Ladislav Madarász

Situational Control, Modeling and Diagnostics of Large Scale Systems

A large scale system in general is a high dimensional high parametric system with complex dynamics. For efficient and optimal function of such systems, it is necessary to propose and implement newest knowledge from the areas of cybernetics and artificial intelligence. Present control systems are often limited to control a complex system only at some given conditions. However in real-world applications these systems find themselves in very different working conditions, what influences parameters of their operation and characteristics of behavior and may lead to errors and critical states. The article deals with overview of methods of situational control and is aimed on implementation of these methods in the area of turbojet propulsion.

Situational modeling and control of a small turbojet engine MPM 20

Small turbojet engines represent a special class of turbine driven engines. They are suitable for scientific purposes and research of certain thermodynamic processes ongoing in turbojet engines. Moreover such engines can be used for research in the area of alternative fuels and new methods of digital control and measurement. Our research, which is also presented in this article, is headed toward these aims. We evaluate and propose a system of digital measurement of a particular small turbojet engine - MPM 20. Such engine can be considered as highly non-linear large scale system. According to obtained data and experiments we propose situational model and situational control algorithms for the engine with use of certain methods of artificial intelligence as new methods of control of large scale systems.

Intelligent Technologies in Modeling and Control of Turbojet Engines

The state of present technologies in technical and also non-technical practice is represented by growing complexity of systems. A turbojet engine as a complex system is multidimensional highly parametric system with complex dynamics and strong non-linear behavior with stochastic properties. Its particular property is operation in a wide spectrum of changes of its operating environment (e.g., temperatures from -60 to +40 °C, different humidity, different pressures, etc.). If we want to secure optimal function of such system, it is necessary to develop models and control systems implementing the newest knowledge from the areas of automation, control technologies preferably with elements of artificial intelligence (AI). The present control systems and dynamic models are often limited to control or modeling of a complex system in its certain (operational) states. However, in practice the turbojet engine finds itself in very different operating conditions that influence its parameters of operation and characteristics. To create progressive control algorithms for a turbojet engine, it is necessary to design models in the whole dynamic spectrum of the modeled system including its erroneous states. Furthermore we need to design a control system that will secure operation converging towards optimality in all eventual states of working environment and also inner states of the system represented by its parameters. This leads to the need of having increased intelligence of control of turbojet engines that reduces workload of a pilot and also increases safety of operation. Safety represents a decisive factor in design of control systems of turbojet engines and is presently bound with increasing authority of them. The present trend designates such control systems as FADEC – Full Authority Digital Engine Control, however in reality such control systems have different levels of authority, intelligence and come in very different implementations. These are often not presented as they are intellectual properties of commercial companies. The article will be aimed on description of some present trends in development of FADEC systems and own proposals of methodologies leading towards design and implementation of a FADEC system with high level of intelligence able to solve all operational situations of a turbojet engine. This is strictly bound with presentation of modern methods of modeling of turbojet engines and the use of advanced methods of mainly sub-symbolic artificial intelligence. The proposed methods are all tested in real-world environment using a small turbojet engine MPM-20 in our laboratory setup. Therefore the article will also deal with approaches in digital real-time measurement of state parameters of this engine and design of control algorithms from engineering standpoint.

Digital Electronic Control of a Small Turbojet Engine - MPM 20

Small turbojet engines represent a special class of turbine driven engines. They are suitable for scientific purposes and research of certain thermodynamic processes ongoing in turbojet engines. Moreover such engines can be used for research in the area of alternative fuels and new methods of digital control and measurement. Our research, which is also presented in this article, is headed toward these aims. We evaluate and propose a system of digital measurement of a particular small turbojet engine - MPM 20. Such engine can be considered as highly non-linear large scale system. According to obtained data and experiments we propose different model models of the engine and design of situational control algorithms for the engine with use of certain methods of artificial intelligence as new methods of control and modeling of large scale systems.

Intelligent Supervisory System for Small Turbojet Engines

The paper deals with design of an intelligent supervisory system usable in the area of engineering applications of small turbojet engines. Such supervisory system consists of diagnostic and control system applied in different phases of the engine’s operation. In order to design it we need to know the object and its models that will be realized by means of situational modeling concept and neural networks. Diagnostic system will be based on these types of models applied into the majority voting method of online diagnostic. Intelligent supervisory system will also include off-line pre-start diagnostics for such engine with perspective health monitor database.

