Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Optimal Control”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 847 records · Page 47

Stochastic optimal attitude control of spacecraft with movable appendages

This paper deals with the application of linear optimal control and filtering theory to control a spinning spacecraft with movable telescoping appendages. The equations of motion are linearized about the desired final state. A feedback control system is designed to maintain this final state, with plant noise and measurement noise present in the system. Analytic results are obtained for special cases and numerical results are presented for the general case.

Sellappan, R.↗

Bang-Bang Theorem for a Coupled ODE-PDE Control System

An optimal control problem for a system of one dimensional hyperbolic conservation laws is considered. The system is controlled through the boundary condition, which depends on the state of a nonlinear control system. It is proven that the problem has an optimal solution; moreover, it admits ε-optimal solutions generated by bang-bang controls. Bibliography: 8 titles. Illustrations: 1 figure.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Classical and modern control design of a speed-hold system for a STOL airplane

A speed-hold system for an experimental short takeoff and landing jet airplane has been designed using both classical root-locus and modern optimal control synthesis techniques. The purpose of the speed-hold system is to maintain airspeed during final approach in the presence of wind shears, gusts, engine failures, and pilot control inputs. Designs were based on using airspeed as a single measurement and two symmetrically deployed upper surface blown flaps as a single control. An optimal control law feeding back all the states and the integral of airspeed through constant gains provided superior performance in terms of speed tracking and control surface activity. However, when a constant-gain Kalman filter was inserted to estimate the states using only the measurement of airspeed, the performance of the optimal control law was reduced to the same as that of a much simpler classical proportional-path plus integral-path control law. To improve the performance of the optimal control law, additional measurements would be required.

Blight, J. D.↗

Binary Control Pulse Optimization for Quantum Systems

Quantum control aims to manipulate quantum systems toward specific quantum states or desired operations. Designing highly accurate and effective control steps is vitally important to various quantum applications, including energy minimization and circuit compilation. In this paper we focus on discrete binary quantum control problems and apply different optimization algorithms and techniques to improve computational efficiency and solution quality. Specifically, we develop a generic model and extend it in several ways. We introduce a squared L 2 -penalty function to handle additional side constraints, to model requirements such as allowing at most one control to be active. We introduce a total variation (TV) regularizer to reduce the number of switches in the control. We modify the popular gradient ascent pulse engineering (GRAPE) algorithm, develop a new alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm to solve the continuous relaxation of the penalized model, and then apply rounding techniques to obtain binary control solutions. We propose a modified trust-region method to further improve the solutions. Our algorithms can obtain high-quality control results, as demonstrated by numerical studies on diverse quantum control examples.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Development and Validation of Home Comfort System for Total Performance Deficiency/Fault Detection and Optimal Comfort Control

In this project, we developed and tested a learning-based home thermal model that facilitates the operation of a model predictive control (MPC)-based optimization agent and an automated fault detection and diagnosis (AFDD) agent. The home thermal model was constructed using a two-node resistor-capacitor model. Moreover, two accompanying parameter identification methods were introduced, least-squares and optimization. Based on the home thermal model, the MPC-based optimization agent was developed to optimize residential HVAC operation. Using two FDD methods, the AFDD agent was constructed to detect and diagnose two prevalent residential AC faults, airflow reduction and refrigerant undercharge. The home thermal model, along with the MPC-based optimization agent and AFDD agent, were tested at the Norman Test House, Miami Test House, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Test House A, and PNNL Test House B. Finally, they were also field tested in nine demonstration homes with real occupants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Control and Optimization of Energy Storage System in Power Distribution System

