Automatic Regulator Research Articles

Research on low-energy consumption automatic real-time regulation of cascade gates and pumps in open-canal based on reinforcement learning

ABSTRACT Cascade gates and pumps are common hydraulic structures in the open-canal section of water transfer projects, characterized by high energy consumption and substantial costs, making it challenging to regulate. By implementing cascade gates regulation to control the hydraulic process, lift distribution of pump stations can be optimized, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reducing energy consumption. However, the selection of control models and parameter optimization is difficult because hydraulic processes are nonlinear, high-dimensional, large hysteresis, strong coupling, and time-varying. This study considers minimum energy consumption of pump stations as the regulation objective and employs the reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm for optimization regulation (OR) within a typical canal section of the Jiaodong Water Transfer Project. Our results demonstrate that after regulating, OR can precisely control the water level to achieve the high efficiency lift interval of pump station, enhancing efficiency by 4.12–6.02% compared to previous operation. Moreover, using optimized hyperparameters group, the RL model proves robust under different work conditions. The proposed method is suitable for complex hydraulic processes, highlighting its potential to support more effective decision-making in water resources regulation.

CFD simulation of novel adaptive pin-fins microchannel heat sink to improve thermal management of electronic chips

Frequent hotspots pose a significant challenge for chip thermal management. Conventional microchannel with fixed structure cannot deal with random hotspots, which appear in irregular time and space. To address random hotspots and reduce microchannel energy consumption, a novel adaptive pin-fins microchannel (A-MCHS) is proposed in this paper to intelligently tackle with the hotspot region, which consists of a number of pin-fins with property of phase transition and volume shrinkage when the temperature is raised to 313.15 K. A CFD method is applied to study its thermal performance and user defined function (UDF) is used to realize the adaptive thermal response of pin-fins. It’s found that the adaptive pin-fins of the hotspot undergo volume reduction and enlarged local coolant flow under higher hotspot heat flux, illustrating the automatic and adaptive flow regulation effect. Compared with the fixed pin–fin microchannel, the local heat transfer performance of A-MCHS in the hotspot region is enhanced by 37.9 %, average Nu of the microchannel is advanced by 7.4 %, and the maximum chip surface temperature is reduced by up to 3.12 K. Moreover, it also shows a significant reduction of 10.7 % in pressure drop, suggesting a great energy saving in pumping cooling fluid. It’s indicated that the adaptive pin-fins microchannel provides efficient cooling and intelligently enhanced thermal management and energy saving for high heat flux electronic chips.

Research of the regulator of an expander-generator unit

The relevance of research is determined by the tasks of increasing the efficiency of alternative and renewable energy power plants. The purpose of the work is to develop a method of coordinating the settings of the automatic excitation regulators and the speed of rotation of the rotor of the generator from the vortex installation of the expander-generator unit, which is part of the autonomous power consumption network. To achieve the goal, the methods of mathematical modelling in the MATLAB environment, physical modelling, processing of experimental data, theory of automatic control, theory of magnetic field, theory of electric machines, programming of microprocessor devices were used. Considering the need to expand the base of alternative energy sources, the task of controlling the energy plant for the utilization of excess pressure of gas transportation networks was considered. The study of the regulator of the expander-generator unit was based on a model reflecting the interaction of mechanical and electrical processes. A set of nonlinear differential equations corresponded to the description of these processes. Accurate consideration of nonlinearities of the considered control object complicates the implementation of the corresponding microprocessor control systems. Modelling is aimed at achieving a compromise between the required accuracy of object control and the possibilities of simplifying the object control structure. The use of experimental and datasheet data of the devices made it possible to evaluate the dynamics of turbine rotation and voltage generation, forming the factors for the untying of the control circuits. The use of MATLAB with the Lookup Table option made it possible to perform a multi-point linearization of the nonlinear description of the process, speeding up the modelling and adjustment of the regulator. This is important to incoordinate the settings of the frequency control loops and the output voltage, given the trade-off between the speed of the regulator and the minimization of oscillations in the generation frequency. Based on the obtained results, a regulator of the expander-generator unit was developed, which ensures the stabilization of the initial parameters of the unit under the conditions of electrical load disturbances. In practice, the obtained data can be used in the integration of renewable energy sources into the general energy system through the optimization of the operation of generators

