Proceedings of the 2nd IFAC

Workshop on Fractional Differentiation and its Applications

Porto, Portugal, July 19-21, 2006

VARIABLE FRACTIONAL-ORDER DEAD -

BEAT CONTROL OF AN ELECTROMAGNETIC
- PART II

Piotr W. Ostalczyk Tomasz Rybicki

Instytut Automatyki, Politechnika dzka, dz

Instytut Automatyki, Politechnika dzka, dz

Abstract: In this paper a simple dead-beat control of an electromagnetic servo is

proposed. An electromagnetic servo is identied as a third-order linear continuous-
time plant. A method of a dead-beat control of its discrete equivalent is proposed.
As a control algorithm a variable- fractional-order backward dierence is applied.

Keywords: Dierence equations, discrete-time systems, dead-beat control.

1. INTRODUCTION where coe cients b (nki i)

are dened as
The application of the Fractional Calculus is a 1 for i=0
subject of interest of many researches in dier- (n )
bi k -l = b (nk -l )1 - n + 1 for i = 1,2, L
i
ent areas (Miller and Ross, 1993), (Oldham and i
Spanier, 1974), (Oustaloup, 1991), (Oustaloup, (2)
1994), (Oustaloup, 1995), (Samko and Maritchev,
1987). Dierent kinds of physical phenomena are It is easy to check that the VOFO operator dened
successfully described by fractional order dif- above is time invariant. This means that, following
ferential equation (Bagley and Torvik, 1979), linear time-invariant systems properties, if yk and
(Sakakiba, 2000), (Shimizu and Nasuno, 2004). uk satisfy relation
(nk )
0 D k yk = uk
The paper presents some idea of a dead-beat con-
trol of an electromechanical servo (Rybicki and (3)
Ostalczyk, 2006) applying the variable order (VO)
fractional-order (FO) backward dierence. It is then signals yk q and uk q are also related by
successfully applied to a control of an electromag- the same formula. Continuous-time VOFO opera-
netic servo. Its advantage over classical dead-beat tors were dened and discussed by (Lorenzo and
control consists of its non-uniqueness. Hartley, 1998), (Lorenzo and Hartley, 2002). Its
applicability seems to be wide (Coimbra, 2003).
Notice that for l = 0 and nk = const we
1.1 Variable- fractional-order backward di erence obtain a FO backward dierence (Oustaloup,
1994), (Podlubny, 1999), (Ostalczyk, 2000) and
For k; l = 0; 1; 2; and k 1 l we dene a variable- (Ostalczyk, 2001). Now we consider a VOFO lin-
order (VO), fractional-order (FO) backward dif- ear dierence equation, where all dierences (1)
ference by a following formula are evaluated for l = 0
n
(n ) m
(mi ,k )u
0
(nk l )
fk l =
k l
X
b
(nk l )
fk l i (1) Ai 0 D i ,k y
k k = Bi 0 D k k
k l i i =0 i =0 (4)
i=0
 2 3
where coe cients Ai ; Bi are constant 0 0 0 0
6 b 0 0 07
6 7
~k =6
6
.. .. .. .. 7
M
6 k . . . .7 7
(10)
2. DEAD-BEAT CONTROL STRATEGY 4A 2
b A k 3
b b 05
EVALUATION Ak 1
b Ak 2
b Ab b

In this Section we present a method of a dead- equation (8) takes the form
beat control strategy evaluation (Ogata, 1987), ~ ~
~e = ~
rk - A k x 0 - M k v k
(Ostalczyk, 2003). Here, a well-known least- k (11)
squares method is applied (Ifeachor and Jervis,
1993). Let us dene a 3 (k + 1) 1 closed-loop Now the task is to evaluate vk;opt such that the
system errors vector and a 3 1demand signal following performance index is minimal
vector I (vk;opt ) = min eTk ek (12)
2 3 v
e0 2 3
6 e1 7 d10 It should be noted that this ensures minimal
6 7
e = 6 . 7 d = 4 d20 5
~ (5) values of a sum
4 .. 5 d30 k
X k
X k
X
ek
I (vk;opt ) = x21i + x22i + x23i (13)
e0 = d i=0 i=0 i=0
(6)
ei = d xi for i = 1; ;k
i.e. minimal squares sum of all elements of a state-
From the state-space equation describing the vector. Evaluating I (vk )we obtain
I (v k ) =
plant (Rybicki and Ostalczyk, 2006), for consecu-
tive time instants k = 0; 1; we obtain

x1 = Ax 0 + bv0 ( ~ ~ T ~
)(~
= ~rk - A k x 0 - M k v k ~rk - A k x 0 - M k v k ) (14)
x 2 = A 2 x 0 + Ab v0 + bv1 The minimum value is obtained for

