Beam Control System Research Articles

1 Bit Electronically Reconfigurable Folded Reflectarray Antenna Based on p-i-n Diodes for Wide-Angle Beam-Scanning Applications

In this communication, an electronically reconfigurable folded reflectarray antenna (ERFRA), which includes $14 \times 14$ reflecting elements and features a fully planar compact configuration and wide-angle beam-scanning performance, was developed, fabricated, and tested. A novel reflecting element that is able to carry out cross-polarization rotation and electronically reconfigurable 1 bit compensation phases was first developed. After experimentally demonstrating its feasibility, the new reflecting element was then applied to the design of a $14 \times 14$ ERFRA, with a planar feed in the center of the reflectarray and a beam-control system based on the field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The measurements of the fabricated ERFRA prototype show a wide beam-scanning range, up to ±60°, a peak gain of 17.07 dBi, and an aperture efficiency of about 13.2%.

Beam parameter stabilization for the P2 experiment at MESA

The P2 Experiment at MESA (Mainz Energy-recovering Superconducting Accelerator) will measure the weak mixing angle via electron proton scattering at 155MeV. The expected measured parity violation asymmetry will be about 40ppb. This requires a high precision beam diagnostic and control system in order to minimize asymmetries that derive from helicity correlated fluctuations of the beam parameters. A control system for position and angle has been installed and tested at MAMI (Mainz Microtron) and the P2 precision requirements for determining the asymmetry and controlling the transverse beam parameters have been met.

Wave-optics investigation of turbulence thermal blooming interaction: II. Using time-dependent simulations

Part II of this two-part paper uses wave-optics simulations to look at the Monte Carlo averages associated with turbulence and time-dependent thermal blooming (TDTB). The goal is to investigate turbulence thermal blooming interaction (TTBI). At wavelengths near 1 μm, TTBI increases the amount of constructive and destructive interference (i.e., scintillation) that results from high-power laser beam propagation through distributed-volume atmospheric aberrations. As a result, we use the spherical-wave Rytov number, the number of wind-clearing periods, and the distortion number to gauge the strength of the simulated turbulence and TDTB. These parameters simply greatly given propagation paths with constant atmospheric conditions. In addition, we use the log-amplitude variance and the branch-point density to quantify the effects of TTBI. These metrics result from a point-source beacon being backpropagated from the target plane to the source plane through the simulated turbulence and TDTB. Overall, the results show that the log-amplitude variance and branch-point density increase significantly due to TTBI. This outcome poses a major problem for beam-control systems that perform phase compensation.

Wave-optics investigation of turbulence thermal blooming interaction: I. Using steady-state simulations

Part I of this two-part paper uses wave-optics simulations to look at the Monte Carlo averages associated with turbulence and steady-state thermal blooming (SSTB). The goal is to investigate turbulence thermal blooming interaction (TTBI). At wavelengths near 1 μm, TTBI increases the amount of constructive and destructive interference (i.e., scintillation) that results from high-power laser beam propagation through distributed-volume atmospheric aberrations. As a result, we use the spherical-wave Rytov number and the distortion number to gauge the strength of the simulated turbulence and SSTB. These parameters simplify greatly given propagation paths with constant atmospheric conditions. In addition, we use the log-amplitude variance and the branch-point density to quantify the effects of TTBI. These metrics result from a point-source beacon being backpropagated from the target plane to the source plane through the simulated turbulence and SSTB. Overall, the results show that the log-amplitude variance and branch-point density increase significantly due to TTBI. This outcome poses a major problem for beam-control systems that perform phase compensation.

OPTIMIZATION OF PID PARAMETERS BASED ON PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION FOR BALL AND BEAM SYSTEM

This paper introduces the application of an optimization technique, known as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm to the problem of tuning the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller for a linearized ball and beam control system. After describing the basic principles of the Particle Swarm Optimization, the proposed method concentrates on finding the optimal solution of PID controller in the cascade control loop of the Ball and Beam Control System. Ball and Beam control system tends to balance a ball on a particular position on the beam as defined by the user. The efficiency of Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm for tuning the controller will be compared with a classical method, Trial and Error method. The comparison is based on the time response performance. The two tuning methods have been developed by simulation study using Matlab\ m-file software. The evaluations show that Evolutionary method Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm gives a much better response than trial and error method.