Prototype of pH and Water Temperature Control System in Discus Fish Farming Using IoT-based Sugeno Fuzzy

Challenges in cultivating discus fish often arise from abrupt pH and temperature fluctuations attributed to manual and sluggish intervention. An IoT-based prototype for automatic pH and water temperature regulation was developed to address this. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the prototype in controlling pH levels and water temperature and to explore the application of IoT-based fuzzy logic in discus fish cultivation. Test data from the implemented tools and sensors revealed an error comparison value of 0.0132% and an accuracy level of 99.986% for pH measurement. In comparison, temperature sensing yielded an error value of 0% with 100% accuracy. The IoT-based fuzzy Sugeno system demonstrated regular and effective operation in regulating pH and water temperature in discus fish cultivation, showcasing superiority over manual handling systems in mitigating sudden environmental changes.

Implementation of the Fuzzy Mamdani Method in Decisions on Light Intensity in Plant Seed Research Rooms

This research is motivated by the assignment requirements of the intelligent systems course. Meanwhile, the title selection was based on the need for automatic regulation of the light intensity of the research lab room. The problem faced is that practitioners cannot regulate the light intensity at all times when there are changes in air temperature and humidity, then during the growth period the seeds must receive sufficient light so that seed growth can be maximized and can be predicted and managed well. This problem can be overcome one way by using the Fuzzy Mamdani method. The fuzzy mamdani method uses 3 variables, namely, input data, data rules, and output. The fuzzy input used in this research is the temperature and humidity values. The fuzzy rules applied are how the input value influences the output that will be produced. The output in this research is the size of the light intensity value. The use of the fuzzy application method is assisted by MATLAB Production Server R2015a 2.1 software. The fuzzy logic in the plant research room was successfully implemented and developed and produced accurate light intensity output, thereby helping practitioners to obtain optimal seeds. In this research, the Fuzzy Mamdani Method was used.

Application of an Automated Top Coal Caving Control System: The Case of Wangjialing Coal Mine

China has made notable advancements in the intelligent construction of coal mines. However, for longwall top coal caving (LTCC) mining faces, a key obstacle impeding the intelligent transition of the coal-cutting process is automated control. This paper focuses on the aforementioned issue and comprehensively considers the pre-, intra-, and post-coal-caving stages. In this work, diverse detection and monitoring technologies are integrated at various stages through a computer platform, facilitating the construction of an automated coal caving control system with self-perception, self-learning, self-decision-making, and self-execution capabilities. Key technologies include ground-penetrating radar-based top coal thickness detection, inertial navigation-based shearer positioning, tail beam vibration-based identification of coal and gangue, and magnetostrictive sensor-based monitoring of the tail beam and insert plate attitude. In this study, the 12309 working face of the Wangjialing Coal Mine was experimentally validated, and the efficacy of the aforementioned key technologies was assessed. The results demonstrated that the control requirements for automated coal caving are satisfied by the maximum errors. Automatic regulation of coal caving was realized through the implementation of this system, thereby facilitating initiation and cessation and yielding promising experimental outcomes. Overall, this system offers practical insights for intelligent construction in current LTCC mining faces and the sustainable development of coal resources.

Automatic Fuel Flow Regulation System for the Combustion Chamber under Varying Operating Conditions Based on a Neural Nitrogen Oxide Sensor

Automatic Fuel Flow Regulation System for the Combustion Chamber under Varying Operating Conditions Based on a Neural Nitrogen Oxide Sensor

1.7 GHz long-term evolution radiofrequency electromagnetic field with stable power monitoring and efficient thermal control has no effect on the proliferation of various human cell types.