( ) M~ (~r - A~ x )
M -1
~ ~
k k -1 v k ,opt = M Tk M k T
xk = A x0 + A bv0 + L + Ab vk -1 + bvk k k k 0
(15)
(7)

One should expect that for some k > k0

A set of equations can be collected in one vector-
matrix equation vk;opt t vk+1;opt (16)

e 0 r 0
e 2.1 Simulation of an electromagnetic servo dead-beat
1 = r - A x - control
M M M 0
k
e k r A (8) Assuming a linear feed of a core on a level and
zero initial conditions , the control strategy for a
0 0 L 00 mathematical model is presented in Fig 1.
b v0
0 L 0 0
v1
M
40
- M M M
k -2
A b A b
k -3 M
L b 0
30 nk
vk
A k -1b A k -2 b L Ab b
20

10
yk
0

-10
Denoting further
-20

r 0 v0 k
r A -30

~ ~ v 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07

rk = , A k = , v k = 1
M M M
k
r A v k (9) Fig.1. The position of a core of a rst model
(continuous line) with zero initial conditions and
a control without constrains (dashed line) vs. time
One can realise that the evaluated control strat- x0
egy exceeds admissible values j k j 6 max , where
max = 10 [V ]. This forces a modication of a con-
trol strategy. For some non-zero initial conditions, Evaluation of Evaluation of
for instance x k +1
v k,opt
2 3
102 1
x (0) = 4 0 5
7
20 10 Condition M No
Yes
it is possible to obtain a control strategy included
in the prescribed control interval. This is pre-
sented in Fig. 2 v k,o p t

Fig.3. Block diagram of a modied algorithm

yk
2.3 Simulation of an electromagnetic servo dead-beat
control with constraints

For the same control conditions one simulates

nk system response that is presented in Fig. 4. Realise
k that in this case the control strategy does not
exceed maximal values
2 3
10
Fig.2. The position of a core of a rst model 6 10 7
6 7
(continuous line) with non-zero initial conditions 6 10 7
6 7
and a control without constrains (dashed line) vs. 6 1:31788300 7
6 7
6 7
time vk;opt = 6 0:951475783 7 (20)
6 0:622281495 7
6 7
6 0 7
6 7
6 0 7
4 5
..
.

2.2 Dead-beat control strategy with constrains

12

nk
On the controlling signal for i = 0; 1; 2; one 10

imposes the following natural conditions 8

If vi v max then vi = v max

6
yk
M: 4
If vi -v max then vi = -v max
(17) 2

where ( max > 0 ). Having replaced due to

-2
k
condition M control value i one evaluates the 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07

appropriate state vector

Fig.4. The position of a core of a rst model
x i (vi ) = A x 0 + A
k k -1
bv0 + L + Abvi -1 + bvi (continuous line) and a modied control (dashed
line) vs. time
(18)
Assuming next that
3. VARIABLE- FRACTIONAL ORDER
x (0) = xi ( i ) (19) DEAD-BEAT CONTROL REALISATION

Having dened a discrete-time control strategy

one repeats evaluation of .vk;opt The block dia- one can evaluate a variable-order (VO), fractional-
gram of the algorithm is presented in Fig.3 order control strategy realisation. The control is
realised in a closed-loop system considered in
(Rybicki and Ostalczyk, 2006).
[b (
0
nk ) (nk ) L b (nk )
b1 k ]
One assumes that the VOFO controller is de- (
~ ~ -1 ~
) (
M Tk M k M Tk ~

~
)
rk - A k x 0 =

scribed by a simple dierence equation
1
(nk ) = (d k - k h y k )
kp 0 k = ek (21) kp
k (26)

where kp is a constant term. A sensor can be According to the equation given above the closed-
described by a proportional element kh Equation loop system control may be represented by a block
(21) can be rearranged into the form diagram in Fig.5.
2 3 (nk )
0 D k vk

x0
k
6 7 1
(nk ) (nk ) (nk ) 6 k 1 7
b b b 6 .. 7= ek
4 5 kp
0 1 k . nk
0
(22)
dk vk yk
It is valid for all k = 0; 1; 2; . Collecting all
(nk )
0 D k vk
equations (dened for all k) in a one vector-matrix
equation we obtain
Plant
ek
b (nk ) b (nk ) L b (nk ) v ek Sensor
0 (
1
nk -1 ) (
k k
nk -1 ) v
0 b0 L bk -1 k -1 1 ek -1
=
M M M M k p M Fig.5. Block diagram of a closed-loop system with
(n )
0 L b0 0 v0
an electromechanical servo and a VOFO controller
0 e0
(23)
3.1 Non-uniqueness of a dead-beat variable fractional-order
From a block diagram of a closed-loop system one control strategy
derives
As was mentioned above a FO evaluation proce-
ek d k yk dure is a polynomial roots calculation. One should
e d
k -1 = k -1 - k y k -1 take into account only real roots. This means that
h M
M M in every consecutive step an additional solution
may be added. This causes a non-uniqueness of
e0 d 0 y0 (24) the proposed control strategy. In a considered
system the values presented by points in Fig. 6
Taking into account equation (15) we get were obtained
2 (n ) (n ) (n )
3
b0 k b1 k bk k
6 (n
6 0 b0 k 1
) (n )7
bk k1 1 7 nk ,i
6 . .. .. 7
6 . 7
4 . . . 5
(n0 )
0 0 b0

