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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Solar Photovoltaic System Control Topology Investigation For Power Source Mismatch, Lynette O'Callaghan Jan 2016

Solar Photovoltaic System Control Topology Investigation For Power Source Mismatch, Lynette O'Callaghan

Conference papers

An investigation into solar photovoltaic (PV) system control topology selection, when partial shade is anticipated in the solar array, is presented. As available area is maximised in Building Integrated PV (BIPV) systems, shading is an inevitable consequence. The presence of partial shading in a PV array leads to multiple power peaks in the power-voltage curve, due to bypass diode sections being triggered, and an increase in module mismatch losses in the array. A building energy design software, Integrated Environmental Solutions, is used to determine the shadowed area on PV modules throughout the year, incorporating the PV system location and geometrical …


Electric-Powered Wheelchairs As An Assistive Technology, Aidan O'Dwyer, Malabika Basu, Eugene Coyle Jan 2008

Electric-Powered Wheelchairs As An Assistive Technology, Aidan O'Dwyer, Malabika Basu, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

This paper briefly outlines recent work done, particularly in control systems, for electric powered wheelchairs. These mobility aids, first developed in the 1950’s [1], were improved with the incorporation of microprocessors. The requirement for mobility aids in general is rising; for example, it is reckoned that 1.5% of the U.K. population require such aids. As an assistive technology, electric powered wheelchairs have many benefits. Nevertheless, a reliable and robust such wheelchair has still to evolve.


Hazardous Emissions Monitoring And Control, Aidan O'Dwyer, Jesus Cabello Jan 2007

Hazardous Emissions Monitoring And Control, Aidan O'Dwyer, Jesus Cabello

Conference papers

There is an increasing awareness in society of the need to protect our fragile environment. Meeting environmental requirements is recognised as one of the six 21st century business drivers for automatic control. Chemical companies, for example, use automatic control to minimise waste production because of increasing prohibitions against discharge and/or disposal of toxic substances. New plants are moving towards a “zero-discharge” concept [1]. In a recent report [2], greater emphasis on automatic control is suggested as a technological response of both the speciality chemicals and pharmaceutical sub-sectors to key business drivers up to 2015. This contribution reports on recent developments …


Using Controller Tuning Formulae To Improve Performance, Aidan O'Dwyer Jan 2007

Using Controller Tuning Formulae To Improve Performance, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is the most dominant form of automatic controller in industrial use today. With this device, it is necessary to adjust the controller parameters according to the nature of the process. Thus, for effective control of a HVDC system, for example, specific values need to be chosen for the P, I and D parameters, which will be different for the values required to control, for example, an induction motor drive. This tailoring of controller to process is known as controller tuning. Controller tuning is easily and effectively performed using tuning rules (i.e. formulae for controller …


Performance Improvement Using Simple Pid Controller Tuning Formulae, Aidan O'Dwyer Jan 2006

Performance Improvement Using Simple Pid Controller Tuning Formulae, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is the most dominant form of automatic controller in industrial use today. With this technique, it is necessary to adjust the controller parameters according to the nature of the process. Thus, for effective control of a HVDC system, for example, specific values need to be chosen for the P, I and D parameters, which will be different for the values required to control, for example, an induction motor drive. This tailoring of controller to process is known as controller tuning. Controller tuning is easily and effectively performed using tuning rules (i.e. formulae for controller …


Reducing Energy Costs By Optimizing Controller Tuning, Aidan O'Dwyer Jan 2006

Reducing Energy Costs By Optimizing Controller Tuning, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is the most dominant form of automatic controller in industrial use today. With this technique, it is necessary to adjust the controller parameters according to the nature of the process. This tailoring of controller to process is known as controller tuning. Controller tuning is easily and effectively performed using tuning rules (i.e. formulae for controller tuning, based on process information). Such tuning rules allow the easy set up of controllers to achieve optimum performance at commissioning. Importantly, they allow ease of re-commissioning if the characteristics of the process change. The paper outlines the results …


Modelling And Control Of A Suspension System For Vehicle Applications, Padraig Dowds, Aidan O'Dwyer Jan 2005

Modelling And Control Of A Suspension System For Vehicle Applications, Padraig Dowds, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This paper discusses the modelling of passive and active suspension systems in a car, and the subsequent design of appropriate feedback controllers for the active suspension system. The models will be investigated using a quarter car model and a full car model approach.


Control Loop Performance Assessment: A Classification Of Methods, Niall O'Connor, Aidan O'Dwyer Jan 2004

Control Loop Performance Assessment: A Classification Of Methods, Niall O'Connor, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This paper presents an overview of a number of controller performance assessment techniques. The techniques discussed are divided into five categories, namely, time domain assessment, frequency domain assessment, minimum variance control (MVC) as a benchmark, statistical analysis, and other more ‘problem specific’ assessment techniques. Recent work, by various authors, in each of the five categories is outlined.


Closed Loop Identification Of A First Order Plus Dead Time Process Model Under Pi Control, Tony Kealy, Aidan O'Dwyer Jun 2002

Closed Loop Identification Of A First Order Plus Dead Time Process Model Under Pi Control, Tony Kealy, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

Abstract -- This paper discusses the estimation of the parameters of a first order plus dead-time process model using the closed-loop step response data of the process under proportional plus integral (PI) control. The proportional gain and the integral time, in the PI controller, are chosen such that the closed-loop step response exhibits an under-damped response. From this response data, five characteristic points are used to determine a second order plus dead-time model and subsequently, the frequency response of the closed-loop system. Knowing the dynamics of the closed-loop system and the dynamics of the controller, the open-loop dynamics of the …


Multiple Model Networks In Non-Linear System Modelling For Control – A Review, Ruiyao Gao, Aidan O'Dwyer Jan 2002

Multiple Model Networks In Non-Linear System Modelling For Control – A Review, Ruiyao Gao, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

Non-linear processes, by their nature, are non-uniform and invariably require custom designed control schemes to deal with individual characteristics. No general theory deals comprehensively with the wide range of non-linear systems encountered. In an attempt to accurately model non-linear dynamical systems, a wide variety of techniques have been developed such as non-linear auto-regressive moving average with exogeneous inputs (NARMAX) models (Chen and Billings, 1989), Weiner models (Schetzen, 1981), Hammerstein models (Billings and Fakhouri, 1982) and Multiple Layer Perceptron (MLP) neural networks (Narendra and Kannan, 1990). While the accuracy of such models offers a potentially significant improvement over linear models, the …


Standardised Control Techniques For Induction Generators In Both Grid-Connected And Isolated Applications, John Brazil, Aidan O'Dwyer, M. Murphy Jan 1991

Standardised Control Techniques For Induction Generators In Both Grid-Connected And Isolated Applications, John Brazil, Aidan O'Dwyer, M. Murphy

Conference papers

Induction generators are particularly suitable for small hydro applications and are widely used at present. However, with conventional grid-connected techniques, it is not always possible to use them in regions with weak grids because of excessive connection transients. Consequently, their many advantages cannot be fully exploited in these regions. Standardised control systems have been developed by ECS for isolated applications of induction generators and these will now be further developed to permit reduced-transient grid connections.