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Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering

Reducing Orbit Covariance For Continuous Thrust Spacecraft Transfers, Scott Zimmer, Oscar Ocampo, Robert H. Bishop Apr 2010

Reducing Orbit Covariance For Continuous Thrust Spacecraft Transfers, Scott Zimmer, Oscar Ocampo, Robert H. Bishop

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The calculus of variations is used to develop the necessary theory and derive the optimality conditions for a spacecraft to transfer between a set of initial and final conditions, while minimizing a combination of fuel consumption and a function of the estimation error covariance matrix associated with the spacecraft state. The theory is developed in a general manner that allows for multiple observers, moving observers, covariance associated with an arbitrary frame, a wide variety of observation types, multiple gravity bodies, and uncertainties in the spacecraft equations of motion based on the thrusting status of the engine. A series of example …


Output Feedback Controller For Operation Of Spark Ignition Engines At Lean Conditions Using Neural Networks, Jonathan B. Vance, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier Mar 2008

Output Feedback Controller For Operation Of Spark Ignition Engines At Lean Conditions Using Neural Networks, Jonathan B. Vance, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Spark ignition (SI) engines operating at very lean conditions demonstrate significant nonlinear behavior by exhibiting cycle-to-cycle bifurcation of heat release. Past literature suggests that operating an engine under such lean conditions can significantly reduce NO emissions by as much as 30% and improve fuel efficiency by as much as 5%-10%. At lean conditions, the heat release per engine cycle is not close to constant, as it is when these engines operate under stoichiometric conditions where the equivalence ratio is 1.0. A neural network controller employing output feedback has shown ability in simulation to reduce the nonlinear cyclic dispersion observed under …


Reinforcement Learning Based Output-Feedback Control Of Nonlinear Nonstrict Feedback Discrete-Time Systems With Application To Engines, Peter Shih, Jonathan B. Vance, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier Jul 2007

Reinforcement Learning Based Output-Feedback Control Of Nonlinear Nonstrict Feedback Discrete-Time Systems With Application To Engines, Peter Shih, Jonathan B. Vance, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel reinforcement-learning based output-adaptive neural network (NN) controller, also referred as the adaptive-critic NN controller, is developed to track a desired trajectory for a class of complex nonlinear discrete-time systems in the presence of bounded and unknown disturbances. The controller includes an observer for estimating states and the outputs, critic, and two action NNs for generating virtual, and actual control inputs. The critic approximates certain strategic utility function and the action NNs are used to minimize both the strategic utility function and their outputs. All NN weights adapt online towards minimization of a performance index, utilizing gradient-descent based rule. …


Neural Network Controller Development And Implementation For Spark Ignition Engines With High Egr Levels, Jonathan B. Vance, Atmika Singh, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier Jan 2007

Neural Network Controller Development And Implementation For Spark Ignition Engines With High Egr Levels, Jonathan B. Vance, Atmika Singh, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Past research has shown substantial reductions in the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) concentrations by using 10% -25% exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in spark ignition (SI) engines (see Dudek and Sain, 1989). However, under high EGR levels, the engine exhibits strong cyclic dispersion in heat release which may lead to instability and unsatisfactory performance preventing commercial engines to operate with high EGR levels. A neural network (NN)-based output feedback controller is developed to reduce cyclic variation in the heat release under high levels of EGR even when the engine dynamics are unknown by using fuel as the control input. A separate …


Neural Network-Based Output Feedback Controller For Lean Operation Of Spark Ignition Engines, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier, Jonathan B. Vance, Pingan He Jan 2006

Neural Network-Based Output Feedback Controller For Lean Operation Of Spark Ignition Engines, Brian C. Kaul, Jagannathan Sarangapani, J. A. Drallmeier, Jonathan B. Vance, Pingan He

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Spark ignition (SI) engines running at very lean conditions demonstrate significant nonlinear behavior by exhibiting cycle-to-cycle dispersion of heat release even though such operation can significantly reduce NOx emissions and improve fuel efficiency by as much as 5-10%. A suite of neural network (NN) controller without and with reinforcement learning employing output feedback has shown ability to reduce the nonlinear cyclic dispersion observed under lean operating conditions. The neural network controllers consists of three NN: a) A NN observer to estimate the states of the engine such as total fuel and air; b) a second NN for generating virtual input; …


Adaptive Critic Based Neuro-Observer, Xin Liu, S. N. Balakrishnan Jan 2001

Adaptive Critic Based Neuro-Observer, Xin Liu, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new Neural Network (NN) based observer design method for nonlinear systems represented by nonlinear dynamics and linear/nonlinear measurement is proposed in this paper. In this new approach, as the first step, the observer design problem is changed into a "controller" design problem by establishing the error dynamics, and then the Adaptive Critic (AC) based approach is applied on this error dynamics to design a 'controller', such that the errors are driven to zero. The resulting observer has inherent robustness from the AC based design approach. Some simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of this approach.