(
~ ~ -1 ~
) (
M Tk M k M Tk ~

~
rk - A k x 0 =

)
dk yk k
y
1 d k -1
= - k h k -1
kp M M
d Fig.6. Equation (23) solutions, as functions of k
0 y 0 (25) Hence one can build a control sequence. Here
there is a great choice of orders. One can for
In a k-th sampling interval one solves a k-th order instance easily check that the optimal control se-
polynomial in a variable nk quence with constrains (17) is realised for VOFO
sequence. Here there were assumed that for k = microprocessor memory may be lled. To avoid
1; 2; ; l where l k this problem we realise that for su ciently high
values of k, say k > m i ; ei = 0. Hence from
nk = min jnk;j j (27)
nk;j equation (25) we immediately get

It should be mentioned that for k = 0 equation 0 0

b (nk ) b (nk ) L b (nk ) M
(26) does not contain a variable n0 . Its satisfaction
0 1 k M
is preserved by an appropriate choice of a constant 0 (
b0
n k -1 ) (n k -1 ) 0
L bk -1 1 0
term kp . We may assume n0 = 0. Appropriate v = k e
order sequence is presented in Fig.7 M M M m p m
0 0
(n0 ) M
L b0 M

v0 e0
nk (29)
This is equivalent to
b (nk ) b (nk ) L b (nk ) v 0
m +1 m+ 2
(n k -1 ) (
k m -1
n k -1 ) v
bm(nk -1 )
bm -1 L bk -1 m - 2 1 0
=
M M M M k p M

b (nm ) b (nm ) L b (nm ) v0 0
k 1 2 k -m
(30)

Fig.7. Orders function nk = n (kTs ) = min jnk;j jvs.

nk;j
0 0
b (nk ) b (nk ) L b (nk ) M
time instants k.
0 1 k M
Another possible choice is to take variable or-
0 (
b0
n k -1 ) (n k -1 ) 0
L bk -1 1 0
ders according to an inverse criterion. For k = v = k e
1; 2; ; l where l k M M M m p m
0 0
(n0 ) M
L b0 M
nk = max jnk;j j (28)
nk;j
v0 e0
Then the orders preserving the same optimal (31)
control sequence are presented in Fig. 8
Recalling the form of coe cients b (nik )
dened by
formula (2), from equation (31) follows that the
solutions are
nk nk;i = i for i = 0; 1; 2; ;m 1 (32)

Hence for all k > m one can always take

nk = 0 (33)

This solution seems to be natural (similar to

k calculation tail. Moreover, the digital controller
Fig.8. Orders function nk = max jnk;j j vs. time
k;j
instants k.
3.2 "Calculation tail cut
The practical evaluation of a VOFO backward
dierence is strictly connected to the problem
of a growing calculation tail (Podlubny, 1999).
Enlarging number of samples extends a calcula-
tion process (N.J. and Simpson, 2000). Moreover,
the PI control strategy), preserving a cut of a
memory may be erased waiting for a new transient
process. Then one may set a new initial time-
instant k = 0 and once again apply an algorithm
described above.
Below in Fig.9 we show the measured position of
a movable electromechanical servo part due to the
control strategy dened by formula (21).In order
to compare the result obtained above, a classical
PI controller was designed.
q0 + q1 z 1
1
G z = with q0 = q1 = 2 (34)
1 z 1
Following the PI control strategy one obtains a
displacement presented in Fig. 10.

Fig.9. The displacement signal of the movable part
of the servo controlled using the VFO dead-beat
algorithm.
Fig.10. The displacement signal of the movable
part of the servo controlled using the PI algo-
rithm.
4. FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND OPEN
PROBLEMS
The proposed algorithm shows that there exist
a non-uniquely realisable control strategy. Hence
the optimal sequence of variable- fractional or-
ders should be evaluated due to some robustness
measure. It is well known that the classical dead-
beat control is sensitive to a plant model changes.
Hence the proposed algorithm may be useful in an
optimal solution evaluation.
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