A Supervisory Control Algorithm Based on Property-Directed Reachability

We present an algorithm for synthesising a controller (supervisor) for a discrete event system (DES) based on the property-directed reachability (PDR) model checking algorithm. The discrete event systems framework is useful in both software, automation and manufacturing, as problems from those domains can be modelled as discrete supervisory control problems. As a formal framework, DES is also similar to domains for which the field of formal methods for computer science has developed techniques and tools. In this paper, we attempt to marry the two by adapting PDR to the problem of controller synthesis. The resulting algorithm takes as input a transition system with forbidden states and uncontrollable transitions, and synthesises a safe and minimally-restrictive controller, correct-by-design. We also present an implementation along with experimental results, showing that the algorithm has potential as a part of the solution to the greater effort of formal supervisory controller synthesis and verification.Comment: 16 pages; presented at Haifa Verification Conference 2017, the final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70389-3_

Sound and Automated Synthesis of Digital Stabilizing Controllers for Continuous Plants

Modern control is implemented with digital microcontrollers, embedded within a dynamical plant that represents physical components. We present a new algorithm based on counter-example guided inductive synthesis that automates the design of digital controllers that are correct by construction. The synthesis result is sound with respect to the complete range of approximations, including time discretization, quantization effects, and finite-precision arithmetic and its rounding errors. We have implemented our new algorithm in a tool called DSSynth, and are able to automatically generate stable controllers for a set of intricate plant models taken from the literature within minutes.Comment: 10 page

Diseño para operabilidad: Una revisión de enfoques y estrategias de solución

In the last decades the chemical engineering scientific research community has largely addressed the design-foroperability problem. Such an interest responds to the fact that the operability quality of a process is determined by design, becoming evident the convenience of considering operability issues in early design stages rather than later when the impact of modifications is less effective and more expensive. The necessity of integrating design and operability is dictated by the increasing complexity of the processes as result of progressively stringent economic, quality, safety and environmental constraints. Although the design-for-operability problem concerns to practically every technical discipline, it has achieved a particular identity within the chemical engineering field due to the economic magnitude of the involved processes. The work on design and analysis for operability in chemical engineering is really vast and a complete review in terms of papers is beyond the scope of this contribution. Instead, two major approaches will be addressed and those papers that in our belief had the most significance to the development of the field will be described in some detail.En las últimas décadas, la comunidad científica de ingeniería química ha abordado intensamente el problema de diseño-para-operabilidad. Tal interés responde al hecho de que la calidad operativa de un proceso esta determinada por diseño, resultando evidente la conveniencia de considerar aspectos operativos en las etapas tempranas del diseño y no luego, cuando el impacto de las modificaciones es menos efectivo y más costoso. La necesidad de integrar diseño y operabilidad esta dictada por la creciente complejidad de los procesos como resultado de las cada vez mayores restricciones económicas, de calidad de seguridad y medioambientales. Aunque el problema de diseño para operabilidad concierne a prácticamente toda disciplina, ha adquirido una identidad particular dentro de la ingeniería química debido a la magnitud económica de los procesos involucrados. El trabajo sobre diseño y análisis para operabilidad es realmente vasto y una revisión completa en términos de artículos supera los alcances de este trabajo. En su lugar, se discutirán los dos enfoques principales y aquellos artículos que en nuestra opinión han tenido mayor impacto para el desarrollo de la disciplina serán descriptos con cierto detalle.Fil: Blanco, Anibal Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Bandoni, Jose Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentin

Model predictive control techniques for hybrid systems

This paper describes the main issues encountered when applying model predictive control to hybrid processes. Hybrid model predictive control (HMPC) is a research field non-fully developed with many open challenges. The paper describes some of the techniques proposed by the research community to overcome the main problems encountered. Issues related to the stability and the solution of the optimization problem are also discussed. The paper ends by describing the results of a benchmark exercise in which several HMPC schemes were applied to a solar air conditioning plant.Ministerio de Eduación y Ciencia DPI2007-66718-C04-01Ministerio de Eduación y Ciencia DPI2008-0581