Controlador preditivo não linear aplicado ao controle de golfadas em processos de produção de petróleo

Slugging is a well-known slugging phenomenon in multiphase flow, which may cause problems such as vibration in pipeline and high liquid level in the separator. It can be classified according to the place of its occurrence. The most severe, known as slugging in the riser, occurs in the vertical pipe which feeds the platform. Also known as severe slugging, it is capable of causing severe pressure fluctuations in the flow of the process, excessive vibration, flooding in separator tanks, limited production, nonscheduled stop of production, among other negative aspects that motivated the production of this work . A feasible solution to deal with this problem would be to design an effective method for the removal or reduction of the system, a controller. According to the literature, a conventional PID controller did not produce good results due to the high degree of nonlinearity of the process, fueling the development of advanced control techniques. Among these, the model predictive controller (MPC), where the control action results from the solution of an optimization problem, it is robust, can incorporate physical and /or security constraints. The objective of this work is to apply a non-conventional non-linear model predictive control technique to severe slugging, where the amount of liquid mass in the riser is controlled by the production valve and, indirectly, the oscillation of flow and pressure is suppressed, while looking for environmental and economic benefits. The proposed strategy is based on the use of the model linear approximations and repeatedly solving of a quadratic optimization problem, providing solutions that improve at each iteration. In the event where the convergence of this algorithm is satisfied, the predicted values of the process variables are the same as to those obtained by the original nonlinear model, ensuring that the constraints are satisfied for them along the prediction horizon. A mathematical model recently published in the literature, capable of representing characteristics of severe slugging in a real oil well, is used both for simulation and for the project of the proposed controller, whose performance is compared to a linear MPC

Estudo e implementação de um controlador preditivo generalizado bilinear compensado adaptativo

The present work presents the study and implementation of an adaptive bilinear compensated generalized predictive controller. This work uses conventional techniques of predictive control and includes techniques of adaptive control for better results. In order to solve control problems frequently found in the chemical industry, bilinear models are considered to represent the dynamics of the studied systems. Bilinear models are simpler than general nonlinear model, however it can to represent the intrinsic not-linearities of industrial processes. The linearization of the model, by the approach to time step quasilinear , is used to allow the application of the equations of the generalized predictive controller (GPC). Such linearization, however, generates an error of prediction, which is minimized through a compensation term. The term in study is implemented in an adaptive form, due to the nonlinear relationship between the input signal and the prediction error.Simulation results show the efficiency of adaptive predictive bilinear controller in comparison with the conventional.

Beta: uma ferramenta para geração de testes de unidade a partir de especificações B

Formal methods and software testing are tools to obtain and control software quality. When used together, they provide mechanisms for software specification, verification and error detection. Even though formal methods allow software to be mathematically verified, they are not enough to assure that a system is free of faults, thus, software testing techniques are necessary to complement the process of verification and validation of a system. Model Based Testing techniques allow tests to be generated from other software artifacts such as specifications and abstract models. Using formal specifications as basis for test creation, we can generate better quality tests, because these specifications are usually precise and free of ambiguity. Fernanda Souza (2009) proposed a method to define test cases from B Method specifications. This method used information from the machine s invariant and the operation s precondition to define positive and negative test cases for an operation, using equivalent class partitioning and boundary value analysis based techniques. However, the method proposed in 2009 was not automated and had conceptual deficiencies like, for instance, it did not fit in a well defined coverage criteria classification. We started our work with a case study that applied the method in an example of B specification from the industry. Based in this case study we ve obtained subsidies to improve it. In our work we evolved the proposed method, rewriting it and adding characteristics to make it compatible with a test classification used by the community. We also improved the method to support specifications structured in different components, to use information from the operation s behavior on the test case generation process and to use new coverage criterias. Besides, we have implemented a tool to automate the method and we have submitted it to more complex case studies

Análise e desenvolvimento de controladores preditivos multivariáveis baseados em multi-modelos bilineares

