Assessment of an Average Controller for a DC/DC Converter via Either a PWM or a Sigma-Delta-Modulator

Sliding mode control is a discontinuous control technique that is, by its nature, appropriate for controlling variable structure systems, such as the switch regulated systems employed in power electronics. However, when designing control laws based on the average models of these systems a modulator is necessary for their experimental implementation. Among the most widely used modulators in power electronics are the pulse width modulation (PWM) and, more recently, the sigma-delta-modulator (Σ-Δ-modulator). Based on the importance of achieving an appropriate implementation of average control laws and the relevance of the trajectory tracking task in DC/DC power converters, for the first time, this research presents the assessment of the experimental results obtained when one of these controllers is implemented through either a PWM or a Σ-Δ-modulator to perform such a task. A comparative assessment based on the integral square error (ISE) index shows that, at frequencies with similar efficiency, the Σ-Δ-modulator provides a better tracking performance for the DC/DC Buck converter. In this paper, an average control based on differential flatness was used to perform the experiments. It is worth mentioning that a different trajectory tracking controller could have been selected for this research

Two-Stage Control Design of a Buck Converter/DC Motor System without Velocity Measurements via a Σ

This paper presents a two-stage control design for the “Buck power converter/DC motor” system, which allows to perform the sensorless angular velocity trajectory tracking task. The differential flatness property of the DC-motor model is exploited in order to propose a first-stage controller, which is designed to achieve the desired angular velocity trajectory. This controller provides the voltage profiles that must be tracked by the Buck converter. Then, a second-stage controller is meant to assure the aforementioned. This controller is based on flatness property of the Buck power converter model, which provides the input voltage to the DC motor. Due to the fact that the two-stage controller proposed uses the average model of the system, as a practical and effective implementation of this controller, a Σ − Δ-modulator is employed. Finally, in order to verify the control performance of this approach, numerical simulations are included

Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS) : a proposal for the long-term coordinated survey and monitoring of native island forest biota

Islands harbour evolutionary and ecologically unique biota, which are currently disproportionately threatened by a multitude of anthropogenic factors, including habitat loss, invasive species and climate change. Native forests on oceanic islands are important refugia for endemic species, many of which are rare and highly threatened. Long-term monitoring schemes for those biota and ecosystems are urgently needed: (i) to provide quantitative baselines for detecting changes within island ecosystems, (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation and management actions, and (iii) to identify general ecological patterns and processes using multiple island systems as repeated 'natural experiments'. In this contribution, we call for a Global Island Monitoring Scheme (GIMS) for monitoring the remaining native island forests, using bryophytes, vascular plants, selected groups of arthropods and vertebrates as model taxa. As a basis for the GIMS, we also present new, optimized monitoring protocols for bryophytes and arthropods that were developed based on former standardized inventory protocols. Effective inventorying and monitoring of native island forests will require: (i) permanent plots covering diverse ecological gradients (e.g. elevation, age of terrain, anthropogenic disturbance); (ii) a multiple-taxa approach that is based on standardized and replicable protocols; (iii) a common set of indicator taxa and community properties that are indicative of native island forests' welfare, building on, and harmonized with existing sampling and monitoring efforts; (iv) capacity building and training of local researchers, collaboration and continuous dialogue with local stakeholders; and (v) long-term commitment by funding agencies to maintain a global network of native island forest monitoring plots.Peer reviewe