits. Although renewable generation brings many advantages, circuit problems are created due to its intermittency, and overcoming these problems is a key challenge to achieving high penetration. It is necessary for utilities to understand the impacts of Photovoltaic (PV) generation on distribution circuits and operations. An impact study is intended to quantify the extent of the issues, discover any problems, and investigate alternative solutions. In this manner, system wide and local impact study are proposed in the dissertation. 1) System wide impact study This study considers system effects due to the addition of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEV) and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) generation. The DER and PHEV are considered with energy storage technology applied to the residential distribution system load. Two future year scenarios are considered, 2020 and 2030. The models used are of real distribution circuits located near Detroit, Michigan, and every customer load on the circuit and type of customer are modeled. Monte Carlo simulations are used to randomly select customers that receive PHEV, DER, and/or storage systems. The Monte Carlo simulations provide not only the expected average result, but also its uncertainty. 2) Local impact study Analysis of high PV penetration in distribution circuits using both steady-state and quasi steady-state impact studies are presented. The steady-state analysis evaluates impacts on the distribution circuit by comparing conditions before and after extreme changes in PV generation at three extreme circuit conditions, maximum load, maximum PV generation, and when the difference between the PV generation and the circuit load is a maximum. The quasi steady-state study consists of a series of steady-state impact studies performed at evenly spaced time points for evaluating the spectrum of impacts between the extreme impacts. Results addressing the impacts of cloud cover and various power factor control strategies are presented. PV penetration levels are limited and depend upon PV generation control strategies and the circuit design and loading. There are tradeoffs in PV generation control concerning circuit voltage variations, circuit losses, and the motion of automated utility control devices. The steady state and quasi steady-state impact studies provide information that is helpful in evaluating the effect of PV generation on distribution circuits, including circuit problems that result from the PV generation. In order to fully benefit from wind power, accurate wind power forecasting is an essential tool in addressing this challenge. This has motivated researchers to develop better forecast of the wind resources and the resulting power. As a solution for wind generation, frequency domain approach is proposed to characterize and analyze wind speed patterns in the dissertation. 3) Frequency Domain Approach This study introduces the frequency domain approach to characterize and analyze wind speed patterns. It first presents the technique of and the prerequisite conditions for the frequency domain approach. Three years of wind speed data at 10 different locations have been used. This chapter demonstrates that wind speed patterns during different times and at different locations can be well characterized by using the frequency domain approach with its compact and structured format. We also perform analysis using the characterized dataset. It affirms that the frequency domain approach is a useful indicator for understanding the characteristics of wind speed patterns and can express the information with superior accuracy. Among the various technical challenges under high PV penetration, voltage rise problems caused by reverse power flows are one of the foremost concerns. The voltage rises due to the PV generation. Furthermore, the need to limit the voltage rise problem limits PV generators from injecting more active power into the distribution network. This can be one of the obstacles to high penetration of PVs into circuits. As a solution for solar generation, coordinated control of automated devices and PV is proposed in the dissertation. 4) Coordinated Automated Device and PV Control A coordinating, model-centric control strategy for mitigating voltage rise problems due to PV penetration into power distribution circuits is presented. The coordinating control objective is to maintain an optimum circuit voltage distribution and voltage schedule, where the optimum circuit operation is determined without PV generation on the circuit. In determining the optimum circuit voltage distribution and voltage schedule, the control strategy schedules utility controls, such as switched capacitor banks and voltage regulators, separate from PV inverter controls. Optimization addresses minimizing circuit losses and motion of utility controls. The coordinating control action provides control setpoints to the PV inverters that are a function of the circuit loading or time-of-day and also the location of the PV inverter. Three PV penetration scenarios are considered, 10%, 20%, and 30%. Baselines with and without coordinating controls for circuit performance without PV generation are established, and these baselines are compared against the three PV penetration scenarios with and without coordinating control. Simulation results are compared and differences in voltage variations and circuit losses are considered along with differences in utility control motion. Results show that the coordinating control can solve the voltage rise problem while minimizing circuit losses and reducing utility control motion. The coordinating control will work with existing PV inverter controls that accept control setpoints without having to modify the inverter controls. 5) Coordinated Local and Centralized PV Control Existing distribution systems and their associated controls have been around for decades. Most distribution circuits have capacity to accommodate some level of PV generation, but the question is how much can they handle without creating problems. It proposes a Configurable, Hierarchical, Model-based, Scheduling Control (CHMSC) of automated utility control devices and photovoltaic (PV) generators. In the study here the automated control devices are assumed to be owned by the utility and the PV generators and PV generator controls by another party. The CHMSC, which exists in a hierarchical control architecture that is failure tolerant, strives to maintain the voltage level that existed before introducing the PV into the circuit while minimizing the circuit loss and reducing the motion of the automated control devices. This is accomplished using prioritized objectives. The CHMSC sends control signals to the local controllers of the automated control devices and PV controllers. To evaluate the performance of the CHMSC, increasing PV levels of adoption are analyzed in a model of an actual circuit that has significant existing PV penetration and automated voltage control devices. The CHMSC control performance is compared with that of existing, local control. Simulation results presented demonstrate that the CHMSC algorithm results in better voltage control, lower losses, and reduced automated control device motion, especially as the penetration level of PV increases. / Ph. D.