This work addresses issues related to analysis and development of multivariable predictive controllers based on bilinear multi-models. Linear Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) monovariable and multivariable is shown, and highlighted its properties, key features and applications in industry. Bilinear GPC, the basis for the development of this thesis, is presented by the time-step quasilinearization approach. Some results are presented using this controller in order to show its best performance when compared to linear GPC, since the bilinear models represent better the dynamics of certain processes. Time-step quasilinearization, due to the fact that it is an approximation, causes a prediction error, which limits the performance of this controller when prediction horizon increases. Due to its prediction error, Bilinear GPC with iterative compensation is shown in order to minimize this error, seeking a better performance than the classic Bilinear GPC. Results of iterative compensation algorithm are shown. The use of multi-model is discussed in this thesis, in order to correct the deficiency of controllers based on single model, when they are applied in cases with large operation ranges. Methods of measuring the distance between models, also called metrics, are the main contribution of this thesis. Several application results in simulated distillation columns, which are close enough to actual behaviour of them, are made, and the results have shown satisfactory

Estrutura ANFIS modificada para identificação e controle de plantas com ampla faixa de operação e não linearidade acentuada

In this work a modification on ANFIS (Adaptive Network Based Fuzzy Inference System) structure is proposed to find a systematic method for nonlinear plants, with large operational range, identification and control, using linear local systems: models and controllers. This method is based on multiple model approach. This way, linear local models are obtained and then those models are combined by the proposed neurofuzzy structure. A metric that allows a satisfactory combination of those models is obtained after the structure training. It results on plant s global identification. A controller is projected for each local model. The global control is obtained by mixing local controllers signals. This is done by the modified ANFIS. The modification on ANFIS architecture allows the two neurofuzzy structures knowledge sharing. So the same metric obtained to combine models can be used to combine controllers. Two cases study are used to validate the new ANFIS structure. The knowledge sharing is evaluated in the second case study. It shows that just one modified ANFIS structure is necessary to combine linear models to identify, a nonlinear plant, and combine linear controllers to control this plant. The proposed method allows the usage of any identification and control techniques for local models and local controllers obtaining. It also reduces the complexity of ANFIS usage for identification and control. This work has prioritized simpler techniques for the identification and control systems to simplify the use of the method

VCO Banda Larga Integrado para Receptor a Cinco Portas

This work presents an wideband ring VCO for cognitive radio five-port based receivers. A three-stage differential topology using transmission gate was adopted in order to maintain wide and linear tuning range and a low phase-noise. Monte-Carlo analysis were performed for phase-shift response of individual stages, which is an important figure of merit in five-port works. It was observed a fairly linear correlation between control voltage and oscillation frequency in the range between 200 MHz and 1800 MHz. The VCO was preliminarily designed for IBM 130nm CMOS technology

Análise espectral de reflectarrays com substratos de duas camadas dielétricas anisotrópicas uniaxiais

Recently, an amazing development has been observed in telecommunication systems. Two good examples of this development are observed in mobile communication and aerospace systems. This impressive development is related to the increasing need for receiving and transmitting communication signals. Particularly, this development has required the study of new antennas and filters. This work presents a fullwave analysis of reflectarrays. The considered structures are composed by arrays of rectangular conducting patches printed on multilayer dieletric substrates, that are mounted on a ground plane. The analysis is developed in the spectral domain, using an equivalent transmission line method in combination with Galerkin method. Results for the reflection coefficient of these structures are presented and compared to those available in the literature. A good agreement was observed. Particularly, the developed analysis uses the transmission lines theory in combination with the incident potentials and the field continuity equations, at the structures interfaces, for obtaining the scattered field components expressions as function of the patch surface currents and of the incident field. Galerkin method is used to determine the unknown coefficients in the boundary value problem. Curves for the reflection coefficient of several reflectarray geometries are presented as function of frequency and of the structural parameters

Desenvolvimento de antenas de microfita com aberturas nos patches condutores através do método da segmentação