Influence of Hysteresis on the Vibration Control of a Smart Beam with a Piezoelectric Actuator by the Bouc–Wen Model

The hysteresis property in a smart structure has attracted much attention from researchers for several decades. Hysteresis not only affects the response precision of the smart structure but also threatens the stability of the system. This paper focuses on how the hysteresis property influences the control effect of vibration suppression for a smart beam. Furthermore, the Bouc–Wen model is adopted to describe the hysteresis property of a smart beam and the hysteresis parameters of the hysteresis model are identified with a genetic algorithm. Based on the identification results, the hysteresis model is validated to represent the hysteresis property of the smart beam. Based on the hysteresis model, model reference adaptive control is designed to explore the influence of hysteresis on the vibration control of the smart beam. With some simulations and experiments, it is found that the vibration control effect is influenced when the hysteresis item changes. The vibration control effect will be improved when the hysteresis coefficient in the Bouc–Wen model, as the expected objective model of the adaptive reference model, is within a proper numerical range where the control system is stable. Furthermore, when the time delay is considered in the closed-loop control system, the principle of the hysteresis influence is different. The results indicate that the hysteresis property affects not only the control effect but also the stability of the control system for a smart cantilever beam.

Experimental study of a model predictive control system for active chilled beam (ACB) air-conditioning system

Active chilled beams (ACB) are gaining popularity worldwide as a potentially energy-efficient air-conditioning technology for buildings. However, the control of ACB system is challenging, as it needs to handle multiple cooling coils and the relatively slow response to cooling load dynamics. This paper reports the implementation of a model predictive control (MPC) system for an ACB system, which employs a linear white-box building model for building energy and indoor condition predictions. A multiple-objectives function is employed in the MPC controller to optimize the energy efficiency in air-conditioning system and indoor thermal comfort while fulfilling the constraints of indoor comfort range (−0.5 < PMV < 0.5). The MPC controller was implemented in the BCA SkyLab test facility in Singapore. The control characteristics and performance of the MPC controller in controlling a conventional fan coil unit (FCU) and an ACB system were investigated experimentally. A conventional feedback control based building management system (BMS) originally installed in the SkyLab test facility was employed as a reference for comparison with the MPC controller. Compared to the original BMS, the MPC controller achieved 14.7% and 20% electricity savings for the conventional FCU and ACB systems, respectively. The MPC controller also kept the indoor PMV within acceptable thermal comfort range at all time. This study demonstrated the real-time multi-objectives optimization capability of the MPC controller in enhancing the performance of ACMV systems.

DESIGN OF AUTOMATIC HIGHT-LOW BEAM CONTROL SYSTEM ON AUTOMOBILE

Car lighting system is a necessary means that helps drivers to observe in limited visibility conditions, the lighting system is also used to inform the movement situation so that people around can recognize in the night. In addition, the system also has the function of displaying the automobile operating parameters to the driver through the tableau panel and illuminating the space in the automobile. In cars, in order for the lighting system to work, the driver must turn on the light switch and make a continuous transition between hight beam and low beam when the car is operating in the city or when there is a vehicle moving in the opposite direction. To reduce unnecessary operations when controlling the lighting system, it is necessary to have a design which installed automatic hight-low beam control system. The paper presents the design, calculation and installation of electrical circuits that control the automatic hight-low beam transition on automobile by LabVIEW software and applies this experiment on a real model.

A 1-Bit Electronically Reconfigurable Reflectarray Antenna in X Band

In this paper, a fully electronically reconfigurable reflectarray antenna that has 14×14 reflecting elements and features a higher aperture efficiency was designed, fabricated, and tested. A new configuration of the reflecting element was first developed so that all the bias circuit and the PIN diode are arranged on the opposite side of the reflecting surface, avoiding the potential unexpected reflection and aiming at the improvement of the antenna efficiency. The new reflecting element, which has a smaller size (0.365λ), was then applied to the design of a 14 × 14 reconfigurable reflectarray antenna. A field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based beam control system was also developed for the realization of an electronically beamscanning performance. The measurements of the prototype of the integrated reconfigurable reflectarray antenna show good beam-scanning radiation performance, a peak gain of 19.2 dBi, and an aperture efficiency of about 25%.

Design of a Modular Beam Control System for Vehicles

Abstract High intensity beams enable the drivers to survey a large portion of the road ahead of them at night. These beams are meant for use when there aren’t many vehicles around. However, a lot of drivers make use of these beams while driving because of the convenience of having a larger field of view. These beams often result in momentary partial blindness for drivers in the oncoming lane, causing them to become floundered. In such a state, they tend to lose control and cause accidents. In this paper, we propose a novel method to curb such happenings by automating the high beam and low beam settings of a vehicle. For the purpose of this study, we used a custom prototype, which is also discussed in detail. The solution we propose, if developed into a product, would be available as an add-on module, and if implemented appropriately, will reduce the accidents due to headlight glare by an exponential factor.

