Boundary port Hamiltonian control of a class of nanotweezers.

International audienceBoundary controlled-port Hamiltonian systems have proven to be of great use for the analysis and control of a large class of systems described by partial differential equations. The use of semi-group theory, combined with the underlying physics of Hamiltonian systems permits to prove existence, well-possessedness and stability of solutions using constructive techniques. On other hand, the differential geometric representation of these systems has lead to finite dimension approximation methods that conserves physical properties such as the interconnection structure and the energy. These results are applied to the modelling and control of a class of nanotweezers used for DNA-manipulation. The Nanotweezer may be modelled as a flexible beam interconnected with a finite dimensional dynamical system representing the manipulated object. A boundary controlled-port Hamiltonian model for the ensemble and an exponentially stabilizing controller are proposed. A geometric approximation scheme is used to reduce the infinite dimensional system and numerical simulations of the closed-loop system presented

Exponential stability of a class of PDE's with dynamic boundary control.

International audienceWe show that a finite dimensional strictly passive linear controller exponentially stabilizes a large class of partial differential equations which are actuated through its boundaries on a one dimensional spatial domain. This is achieved by extending existing results on exponential stability of boundary control system with static boundary control to the case with dynamic boundary control. The approach is illustrated on a physical example

Boundary controlled irreversible port-Hamiltonian systems

Boundary controlled irreversible port-Hamiltonian systems (BC-IPHS) on 1-dimensional spatial domains are defined by extending the formulation of reversible BC-PHS to irreversible thermodynamic systems controlled at the boundaries of their spatial domains. The structure of BC-IPHS has clear physical interpretation, characterizing the coupling between energy storing and energy dissipating elements. By extending the definition of boundary port variables of BC-PHS to deal with the dissipative terms, a set of boundary port variables are defined such that BC-IPHS are passive with respect to a given set of conjugated inputs and outputs. As for finite dimensional IPHS, the first and second principle are satisfied as a structural property. Several examples are given to illustrate the proposed approach

Stabilization of Unstable Distributed Port-Hamiltonian Systems in Scattering Form

In this letter, we consider the exponential stabilization of a distributed parameter port-Hamiltonian system interconnected with an unstable finite-dimensional linear system at its free end and control input at the opposite one. The infinite-dimensional system can also have in-domain anti-damping. The control design passes through the definition of a finite-dimensional linear system that “embeds” the response of the distributed parameter model, and that can be stabilized by acting on the available control input. The conditions that link the exponential stability of the latter system with the exponential stability of the original one are obtained thanks to a Lyapunov analysis. Simulations are presented to show the pros and cons of the proposed synthesis methodology

Passivity based control of irreversible port Hamiltonian Systems.

International audienceThe frameworks of thermodynamic availability function and irreversible port Hamiltonian systems are used to derive passivity based control strategies for irreversible thermodynamic systems. An energy based availability function is defined using as generating function the internal energy. This is a variation with respect to previous works where the total entropy usually corresponds to the generating function. The specific structure of irreversible port-Hamiltonian systems then permits to elegantly derive stability conditions for open and closed thermodynamic systems. The results are illustrated on two classical thermodynamic examples: The heat exchanger and the continuous stirred tank reactor

Exponential stability of boundary control port Hamiltonian systems with dynamic feedback.

International audienceIn this paper it is shown that an input strictly passive linear finite dimensional port-Hamiltonian controller exponentially stabilizes a large class of boundary control systems. This follows since the finite dimensional controller dissipates the energy owing through the boundaries of the infinite dimensional system. The assumptions on the controller is that it is input strictly passive and that it is exponentially stable. The result is illustrated on the model of a DNA-manipulation process, that is used to show that the interconnection of the DNA-bundle+the controller (finite dimensional part of the system) and a micro-gripper (infinite dimensional part) is exponentially stable

Occurrence of Kanamycin-Resistant Bacteria Relative to Anthropogenic Pollution Along Richland Creek in Nashville, TN​

The overuse of antibiotics has caused an increase in antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria, which is a serious public health concern. Previous studies showed a significant correlation between anthropogenic pollution and AR bacteria. This project aims to identify AR bacteria in Richland Creek relative to local anthropogenic pollution. Water samples were collected at four locations along Richland Creek in Nashville, Tennessee. Bacteria resistant to the antibiotic kanamycin were isolated from the water samples, identified to genera using DNA barcoding, and compared among the sites. We expect to see a greater abundance and diversity of kanamycin-resistant bacteria closer to the end than near the head of the creek. This research project can help describe the diversity of AR bacteria species present in the stream in different areas of Nashville and has public health consequences if the disparities in the distribution of AR bacteria correlate to human activity and/or socioeconomic differences along the stream

Linear Matrix Inequality Design of Exponentially Stabilizing Observer-Based State Feedback Port-Hamiltonian Controllers

The design of an observer-based state feedback (OBSF) controller with guaranteed passivity properties for port-Hamiltonian systems (PHS) is addressed using linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The observer gain is freely chosen and the LMIs conditions such that the state feedback is equivalent to control by interconnection with an input strictly passive (ISP) and/or an output strictly passive (OSP) and zero state detectable (ZSD) port-Hamiltonian controller are established. It is shown that the proposed controller exponentially stabilizes a class of infinite-dimensional PHS and asymptotically stabilizes a class of finite-dimensional non-linear PHS. A Timoshenko beam model and a microelectromechanical system are used to illustrate the proposed approach

Male and female immediate fear reaction to white noise in a semi-natural environment: A detailed behavioural analysis of the role of sex and oestrogen receptors

In classical rodent anxiety models, females usually display lower anxiety than males, whereas anxiety disorders are more prevalent in women. Perhaps this contradiction is caused by the use of behavioural models with low external validity. Therefore, we analysed immediate reactions to a sudden 90-dB white noise in a semi-natural environment. We observed mixed-sex groups of rats for the 60 seconds preceding noise onset and the first 60 seconds of exposure. White noise elicited fear-specific behaviours hiding alone and huddling. It also increased exploratory and ambulatory behaviours, although only in the burrow zone farthest from the open area. Thus, in a semi-natural environment, white noise enhanced motor activity as a product of fear-induced general arousal. Then, we compared male and female sexual, social, exploratory and anxiety-related behaviour, and found little sex difference. This absence of behavioural effect, also observed in other studies, might be a result of our study design, a familiar environment with an ecologically relevant social context. Fear and anxiety responses are modulated by oestrogens through the activation of oestrogen receptors α and β. Thus, in a third part of out study, we analysed how treatment with either oil, oestradiol benzoate (EB), an agonist to the oestrogen receptor α (propylpyrazoletriol [PPT]) or β (diarylpropionitrile [DPN]) influenced female behaviour. The effect of treatment was limited, both EB and PPT stimulated motor activity in the open area before white noise, probably because of sexual activity. PPT increased the probability of fleeing from the noise, and decreased the latency to do so, which is consistent with a pattern of anxiogenic properties found in previous studies. Contrary to reports in classical procedures, we failed to detect any effect of DPN on immediate fear reactions in a semi-natural environment

Use of STATCOM in wind farms with fixed-speed generators for grid code compliance

The increasing penetration of wind energy into power systems has pushed grid operators to set new requirements for this kind of generating plants in order to keep acceptable and reliable operation of the system. In addition to the low voltage ride through capability, wind farms are required to participate in voltage support, stability enhancement and power quality improvement. This paper presents a solution for wind farms with fixed-speed generators based on the use of STATCOM with braking resistor and additional series impedances, with an adequate control strategy. The focus is put on guaranteeing the grid code compliance when the wind farm faces an extensive series of grid disturbances