This study delves into the comparative operational effectiveness of non-coordinated, bottom-up, and top-down coordinated control models within Distributed Energy Storage Systems (DESS) and Electric Vehicle (EV) networks. Employing meticulous data analysis, this research evaluates power demand and supply dynamics within the infrastructure and buildings, aiming to optimize energy usage and storage. The analysis involves comprehensive steps: descriptive statistical breakdown, understanding energy patterns across buildings, and a comparative assessment of the control models. Visual representations and graphs aid in depicting energy patterns, emphasizing the distinctive characteristics and effectiveness of each control model. The findings reinforce the superiority of the top-down coordinated control model in managing supply-demand imbalances, echoing established literature.

Cette thèse s'intéresse à la coordination des sous-systèmes d'un nouveau genre de centrale de production d'énergie : un cycle combiné hybride (HCC - Hybrid Combined Cycle). Cette centrale HCC n'existe pas encore mais combine un cycle combiné gaz (CCG), un moyen de production solaire thermodynamique (miroirs cylindro-paraboliques) et un moyen de stockage thermique (stockage indirect de chaleur sensible utilisant deux réservoirs de sels fondus). Comment coordonner ces trois sous-systèmes de manière optimale lors des variations de demande de puissance ou des prix du gaz ?Dans un premier temps, chacun des trois sous-systèmes est étudié de manière indépendante afin d'obtenir, d'une part, un modèle physique permettant de caractériser le comportement dynamique du sous-système considéré et, d'autre part, un contrôle local qui agit en fonction des objectifs de fonctionnement prédéfinis. Un modèle du système complet interconnecté de l'HCC est ensuite obtenu en couplant les modèles des trois sous-systèmes. Enfin, une coordination des différents sous-systèmes est mise en place pour adapter le fonctionnement de chacun, en fonction des objectifs globaux de la centrale HCC complète, en optimisant les consignes de chaque sous-système. Dans ce travail, une coordination de type linéaire quadratique et une coordination de type optimale prédictive sont étudiées. Les résultats obtenus sont bien prometteurs : ils montrent, tout d'abord, que lors d'un appel de puissance, la commande coordonnée permet au système HCC de répondre plus rapidement, en utilisant plus efficacement la partie solaire. De plus, lorsque la demande subit beaucoup de variations, la partie solaire et la partie stockage absorbent toutes ces variations et la Turbine à Combustion (TAC) du CCG est beaucoup moins sollicitée. Lorsqu'il n'y a plus d'irradiation solaire, la partie stockage prend la relève pour continuer à produire de la vapeur solaire, jusqu'à ce que les stocks se vident. Finalement, le stockage permet d'ajuster la production de la TAC en fonction des prix du gaz. / This work concerns the subsystems coordination of a new type of power plant: a Hybrid Combined Cycle (HCC). This HCC plant is not yet build but consists of a Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP), a concentrated solar plant (parabolic trough) and a thermal storage system (a molten-salts two-tank indirect sensible thermal storage). How to coordinate these three subsystems optimally during variations in power demand or in gas price?First, each subsystem is studied independently in order to get on one hand a physical model that reproduces the dynamical behavior of the considered subsystem, and on the other hand, a local control that achieves an operation according to pre-specified objectives. Then, a model of the HCC system is obtained by coupling the models of the three defined subsystems.Eventually, a coordination of the subsystems is set up in order to adapt the behavior of each subsystem according to the global objectives for the full HCC system, by optimizing subsystem setpoints. In this study, a linear quadratic coordination and a model predictive coordination are designed. The obtained results are promising: they first show that during a power demand, the coordination allows the global system to quickly respond, using extensively the solar production. Besides, when the power demand undergoes many fluctuations, the solar and storage parts absorb these variations and the gas turbine of the CCPP is much less stressed. In addition, when there is no more solar radiation, the storage part continues producing solar steam, until storage tanks are empty. At last, the storage part allows to adjust the gas turbine production according to the gas prices.