High-order volterra model predictive control and its application to a nonlinear polymerisation process

Model Predictive Control (MPC) has recently found wide acceptance in the process industry, but the existing design and implementation methods are restricted to linear process models. A chemical process involves, however, severe nonlinearity which cannot be ignored in practice. This paper aims to solve this nonlinear control problem by extending MPC to nonlinear models. It develops an analytical framework for nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC), and also offers a third-order Volterra series based nonparametric nonlinear modelling technique for NMPC design which relieves practising engineers from the need for first deriving a physical-principles based model. An on-line realisation technique for implementing the NMPC is also developed. The NMPC is then applied to a Mitsubishi Chemicals polymerisation reaction process. The results show that this nonlinear MPC technique is feasible and very effective. It considerably outperforms linear and low-order Volterra model based methods. The advantages of the approach developed lie not only in control performance superior to existing NMPC methods, but also in relieving practising engineers from the need for deriving an analytical model and then converting it to a Volterra model through which the model can only be obtained up to the second order

Concert recording 2017-10-22

[Track 1]. Solstice / James Naigus -- [Tracks 2-4]. Sonata for horn and piano / Paul Hindemith -- [Tracks 5]. Parable VIII for solo horn / Vincent Persichetti -- [Track 6]. Reverie for two horns and piano / James Naigus -- [Tracks 7]. Brahms songs. Es rauschet das Wasser, op. 20 [Track 8]. Der Jager un sein Liebchen, op. 28 [Track 9]. Weg der Liebe, op. 20 [Track 10]. So lass uns wandern!, op. 75 [Track 11]. Walpurgisnacht, op. 75 / Johannes Brahms arranged by Verne Reynolds

Concert recording 2016-10-05

[Tracks 1-3]. Just desserts / Lowell Shaw -- [Track 4]. River melos / Andrea Clearfield -- [Track 5]. Appel interstellaire / Olivier Messaien -- [Track 6-8]. Sonata for oboe and piano / Grazyna Bacewicz -- [Track 9-12].Trio for pianoforte, oboe and horn / Carl Reinecke

Concert recording 2015-11-05

[Track 01]. Bagatelle fur tiefes Horn und Klavier / Hermann Neuling -- [Track 02]. Apres un reve / Gabriel Faure -- [Track 03]. Dedicace / James DeMars -- [Track 04]. Fantasie, op. 2 / Franz Strauss -- [Track 05]. Trio for B♭ clarinet, horn and piano. Allegro con moto ; [Track 06]. Adagio ; [Track 07]. Allegro / George Rochberg

Nonparametric nonlinear model predictive control

Model Predictive Control (MPC) has recently found wide acceptance in industrial applications, but its potential has been much impeded by linear models due to the lack of a similarly accepted nonlinear modeling or databased technique. Aimed at solving this problem, the paper addresses three issues: (i) extending second-order Volterra nonlinear MPC (NMPC) to higher-order for improved prediction and control; (ii) formulating NMPC directly with plant data without needing for parametric modeling, which has hindered the progress of NMPC; and (iii) incorporating an error estimator directly in the formulation and hence eliminating the need for a nonlinear state observer. Following analysis of NMPC objectives and existing solutions, nonparametric NMPC is derived in discrete-time using multidimensional convolution between plant data and Volterra kernel measurements. This approach is validated against the benchmark van de Vusse nonlinear process control problem and is applied to an industrial polymerization process by using Volterra kernels of up to the third order. Results show that the nonparametric approach is very efficient and effective and considerably outperforms existing methods, while retaining the original data-based spirit and characteristics of linear MPC

Electron transfer via helical oligopeptide to laccase including chiral schiff base copper mediators

The oxygen reduction efficiency of a laccase-modified electrode was found to depend on the chirality of the oligopeptide linker used to bind the enzyme to the surface. At the same time, the electron transfer between the cathode electrode and the enzyme is improved by using a copper(II) complex with amino-acid derivative Schiff base ligand with/without azobenzene moiety as a mediator. The increased electrochemical current under both O2 and N2 proves that both the mediators are active towards the enzyme

Concert recording 2014-04-15a

[Track 01]. Danceries / Tielman Susato ; arranged by J.P. Muller -- [Track 02]. Tristan fantasy / Richard Wagner ; arranged by Herman Jeurissen -- [Track 03]. Salvation is created / Pavel Tchesnokov -- [Track 04]. Just desserts / Lowell Shaw -- [Track 05]. Concerto no. 1 / Richard Strauss -- [Track 06]. Fantasy / Malcom Arnold -- [Track 07]. Send in the clowns / Stephen Sondheim ; arranged by Gary Pattison -- [Track 08]. Eighty German horn quartets. Fidele Grurocke (Happy huntsman) ; [Track 09]. Hunting chorus from Der Freischutz ; [Track 10]. Pilgrim\u27s chorus from Tannhauser ; [Track 11]. Bavarian Landler / edited by Thomas Bacon

Concert recording 2015-10-26

[Track 01]. Sonata for piano no. 1 in B-flat minor, op. 74. Andante, appassionato ; [Track 02]. Albumblatt for trumpet and piano ; [Track 03]. Chant du ménestrel, op. 71 for violoncello and piano ; [Track 04]. Elegy, op. 44 for viola and piano ; [Track 05]. Méditation, op. 32 for violin and piano ; [Track 06]. Mazurka-oberek for violin and piano ; [Track 07]. Rêverie, op. 24 for horn and piano ; [Track 08]. Fantasy, op. 104 for two pianos. Moderato tranquillo, allegro ; [Track 09]. Scherzo ; [Track 10]. Moderato, andante mosso, allegro ; [Track 11]. Grand adagio from Raymonda / Aleksandr Glazunov

Nanoparticle Networks Reduce the Flammability of Polymer Nanocomposites

Synthetic polymer materials are rapidly replacing more traditional inorganic materials such as metals and natural polymeric materials such as wood. Since these novel materials are flammable, they require modifications to decrease their flammability through the addition of flame-retardant (FR) compounds. Recently, environmental regulation has restricted the use of some halogenated FR additives, initiating a search for alternative FR additives. Nanoparticle fillers are highly attractive for this purpose since they can simultaneously improve both the physical and flammability properties of the polymer nanocomposite. We show that carbon nanotubes can surpass nano-clays as effective FR additives if they form a jammed network structure within the polymer matrix, such that the material as a whole behaves rheologically like a gel. We find this kind of network formation for a variety of highly extended carbon-based nanoparticles: single and multi-walled nanotubes, as well as carbon nanofibers