Long-term evolution (LTE) radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) is widely used in communication technologies. Thus, the influence of RF-EMF on biological systems is a major public concern and its physiological effects remain controversial. In our previous study, we showed that continuous exposure of various human cell types to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 2 W/Kg for 72 h can induce cellular senescence. To understand the precise cellular effects of LTE RF-EMF, we elaborated the 1.7 GHz RF-EMF cell exposure system used in the previous study by replacing the RF signal generator and developing a software-based feedback system to improve the exposure power stability. This refinement of the 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF generator facilitated the automatic regulation of RF-EMF exposure, maintaining target power levels within a 3% range and a constant temperature even during the 72-h-exposure period. With the improved experimental setup, we examined the effect of continuous exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF at up to SAR of 8 W/Kg in human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs), Huh7, HeLa, and rat B103 cells. Surprisingly, the proliferation of all cell types, which displayed different growth rates, did not change significantly compared with that of the unexposed controls. Also, neither DNA damage nor cell cycle perturbation was observed in the 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF-exposed cells. However, when the thermal control system was turned off and the subsequent temperature increase induced by the RF-EMF was not controlled during continuous exposure to SAR of 8 W/Kg LTE RF-EMF, cellular proliferation increased by 35.2% at the maximum. These observations strongly suggest that the cellular effects attributed to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF exposure are primarily due to the induced thermal changes rather than the RF-EMF exposure itself.

Smart Cattle Care: An IOT Based Monitoring and Management System

The "Smart Cattle Care" system, which utilizes Internet of Things (IoT) technology to alter the way cattle are monitored and cared for in agricultural settings, marks a ground-breaking innovation in livestock management. This ground-breaking system combines a network of specialized sensors, wearables, and communication modules to gather and transmit real-time data on important aspects like location, environmental conditions, and health measurements. After that, using cloud-based platforms and cutting-edge analytics and artificial intelligence algorithms, the data is processed and examined. This all-encompassing strategy equips farmers with timely knowledge about the health and behavior of their cattle, allowing for proactive disease detection, improved breeding management, and increased overall productivity. The technology also allows for automatic regulation of feeding and climate, ensuring the provision of ideal circumstances for living. Smart Cattle Care greatly improves operational efficiency, lowers costs, and ultimately promotes enhanced animal care and agricultural sustainability by providing a user-friendly dashboard interface and rapid notifications. This study provides a thorough description of the Smart Cattle Care system, emphasizing its essential features, advantages, and prospective effects on contemporary livestock management techniques.

Long-term monitoring system for pressure in extrahepatic bile ducts with automatic regulation

Currently, an urgent and unresolved problem is the automation of pressure monitoring in the extrahepatic bile ducts in the postoperative period. Obstruction of the bile ducts associated with narrowing or obstruction of the bile ducts leads to the development of life-threatening conditions such as bile peritonitis and subhepatic abscess. A system is described that allows for the automation of pressure monitoring in the extrahepatic bile ducts.

Extending the Cycling Life of Lithium–Ion Batteries with Silicon/Graphite Composite Anodes by Automatic External Stress Regulation

Extending the Cycling Life of Lithium–Ion Batteries with Silicon/Graphite Composite Anodes by Automatic External Stress Regulation

A single-chip PFM-controlled LED driver with 0.5% illuminance variation

A high-efficiency LED driver with the pulse frequency modulation (PFM) control method to generate nearly consistent illuminance is demonstrated in this investigation. The illuminance consistency is achieved by sensing the feedback voltage and the temperature to modulate the on time of power devices such that automatic illuminance regulation is carried out. The recommended LED driver using the PFM control method is featured with an up-and-coming illuminance equalizer. Thus, it does not need any compensation circuit. Utilizing a 0.5-μm High Voltage CMOS process, the prototype has successfully fabricated, occupying 3.2 mm2 of chip area. The measurement outcomes of the chip demonstrate that the current error remains within 1% when the LED output current set at 20 mA. Moreover, the variation in illuminance is exceptionally low, measuring a mere 0.5%. Furthermore, the efficiency reaches 91% verified by the measurement results.

INSTALASI PENERANGAN JALAN UMUM BERBASIS SOLAR CELL DAN PHOTOCELL DI DESA CILANGKARA KABUPATEN BEKASI

Improving the quality of life in urban areas requires efficient and sustainable infrastructure, especially in the provision of Public Street Lighting (PJU). Cilangkara Village, Bekasi Regency, faces challenges in providing adequate lighting, encouraging the Independent Work Program to implement solar cell and photocell based PJU installations. This technology offers an innovative and sustainable solution, utilizing solar energy through solar cells and automatic photocell regulators. The project implementation method includes community education with outreach on PJU care and maintenance. Science and technology substitution involves solar cell-based PJU technology as an efficient solution with the advantages of energy efficiency, reduced carbon emissions and energy independence. The activity will take place in February 2024, with a focus on installation in Cilangkara Village. The results of the activity include community understanding of the benefits and maintenance of PJUs, as well as the implementation of solar cell-based technology. The conclusion states that this project can provide a positive and sustainable impact, empowering communities and creating efficient infrastructure.

