US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Intelligent Process Identification and Control with Evolutionary Strategies

George Mason University, Fairfax VA

Investigators

Abstract

0000109 Gertler Description: This award is for support of a joint research project by Dr. Janos J. Gertler, Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia and Dr. Alaa Sheta, Assistant Professor, Computers and Systems Department, Electronics Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt. These two scientists plan to extend current research carried out by Dr. Gertler in the area of fault detection and diagnosis under a separate NSF grant. The extension will utilize paradigms inspired by natural evolution and genetics in adaptive process modeling and control. These computational algorithms are known as Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs). The two scientists plan to develop model structures using EAs. This model will be utilized in creating parity relations. The EA-based approach is expected to enhance the analytical method and provide more accurate results. In a related effort, they will consider the development of an intelligent controller for the selected chemical process. The type of controller chosen is the model-based predictive controller. This type of controller has been successfully used in many industrial processes with promising results. Scope: This award will allow a US scientist to collaborate with an Egyptian scientist. The research area, a new field within the broad topic of Intelligent Control (IC), is one in which control algorithms are developed by emulating certain characteristics of intelligent biological systems. Dr. Gertler, the US scientist, is well known in the area of fault detection and diagnosis. Dr. Sheta, the Egyptian scientist, is an expert in the area of system identification, control, optimization and evolutionary algorithms. He has developed a number of methods for identification and control of nonlinear dynamical systems in noisy environments. In this project, Dr. Sheta will be responsible for developing model structures for the process under study, and for the adaptation of a simulation program for the process, and will be involved in experimentation on chemical process simulators. This proposal meets the INT objective of supporting US-foreign scientific collaboration in areas of mutual benefit. Funding for this project is provided by the Division of International Programs and the Division of Electrical and Communications Systems.