Microstrip antennas are widely used in modern telecommunication systems. This is particularly due to the great variety of geometries and because they are easily built and integrated to other high frequency devices and circuits. This work presents a study of the properties of the microstrip antenna with an aperture impressed in the conducting patch. Besides, the analysis is performed for isotropic and anisotropic dielectric substrates. The Multiport Network Model MNM is used in combination with the Segmentation Method and the Greens function technique in the analysis of the considered microstrip antenna geometries. The numerical analysis is performed by using the boundary value problem solution, by considering separately the impedance matrix of the structure segments. The analysis for the complete structure is implemented by choosing properly the number and location of the neighboor element ports. The numerial analysis is performed for the following antenna geometries: resonant cavity, microstrip rectangular patch antenna, and microstrip rectangular patch antenna with aperture. The analysis is firstly developed for microstrip antennas on isotropic substrates, and then extended to the case of microstrip antennas on anisotropic substrates by using a Mapping Method. The experimental work is described and related to the development of several prototypes of rectangular microstrip patch antennas wtih and without rectangular apertures. A good agreement was observed between the simulated and measured results. Thereafter, a good agreement was also observed between the results of this work and those shown in literature for microstrip antennas on isotropic substrates. Furthermore, results are proposed for rectangular microstrip patch antennas wtih rectangular apertures in the conducting patch

Regulador automático de tensão robusto utilizando técnicas de controle adaptativo

The stability of synchronous generators connected to power grid has been the object of study and research for years. The interest in this matter is justified by the fact that much of the electricity produced worldwide is obtained with the use of synchronous generators. In this respect, studies have been proposed using conventional and unconventional control techniques such as fuzzy logic, neural networks, and adaptive controllers to increase the stabilitymargin of the systemduring sudden failures and transient disturbances. Thismaster thesis presents a robust unconventional control strategy for maintaining the stability of power systems and regulation of output voltage of synchronous generators connected to the grid. The proposed control strategy comprises the integration of a sliding surface with a linear controller. This control structure is designed to prevent the power system losing synchronism after a sudden failure and regulation of the terminal voltage of the generator after the fault. The feasibility of the proposed control strategy was experimentally tested in a salient pole synchronous generator of 5 kVA in a laboratory structure

Análise espectral de reflectarrays com substrato de duas camadas dielétricas anisotrópicas uniaxiais

Recently, an amazing development has been observed in telecommunication systems. Two good examples of this development are observed in mobile communication and aerospace systems. This impressive development is related to the increasing need for receiving and transmitting communication signals. Particularly, this development has required the study of new antennas and filters. This work presents a fullwave analysis of reflectarrays. The considered structures are composed by arrays of rectangular conducting patches printed on multilayer dieletric substrates, that are mounted on a ground plane. The analysis is developed in the spectral domain, using an equivalent transmission line method in combination with Galerkin method. Results for the reflection coefficient of these structures are presented and compared to those available in the literature. A good agreement was observed. Particularly, the developed analysis uses the transmission lines theory in combination with the incident potentials and the field continuity equations, at the structures interfaces, for obtaining the scattered field components expressions as function of the patch surface currents and of the incident field. Galerkin method is used to determine the unknown coefficients in the boundary value problem. Curves for the reflection coefficient of several reflectarray geometries are presented as function of frequency and of the structural parameters

Controle por modos deslizantes com compensação difusa aplicado a sistemas com descontinuidade

The development of non-linear controllers gained space in the theoretical ambit and of practical applications on the moment that the arising of digital computers enabled the implementation of these methodologies. In comparison with the linear controllers more utilized, the non -linear controllers present the advantage of not requiring the linearity of the system to determine the parameters of control, which permits a more efficient control especially when the system presents a high level of non-linearity. Another additional advantage is the reduction of costs, since to obtain the efficient control through linear controllers it is necessary the utilization of sensors and more refined actuators than when it is utilized a non-linear controller. Among the non-linear theories of control, the method of control by gliding ways is detached for being a method that presents more robustness, before uncertainties. It is already confirmed that the adoption of compensation on the region of residual error permits to improve better the performance of these controllers. So, in this work it is described the development of a non-linear controller that looks for an association of strategy of control by gliding ways, with the fuzzy compensation technique. Through the implementation of some strategies of fuzzy compensation, it was searched the one which provided the biggest efficiency before a system with high level of nonlinearities and uncertainties. The electrohydraulic actuator was utilized as an example of research, and the results appoint to two configurations of compensation that permit a bigger reduction of the residual error