Design of integrated Ka-band reflective phased array antenna element

The results of a constructively simple high-tech small-sized integrated element of the Ka-band electric beam scanning reflective phased array antenna (PAA) development are shown. Beam scanning sector of the phased array antenna is up to 60 by both coordinates. The PAA element is based on the Faraday type waveguide ferrite phase shifter, which works on the circular polarized electromagnetic waves. More than 30000 PAA elements has been produced, 100% control and statistical data processing of their main characteristics has been carried out. Graph for initial phases and steepness of linearized phase characteristics, medium and maximum losses of PAA elements are performed. Average value of the average deviation for parameters which is important for PAA and the beam control system design have been determined. The developed element can be used in PAA which have different sizes, forms and sectors of electrical beam scanning. Small deviations in the characteristics of PAA elements from the linearized characteristics indicate the high quality of the production and their identity, which makes it possible to create PAA without taking into account the real individual parameters of mass-produced PAA elements.

OPTIMIZATION OF PID PARAMETERS BASED ON PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION FOR BALL AND BEAM SYSTEM

Ball and beam system is one of a nonlinear and unstable control system, thus providing a challenge to the control engineers and researchers. This paper introduces the application of an optimization technique, known as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm to the problem of tuning the Proportional-IntegralDerivative (PID) controller for a linearized ball and beam control system. After describing the basic principles of the Particle Swarm Optimization, the proposed method concentrates on finding the optimal solution of PID controller in the cascade control loop of the Ball and Beam Control System. Ball and Beam control system tends to balance a ball on a particular position on the beam as defined by the user. The main challenge for this paper is that the integrating with lag transfer function of the DC motor model (slave loop) and the doable integrating transfer function of ball-beam model (primary loop) are difficult to control using simple PID Control algorithm and gives inaccurate response and bad performance, but it can be used by searching algorithm (PSO-PID) to extract the best PID parameters and getting better performance. The efficiency of Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm for tuning the controller will be compared with a classical method, Trial and Error method. The comparison is based on the time response performance. The two tuning methods have been developed by simulation study using Matlab\m-file software. The evaluations show that Evolutionary method Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm gives a much better response than trial and error method.

Intelligent controller modelling for steerable robotic bar using bio-inspired control synthesis

In any non-linear system, designing and testing the behaviour of a controller is a tedious and time consuming task. Especially balancing the robotic bars or needles under unstable situation, for example continually moving of human’s arm or body, to the specific position in medical robots is very important to get accurate information or action from patients. This paper proposes a new balancing control approach for unstable environment using a ball and beam system. The ball and beam system is one of a famous non-linear and unstable control system, wherein the control of a rolling ball at a desired position on the beam is difficult and providing a challenge to the robotic controller researchers. There are a number of control algorithms with varying parameters to find the most optimal solution resulting in stabilizing the ball and beam system. This paper investigates a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) to automatically tune the gains of the PID controllers in the two feedback loops of the ball and beam control system. It involves the derivation of linearised mathematical modelling, designing of those controllers in order to be used with the linear controllers. Furthermore, The works followed simulation results from PSO tuning are quantitatively compared to ITAE method of PID tuning and a fuzzy-logic controller to reach a conclusion of the efficient of the proposed algorithm.

Intelligent tensioning control and management integrated system for high-speed railway pre-stressed concrete beam

The tension force pre-stressing of most pre-stressed concrete beams (BPS) for high-speed railways in China is currently performed using a traditional manual operation method, leading to low efficiency, poor precision, a complicated operation, and uncontrollable calibration authenticity, among other factors. This paper presents an intelligent tension control and management system for a BPS, including the hardware equipment and corresponding matching software system. In accordance with the current scenario in pre-stressed tension construction, intelligent tensioning control station, tensioning jacks, and other hardware equipment, matching BPS software has been developed. This system is based on radio frequency identification technology, cloud technology, big data technology, the building of a set platform regarding the pre-stressed tension construction control, process management, supervision, and implementation of a railway precast beam. The system achieves automation, information, visualization and remote of the entire process of pre-stressed tension construction, and lays the foundation for the popularization of the Internet of Things technology within railways in China.

Organic ice resists for 3D electron-beam processing: Instrumentation and operation

Organic vapors condensed into thin layers of ice on the surface of a cold substrate are exposed with an electron beam to create resist patterns for lithography applications. The entire spin- and development-free lithography process requires a single custom instrument. We report the design, material choice, implementation and operation of this apparatus. It is based on a scanning electron microscope fitted with an electron beam control system that is normally used for electron beam lithography in a multi-user open-access laboratory. The microscope was also equipped with a gas injection system, a liquid nitrogen cooled cryostage, a temperature control system, and a load-lock. Three steps are required to initialize the apparatus for organic ice resist processing, and two steps are required to restore the apparatus for routine multi-user operations. Five steps are needed to create organic ice resist patterns. Finally, by stacking nanoscale patterns made in organic ice we created 3D structures using two complementary cyclic condense, expose and sublimate processes.

