The Optimal Control Of Distributed Parameter Systems

Optimal Control of Distributed Parameter Systems

The Optimal Control of Linear Distributed Parameter Systems. Control of Distributed Parameter Systems. Vol. Ii of Final Report

The term distributed parameter system as used in the report shall mean a plant, or object whose outputs are to be controlled, which is characterized by a partial differential equation. The consideration of such systems is a relatively recent event, motivated both by practical problems and by a desire to extend and generalize the existing body of optimal control theory. The theory of partial differential equations is considerably more detailed and contains considerably fewer general results than the theory of ordinary differential equations. Because of this the authors introduce specialized notions and symbology, not in common usage in optimal control theory, in order to be able to state their results with some precision and compactness. It was the intent in writing the report to present results to a wide control engineering readership. In keeping with this, a section of the report is devoted to an explanation of the requisit mathematical operations, and, where expedient, detailed mathematical proofs are deferred to the references. Hueristic arguments are used as a vehicle to transmit concepts, but not as a substitute for required rigor. Several optimal control problems for linear distributed parameter systems are stated. Theoretical and algorithmic solutions are presented along with examples to illustrate these results.

A Survey of Optimal Control of Distributed-parameter Systems

The report is a survey of theoretical and computational methods in the field of optimal control of distributed parameter systems. This includes systems described by integral equations and partial differential equations. The various studies which have been done are grouped according to the method employed. A number of applications and potential applications of these methods are discussed, and certain deficiencies in the current state of knowledge are noted. Difficulties and opportunities in practical applications are discussed, and suggestions are offered for directions of research to render the results more readily usable. A list of references is included numbering more than 250 items: papers, report, and books.