The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and transportation electrification is encumbered by two chief barriers: i) the limited driving range of EVs in the market today and ii) inadequate fast-charging infrastructure for long-distance trips. Extreme fast charging (XFC) technology can recharge EVs in less than 10 minutes for 200 miles range. Firstly, a novel robust optimization-based mixed integer linear programming model is proposed to size a battery energy storage system (BESS) and PV system in an XFCS. In this part, it is assumed that the sizing and location of the XFCS are known. Secondly, the aforesaid assumption is relaxed, and a strategic multi-period coordinated planning model is proposed to optimally site and size BESS-assisted charging stations in a highway transportation network and PV systems in a power distribution network by considering the coupling between both networks. Optimal operation and control of BESS-assisted EV charging stations are vital to alleviate the adverse impact of extreme fast charging of EVs on the host power network. A joint solution is proposed to mitigate the steady state and transient impact of extremefast charging of EVs and ensure grid-friendly integration of XFCSs with the host grid. Lastly, to make the operation of the XFCS cost-effective, a multi-layered energy management framework is proposed for the XFCS by considering forecast uncertainties, monthly demand charges reduction, and BESS degradation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

The application of quadratic optimal cooperative control synthesis to a CH-47 helicopter

A control-system design method, quadratic optimal cooperative control synthesis (CCS), is applied to the design of a stability and control augmentation system (SCAS). The CCS design method is different from other design methods in that it does not require detailed a priori design criteria, but instead relies on an explicit optimal pilot-model to create desired performance. The design method, which was developed previously for fixed-wing aircraft, is simplified and modified for application to a Boeing CH-47 helicopter. Two SCAS designs are developed using the CCS design methodology. The resulting CCS designs are then compared with designs obtained using classical/frequency-domain methods and linear quadratic regulator (LQR) theory in a piloted fixed-base simulation. Results indicate that the CCS method, with slight modifications, can be used to produce controller designs which compare favorably with the frequency-domain approach.

Townsend, Barbara K.↗

The application of quadratic optimal cooperative control synthesis to a CH-47 helicopter

A control-system design method, Quadratic Optimal Cooperative Control Synthesis (CCS), is applied to the design of a Stability and Control Augmentation Systems (SCAS). The CCS design method is different from other design methods in that it does not require detailed a priori design criteria, but instead relies on an explicit optimal pilot-model to create desired performance. The design model, which was developed previously for fixed-wing aircraft, is simplified and modified for application to a Boeing Vertol CH-47 helicopter. Two SCAS designs are developed using the CCS design methodology. The resulting CCS designs are then compared with designs obtained using classical/frequency-domain methods and Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) theory in a piloted fixed-base simulation. Results indicate that the CCS method, with slight modifications, can be used to produce controller designs which compare favorably with the frequency-domain approach.

Townsend, Barbara K.↗

Structural Load Alleviation Applied to Next Generation Aircraft and Wind Turbines

Reducing the environmental impact of aviation is a goal of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program of NASAs Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. Environmental impact of aviation is being addressed by novel aircraft configurations and materials that reduce aircraft weight and increase aerodynamic efficiency. NASA is developing tools to address the challenges of increased airframe flexibility created by wings constructed with reduced structural material and novel light-weight materials. This talk will present a framework and demonstration of a flight control system using optimal control allocation with structural load feedback and constraints to achieve safe aircraft operation. As wind turbines age, they become susceptible to many forms of blade degradation. Results will be presented on work in progress that uses adaptive contingency control for load mitigation in a wind turbine simulation with blade damage progression modeled.

adaptive control↗

Lyapunov optimal feedback control of a nonlinear inverted pendulum

Liapunov optimal feedback control is applied to a nonlinear inverted pendulum in which the control torque was constrained to be less than the nonlinear gravity torque in the model. This necessitates a control algorithm which 'rocks' the pendulum out of its potential wells, in order to stabilize it at a unique vertical position. Simulation results indicate that a preliminary Liapunov feedback controller can successfully overcome the nonlinearity and bring almost all trajectories to the target.