Forward control of robotic arm using the information from stereo-vision tracking system

In this paper we present the feed-forward neural network controller of robotic arm, which makes use of tracking method applied to stereo-vision cameras mounted on the head of the humanoid robot Nao, in order to touch the tracked object. The Tracking-Learning-Detection (TLD) method, which we use to detect and track the object, is known for its state-of-art performance and high robustness. This method was adjusted to be usable with a stereo-vision camera system, in order to provide 3D spatial coordinates of the object. These coordinates are used as the input for the feed-forward controller, which controls the arm of a humanoid robot. The goal of the controller is to move the hand of the robot to the object by setting arm joints into position corresponding to the object location. The controller is implemented as an artificial neural network and trained using the error back-propagation algorithm. The experiment, which demonstrates the proof of the concept, is also denoted in this paper.

Mathematical Model of a Small Turbojet Engine MPM-20

The growing demands on safety authority and intelligence of control systems requires new approaches in design. One approach that is usable and potentially effective are anytime control algorithms that can be used in the area of modeling and control [6, 11, 14, 15]. Use of such algorithms allows the system to flexibly react on changes of outer environment and be able to survive deficiency of time, information and resources.

Application of medical thermography in the diagnostics of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Presented paper deals with infrared thermography (IRT) used for the diagnostics of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). More studies on medical thermography in the relation with CTS diagnostics were published. Jesensek Papez B. et al. in 2008 and 2009 improved outcome with classification success rates near to or over 80% in dorsal segments of hand. The background of this study is the skin physiological temperature distribution difference on the dorsal hands and pathophysiological temperature distribution on hands with CTS and non-invasiveness and painlessness of IRT. For presented study, the database of 268 thermal images of the dorsal side of 120 healthy (n= 120) and 14 pathological hands (n=14) with clinically diagnosed CTS of 8 patients were examined. We observed the temperature distribution of the whole hand and the partial temperatures of the center point of carpals (D1), the center point of metacarpals (D2) and the finger tips of the third finger from proximal phalanges (D3), the intermediate phalanges (D4) to the distal phalanges (D5) and the Median Nerve Index (MI=(D1–D5)) were calculated. Results obtained from measurements of the five defined points on the dorsal side of hands showed, that the temperature of CTS hands is characterized by a higher temperature in the phalanges unlike the wrist (MI<0, 71,4%), while the temperature is the lowest on distal phalanges (D5) of healthy hands (MI≥0, 85,8%). The results showed that the skin temperatures of median nerve distribution area on dorsal hands were significantly different between CTS and the control group. The sensitivity of IRT in diagnostic process of CTS is 0,714. Results will be confirmed by further screening of statistically significant group of patients.

Description of an intelligent small turbo-compressor engine with variable exhaust nozzle

How to use an old turbo-compressor (turboshaft) engine and transfer it into a laboratory system used for design and development of progressive control, diagnostic and modeling algorithms transforming it into an intelligent turbo-compressor engine? The intelligent turbo-compressor engine currently designated as iSTC-21v is a small turbojet engine with a single sided radial compressor, bound combustion chamber, single stage un-cooled turbine and variable exhaust nozzle. The engine is equipped with a real-time measurement and intelligent digital control system using two degrees of freedom (fuel supply and exhaust nozzle diameter). The article describes transformation of an old TS-20/21 engine into such engine, which is suitable for laboratory use, research in different areas of cybernetics with perspective applications in different areas of technical practice like unmanned aerial vehicles, ground auxiliary energetic units, generators, etc. The article is aimed to be inspirative also for hobby engine builders, scale modelers and people who work with small turbo-compressor engines.

FADEC control system for MPM 20 engine

The article deals with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) systems and possibilities of application of concepts and methods of artificial intelligence in such control system. FADEC represents a framework where the most modern methods of artificial intelligence can be applied. This represents a great potential for increase of reliability, efficiency and overall quality of control of turbojet engines. We are trying to design and implement a FADEC control system for our small experimental turbojet engine MPM 20.