Title: Optimisation of controller parameters by genetic algorithm for an electromagnetic levitation system

Authors: Rupam Bhaduri; Subrata Banerjee

Addresses: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, N.S.H.M. Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Durgapur 713212, West Bengal, India ' Department of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur 713209, West Bengal, India

Abstract: In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA)-based optimisation technique for controllers of two actuator-based levitation system has been discussed. GA has a highly proven track record of optimisation of parameters for different types of control schemes. Any electromagnetic levitation system (EMLS) is inherently unstable and strongly non-linear in nature. Controllers based on linear model and designed by classical approach for any EMLS have restricted zone of operation. For a small variation of operating air-gap, there is sharp degradation of controller performance. But it is essential to design an optimised controller that will stabilise unstable EMLS and will provide satisfactory performance for a wide range of operating air-gap. This paper focuses mainly on an optimal control of a proposed two actuator-based EMLS scheme, which is composed of a stochastic technique based on GA.

Keywords: electromagnetic levitation; actuators; lag-lead controllers; PID control; proportional plus integral plus derivative; ITAE; integral time multiplied by absolute error; GAs; genetic algorithms; optimal control.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAAC.2011.042859

International Journal of Automation and Control, 2011 Vol.5 No.3, pp.219 - 244

Received: 16 Dec 2010
Accepted: 13 Aug 2011
Published online: 17 Apr 2015 *

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