Geração de casos de teste a partir de especificações B

With the increasing complexity of software systems, there is also an increased concern about its faults. These faults can cause financial losses and even loss of life. Therefore, we propose in this paper the minimization of faults in software by using formally specified tests. The combination of testing and formal specifications is gaining strength in searches mainly through the MBT (Model-Based Testing). The development of software from formal specifications, when the whole process of refinement is done rigorously, ensures that what is specified in the application will be implemented. Thus, the implementation generated from these specifications would accurately depict what was specified. But not always the specification is refined to the level of implementation and code generation, and in these cases the tests generated from the specification tend to find fault. Additionally, the generation of so-called "invalid tests", ie tests that exercise the application scenarios that were not addressed in the specification, complements more significantly the formal development process. Therefore, this paper proposes a method for generating tests from B formal specifications. This method was structured in pseudo-code. The method is based on the systematization of the techniques of black box testing of boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, as well as the technique of orthogonal pairs. The method was applied to a B specification and B test machines that generate test cases independent of implementation language were generated. Aiming to validate the method, test cases were transformed manually in JUnit test cases and the application, created from the B specification and developed in Java, was tested. Faults were found with the execution of the JUnit test cases

Métodos numéricos para resolução de equações diferenciais ordinárias lineares baseados em interpolação por spline

In this work we have elaborated a spline-based method of solution of inicial value problems involving ordinary differential equations, with emphasis on linear equations. The method can be seen as an alternative for the traditional solvers such as Runge-Kutta, and avoids root calculations in the linear time invariant case. The method is then applied on a central problem of control theory, namely, the step response problem for linear EDOs with possibly varying coefficients, where root calculations do not apply. We have implemented an efficient algorithm which uses exclusively matrix-vector operations. The working interval (till the settling time) was determined through a calculation of the least stable mode using a modified power method. Several variants of the method have been compared by simulation. For general linear problems with fine grid, the proposed method compares favorably with the Euler method. In the time invariant case, where the alternative is root calculation, we have indications that the proposed method is competitive for equations of sifficiently high order.

Prevalência de incontinência urinária e fatores associados em idosos institucionalizados

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a geriatric syndrome that is especially prevalent in institutionalized individuals, and that causes economic and social impacts derived from treatment costs and overload of caregiver. UI also entails physical consequences to the health of the elderly, such as urinary tract infections or pressure ulcers, among other health problems. However, the existing national research on this condition is still scarce and comprises serious methodological biases. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence and associated factors in institutionalized elderly. A cross-sectional study is presented herein, conducted between October and December, 2013 and carried out in 10 nursing homes in the city of Natal (Northeast Brazil). UI was verified through the program Minimum Data Set version 3.0, which was also used to assess fecal incontinence, urinary devices and UI control programs. Data collection included sociodemographic information, UI characterization, as well as variables related to the institution itself and to health conditions (comorbidities, medication, pelvic floor surgery, Barthel Index for functional capacity and Pfeiffer test for cognitive status). Bivariate analysis was performed using the Chi-Square Test (or Fisher‟s Exact Test) and the Linear Chi-Square Test, calculating the prevalence ratio with 95% confidence interval. Variables with p value under 0.20 were included in the multivariate analysis, which was performed using the Stepwise Forward logistic regression. The inclusion of variables in the final model depended on the likelihood ratio test, absence of multicollinearity and on the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. A statistical significance level of 0.05 was considered. Six (1.8%) hospitalized elderly, one individual in palliative care (0.3%) and one (0.3%) individual under the age of 60 were excluded from the study. The final sample consisted of 321 elderly, mostly females, with a mean age of 81.5 years. The prevalence of UI was 59.43% and the final model revealed statistically a significant association between UI and white race, physical inactivity, stroke, mobility constraints and cognitive decline. The most frequent UI type was functional UI due to physical or cognitive disability, and incontinence control measures were applied only to a minority of residents (approximately 8%). It is concluded that UI is a health issue that affects more than half of the institutionalized elderly, and is associated with white race, physical inactivity, stroke and other geriatric syndromes such as immobility and cognitive disability. Most of these associated factors are modifiable and therefore the findings of this study highlight the importance of UI prevention and treatment in nursing homes, which include general measures, such as physical and psychosocial activities, and specific measures, such as prompted voiding