Low-Cost System with Transient Reduction for Automatic Power Factor Controller in Three-Phase Low-Voltage Installations

In power engineering, the importance of maintaining a high power factor in low-voltage electrical installations is known. In power substations for industry, the usual method of coupling is to use an automatic power factor controller which connects capacitors banks (with electromagnetic contactors). Sometimes, AC reactors are connected to the phases of the capacitors banks (to reduce transient phenomena and the deforming regime), depending on the desired value of the power factor. This paper presents an analysis (more focused on experimentation) of a low-cost system for automatic regulation of the power factor with a reduction in transients and an increase in the life of contactors (eliminating the electric arc during switching on), with capacitors banks for low-voltage three-phase installations that connect the capacitors banks by means of one three-phase solid-state relay (an expensive device for a quality device; one is used for all capacitors banks) and using several electromagnetic contactors. The automatic power factor adjustment system has a controller with a microprocessor with six outputs, controlled by the phase shift between the current (measured with a current transformer proportional to the current in a bar) and the phase voltage, which is part of a system of distribution bars (L1,2,3, N) from which electrical consumers (e.g., induction motors) are supplied. To reduce transients when connecting capacitors banks, a three-phase solid-state relay and two related electromagnetic contactors are used for each capacitors bank. The automatic power factor controller is connected to two low-capacity PLCs that control the logic of connecting the capacitors banks to reduce transients. By using the proposed regulation system, a cheaper control solution is obtained compared to the use of one solid-state relay for each capacitors banks, under the conditions in which the power factor adjustment is made as in the classic solution. If twelve capacitors banks are used, the proposed installation is 22.57% cheaper than the classical power factor regulation installation.

The Influence of the Biofiltration Method on the Efficiency of Ammonium Nitrogen Removal from Water in Combined Sorption and Nitrification Processes

This study assessed the impact of the method of conducting the biofiltration process on the efficiency of ammonium nitrogen removal from water in combined sorption and nitrification processes. The research was carried out on diatomite deposits using biofiltration with gravity and counter-gravity flow. The following physicochemical water parameters were controlled during the research, including ammonium nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and dissolved oxygen. Unconventional flow turned out to be more beneficial because it allows for optimal use of the entire bed surface, natural regulation of the biofilm thickness, and maintaining constant microbiological activity of the biofilm. The automatic regulation of the biofilm thickness during water flow prevented excessive growth of dead organic matter and limited the development of heterotrophic bacteria. Biofiltration with counter-gravity flow also resulted in reduced oxygen consumption. Regardless of the flow direction used, water after the single-stage biofiltration process was characterized by an increased content of nitrite nitrogen. The introduction of the second stage of filtration made it possible to obtain water that meets the requirements for water intended for human consumption.

Too close for comfort? Social distance and emotion perception in remitted bipolar I disorder

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder that is associated with heightened and persistent positive emotion (Gruber, 2011; Johnson, 2005). Yet, we know little about how troubled emotion responding may translate into dynamic face-to-face interactions involving others, especially in contexts where automatic social regulation of personal distance from others is key to maintaining social boundaries. Method: Using a novel social distance paradigm adapted from a prior work (Kennedy et al., 2009), participants with a clinical history of bipolar I disorder (n = 30) and healthy controls (CTL; n = 31) provided online measurements of social distance preferences in response to positive, negative, and neutral facial images, as well as subsequent social judgment and emotion perception ratings. Results: Results suggest no group differences on social distance, social perception, or general emotion perception ratings. However, exploratory analyses suggest that the BD group rated positive images higher in happiness, but lower in amusement, compared to the CTL group. Conclusion: These findings contribute to a growing literature on socioemotional processes in BD.