Grantham, W. J.↗

Q-Law for Rapid Assessment of Low Thrust Cislunar Trajectories Via Automatic Differentiation

Q-Law is a Lyapunov-based control law used to determine optimal controls for a low thrust trajectory. One major issue with its use is the difficult derivatives re-quired for calculating optimal controls at a given time. In this paper, an implementation of Q-Law with automatic differentiation via a Python package called JAX is applied. With automatic differentiation, the difficult derivatives for Q-Law’s optimal controls are calculated with ease, and derivatives of final states with respect to Q-Law’s weights are found enabling gradient-based optimization of Q-Law for the first time. Different search and optimization methods for finding optimal weights are then compared using the LEO to GEO problem, and it was found that gradient-free methods like design of experiments and genetic algorithm produced the best results, but they took the longest time to get a solution, while the gradient-based method found a locally optimal result in a much faster time. Overall, the run time for a single propagation is manageable and well-suited for a mission designer to use as an initial guess generator for trajectory optimization, or for simple orbit transfer analysis.

Nathan Steffen↗

Singular-Arc Time-Optimal Trajectory of Aircraft in Two-Dimensional Wind Field

This paper presents a study of a minimum time-to-climb trajectory analysis for aircraft flying in a two-dimensional altitude dependent wind field. The time optimal control problem possesses a singular control structure when the lift coefficient is taken as a control variable. A singular arc analysis is performed to obtain an optimal control solution on the singular arc. Using a time-scale separation with the flight path angle treated as a fast state, the dimensionality of the optimal control solution is reduced by eliminating the lift coefficient control. A further singular arc analysis is used to decompose the original optimal control solution into the flight path angle solution and a trajectory solution as a function of the airspeed and altitude. The optimal control solutions for the initial and final climb segments are computed using a shooting method with known starting values on the singular arc The numerical results of the shooting method show that the optimal flight path angle on the initial and final climb segments are constant. The analytical approach provides a rapid means for analyzing a time optimal trajectory for aircraft performance.

Nguyen, Nhan↗

Large-Scale Numerical Simulations of Human Motion

This paper examines the feasibility of using massively-parallel and vector-processing supercomputers to solve large-scale optimal control problems for human movement. Specifically, we compare the computational expense of determining the optimal controls for the single support phase of walking using a conventional serial machine (a Silicon Graphics Personal Iris 4D25 workstation), a MIMD parallel machine (an Intel iPSC/860 comprising 128 processors), and a parallel-vector-processing machine (a Cray Y-MP 8/864). With the human body modeled as a 14 degree-of-freedom linkage actuated by 46 musculotendinous units, computation of the optimal controls for walking could take up to 3 months of CPU time on the Iris. Both the Cray Y-MP and the Intel iPSC/860 are able to reduce this time to practical levels. The optimal control solution for walking can be found with about 77 hours of CPU time on the Cray, and with about 88 hours of CPU time on the Intel. Although the overall speeds of the Cray and the Intel were found to be similar, the unique capabilities of each machine are best suited to different parts of the optimal control algorithm used. The Intel performed best in the calculation of the derivatives of the performance criterion and the constraints. In contrast, the Cray performed best during parameter optimization of the controls. These results suggest that the ideal computer architecture for solving very large-scale optimal control problems is a hybrid system in which a vector-processing machine is integrated into the communication network of a MIMD parallel machine.

Anderson, Frank C.↗

Optimal feedback control for nonlinear control moment gyro systems

A study was made, leading to development and analysis of a technique allowing the control moment gyro (CMG) momentum vectors to avoid adverse orientations and thus to provide optimal control for the Apollo Telescope Mount. The technique was formulated in terms of a feedback scheme using a check factor, K, formed as the product of the dot products of the three CMG momentum unit vectors. The parameter K approaches unity for all adverse orientations and was used to initiate a single correction maneuver to rotate the CMG momenta away from a pending adverse orientation and to reduce K to an acceptable value. A digital computer program for ATM simulations was modified to incorporate this correction maneuver and performance was evaluated in simulated cases. Antiparallelism was used as the primary example for the evaluation of the feedback optimization technique.

Kyle, R. G.↗