New optimal controller tuning method for an AVR system using a simplified Ant Colony Optimization with a new constrained Nelder-Mead algorithm

Abstract

[EN] In this paper, an optimal gain tuning method for PID controllers is proposed using a novel combination of a simplified Ant Colony Optimization algorithm and Nelder¿Mead method (ACO-NM) including a new procedure to constrain NM. To address Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller tuning for the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) system, this paper presents a meta-analysis of the literature on PID parameter sets solving the AVR problem. The investigation confirms that the proposed ACO-NM obtains better or equivalent PID solutions and exhibits higher computational efficiency than previously published methods. The proposed ACO-NM application is extended to realistic conditions by considering robustness to AVR process parameters, control signal saturation and noisy measurements as well as tuning a two-degree-of-freedom PID controller (2DOF-PID). For this type of PID, a new objective function is also proposed to manage control signal constraints. Finally, real time control experiments confirm the performance of the proposed 2DOF-PIDs in quasi-real conditions. Furthermore, the efficiency of the algorithm is confirmed by comparing its results to other optimization algorithms and NM combinations using benchmark functions.This work was supported by the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements Program from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (Spain), project DPI2015-71443-R. It was also supported by the Bourse Mobilite Etudiante from Ministere de l'Education du Quebec, the CEMF Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Graduate Engineering Ambassador Award and the SWAAC Bourseau merite pour etudiantes de cycles superieurs.Blondin, MJ.; Sanchís Saez, J.; Sicard, P.; Herrero Durá, JM. (2018). New optimal controller tuning method for an AVR system using a simplified Ant Colony Optimization with a new constrained Nelder-Mead algorithm. Applied Soft Computing. 62:216-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asoc.2017.10.007S2162296