Translational research in radiation-induced DNA damage signaling and repair.

Radiotherapy is an effective tool in the fight against cancer. It is non-invasive and painless, and with advanced tumor imaging and beam control systems, radiation can be delivered to patients safely, generally with minor or no adverse side effects, accounting for its increasing use against a broad range of tumors. Tumors and normal cells respond to radiation-induced DNA damage by activating a complex network of DNA damage signaling and repair pathways that determine cell fate including survival, death, and genome stability. DNA damage response (DDR) proteins represent excellent targets to augment radiotherapy, and many agents that inhibit key response proteins are being combined with radiation and genotoxic chemotherapy in clinical trials. This review focuses on how insights into molecular mechanisms of DDR pathways are translated to small animal preclinical studies, to clinical studies of naturally occurring tumors in companion animals, and finally to human clinical trials. Companion animal studies, under the umbrella of comparative oncology, have played key roles in the development of clinical radiotherapy throughout its >100-year history. There is growing appreciation that rapid translation of basic knowledge of DNA damage and repair systems to improved radiotherapy practice requires a comprehensive approach that embraces the full spectrum of cancer research, with companion animal clinical trials representing a critical bridge between small animal preclinical studies, and human clinical trials.

Development of a double model slab tracking control system for the continuous reheating furnace

In the automatic control system of a continuous reheating furnace, a reasonable and accurate mathematical model, whose core tasks are tracking and calculating the temperature fields of slabs, is important for improving product quality and reducing energy consumption. By combining the characteristics of the mechanism model and the semi-empirical model, the double model slab tracking (DMST) control system for a walking beam reheating furnace of Baosteel is developed. The heating processes of two trailing thermocouple experiments are simulated by the system. The average deviations of slab temperatures between two experimental and simulation results are 26.9°C and 25.0°C, respectively. The maximum deviations are 71.3°C and 79.4°C respectively, which means that both maximum relative deviations are less than 8%. Therefore, the DMST control system could satisfy the requirements of various productions. Thereafter the productive process is tracked and simulated by the DMST control system for one month. Taking the surface temperature of the discharged slab as a comparative object, the proportion of slabs whose simulation deviations are less than 20°C is more than 95%, which shows that the DMST control system has excellent accuracy.

Performance of the HIMAC beam control system using multiple-energy synchrotron operation

Multiple-energy synchrotron operation was developed to realize fast 3D scanning irradiation for carbon-ion radiotherapy. This type of operation can output various carbon-ion beams with different energies in a single synchrotron cycle. The beam control system used in this kind of operation was developed to quickly provide the beam energy and intensity required from the irradiation control system. The performance of the system was verified by experimental tests. The system could output beams of 197 different energies in 63s. The beam intensity could be controlled for all the output beams without large ripples or overshooting. The experimental test of irradiation for prostate cancer treatment was also successfully performed, and the test results proved that our system can greatly reduce the irradiation time.

An overview of beam diagnostic and control systems for 50 MeV AREAL Linac

Advanced Research Electron Accelerator Laboratory (AREAL) is an electron linear accelerator project with a laser driven RF gun being constructed at CANDLE Synchrotron Research Institute. After the successful operation of the gun section at 5 MeV, a program of facility energy enhancement up to 50 MeV is launched. In this paper the current status of existing diagnostic and control systems, as well as the results of electron beam parameter measurements are presented. The approaches of intended diagnostic and control systems for the upgrade program are also described.

Camera as Position Sensor for a Ball and Beam Control System

This paper describes a novel strategy to use a digital camera as a position sensor to control a ball and beam system. A linear control law is used to position the ball at the desired location on the beam. The experiments show how this method controls the positioning of the ball in any location on the beam using a camera with a sampling rate of 30 frames per second (fps), and these results are compared with those using an analog resistive sensor with a feedback signal sampled at rate 1000 samples per second. The mechanical characteristics of this ball and beam system are used to simplify the calculation of the ball position using our vision system, and in order to easy camera calibration with respect to the ball and beam system. Our proposal use circularity feature of blobs in a binary image, instead of the classic correlation or Hough transform techniques for ball’s tracking. The main control system is implemented in Simulink with Real Time Workshop (RTW) and the vision processing with OpenCV libraries.