Nonlinear model predictive control to automatic train regulation of metro system: An exact solution for embedded applications

This paper investigates the nonlinear model predictive control to automatic train regulation in metro systems under dynamically disturbed environments. A coupled state-space model for the evolution of train traffic and passenger load dynamics is explicitly developed. With the safety constraints, a mixed-integer nonlinear optimal control model is formulated to generate train regulation strategies. An efficient solution algorithm, based on spatial branch and bound combined with generalized Benders decomposition, is particularly designed to obtain exact solutions quickly for the embedded applications. The original complex problem can be converted into several smaller convex quadratic subproblems with reduced domains to be solved quickly. The effectiveness of our train control model and approaches are verified in numerical simulations. Computational results illustrate that the proposed control method effectively improves the operational efficiency and meanwhile reduces energy consumption during operations. Besides, the efficient embedded solution algorithm performs satisfactory computational efficiency, facilitating a real-time implementation.

Neural correlates of automatic emotion regulation and their association with suicidal ideation in adolescents during the first 90-days of residential care

Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents in the United States. However, relatively little is known about the forms of atypical neuro-cognitive function that are correlates of suicidal ideation (SI). One form of cognitive/affective function that, when dysfunctional, is associated with SI is emotion regulation. However, very little work has investigated the neural correlates of emotion dysregulation in adolescents with SI. Methods: Participants (N = 111 aged 12-18, 32 females, 31 [27.9%] reporting SI) were recruited shortly after their arrival at a residential care facility where they had been referred for behavioral and mental health problems. Daily reports of SI were collected during the participants’ first 90-days in residential care. Participants were presented with a task-fMRI measure of emotion regulation – the Affective Number Stroop task shortly after recruitment. Participants were divided into two groups matched for age, sex and IQ based on whether they demonstrated SI. Results: Participants who demonstrated SI showed increased recruitment of regions including dorsomedial prefrontal cortex/supplemental motor area and parietal cortex during task (congruent and incongruent) relative to view trials in the context of emotional relative to neutral distracters. Conclusions: Participants with SI showed increased recruitment of regions implicated in executive control during the performance of a task indexing automatic emotion regulation. Such data might suggest a relative inefficiency in the recruitment of these regions in individuals with SI.

The COVID-19 pandemic and changes in social behavior: Protective face masks reduce deliberate social distancing preferences while leaving automatic avoidance behavior unaffected

Protective face masks were one of the central measures to counteract viral transmission in the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior research indicates that face masks impact various aspects of social cognition, such as emotion recognition and social evaluation. Whether protective masks also influence social avoidance behavior is less clear. Our project assessed direct and indirect measures of social avoidance tendencies towards masked and unmasked faces in two experiments with 311 participants during the first half of 2021. Two interventions were used in half of the participants from each sample (Experiment 1: protective face masks; Experiment 2: a disease prime video) to decrease or increase the salience of the immediate contagion threat. In the direct social avoidance measure, which asked for the deliberate decision to approach or avoid a person in a hypothetical social encounter, participants showed an increased willingness to approach masked as opposed to unmasked faces across experiments. This effect was further related to interindividual differences in pandemic threat perception in both samples. In the indirect measure, which assessed automatic social approach and avoidance tendencies, we neither observed an approach advantage towards masked faces nor an avoidance advantage for unmasked faces. Thus, while the absence of protective face masks may have led to increased deliberate social avoidance during the pandemic, no such effect was observed on automatic regulation of behavior, thus indicating the relative robustness of this latter behavior against changes in superordinate social norms.

Attentional Foci and Coping Strategies During Matches of Young Fencers in a Training Center: A Naturalistic Video-Assisted Study

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) identify attentional foci (AF) and coping strategies used by young fencers during matches and (b) explore the links between these variables using a grounded-theory approach. Using a naturalistic qualitative video-assisted approach, analyses revealed the emergence of five categories of AF (movements and techniques, strategies and tactics, situation evaluation, states, and extraneous attention) and six categories of coping strategies (mastery coping, internal regulation, goal-withdrawal strategies, behavioral regulation, no regulation, and automatic regulation). The grounded theory highlighted that pleasant emotional experiences tended to be related to mastery coping, which in turn favored the orientation of the attention toward AF that appeared to be most effective in winning points (i.e., opponent, distance, plan). Conversely, unpleasant emotional experiences were consistently associated with goal-withdrawal strategies (or no regulation), which generally led to a lack of AF and lower performance. Intervention suggestions are made in relation to the results of the proposed grounded theory.