The motor speed of a buck power converter and DC motor coupled system is controlled by means of a quasi-sliding scheme. The fixed point inducting control technique and the zero average dynamics strategy are used in the controller design. To estimate the load and friction torques an online estimator, computed by the least mean squares method, is used. The control scheme is tested in a rapid control prototyping system which is based on digital signal processing for a dSPACE platform. The closed loop system exhibits adequate performance, and experimental and simulation results match.

To reduce the energy consumption in buildings is necessary to analyze individual rooms and thermal zones, studying mathematical models and applying new control techniques. In this paper, the design, simulation and experimental evaluation of a sliding mode controller for regulating internal temperature in a thermal zone is presented. We propose an experiment with small physical dimensions, consisting of a closed wooden box with heat internal sources to stimulate temperature gradients through operating and shut down cycles.

The analysis and modeling of unconventional thermal zones is a first step for the inclusion of low-cost spaces and for the assessment of the environmental impact among areas of human use in warm climates. In this paper, the heat transfer in a geodesic dome located at the University of Magdalena (Colombia) is modeled and simulated. The simulator is calibrated against experimental measurements and used to study the effect of different loads which are regulated by a controller in sliding modes explicitly designed for this case. The closed-loop system is used together with ASHRAE Standard 55 to characterize comfort conditions within the dome and the effect on the overall thermal sensation with increasing the number of occupants.

This paper presents research results to improve energy efficiency in one of the crude oil heating furnaces at the “Hermanos Díaz” refinery in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. It analyzes the main process’s variables and disturbances, and the multivariate dynamic behavior of the F-101 furnace temperature is characterized to evaluate different control strategies. In addition, the design of a linear regulation control law was implemented as a way to solve the limitations of the existing control of the furnace, to control the plant for the first time with a multivariable approach, demonstrating superior performance by guaranteeing decoupling between the variables, decreasing the overruns by 6%, and increasing the response speed of the system by more than 5 min. The comparison with results obtained with other control strategies allowed us to determine the better performance of the furnace by increasing its energy efficiency, evidencing the economic and environmental impact and obtaining as benefits a better dynamic behavior by reducing fuel oil consumption by 5%, equivalent to 0.74 m³/day, which reduces the operating costs of the plant, the temperature of the gasses by 2%, emissions of CO₂ pollutant gas to the environment by between 3 and 5%, and increasing energy efficiency by 1.5%.

Oceanographic buoys are essential platforms for marine observation, supporting real-time monitoring, climate studies, operational oceanography, coastal management, and offshore activities. This review maps the scientific literature on oceanographic buoys and identifies the main research sectors that structure the field. A Scopus search using TITLE-ABS-KEY((oceanographic OR metocean OR “ocean observing” OR “ocean observation”) AND (buoy OR buoys)) retrieved 1876 documents published between 1938 and 2026. The records were processed using a network-based sector detection and visualization workflow. Five thematic sectors were identified: platform engineering, sensors, moorings, and autonomous systems; marine wind, waves, metocean, and offshore energy applications; physical oceanography, sea-surface temperature (SST), currents, and environmental variability; coastal and ocean observing networks and operational services; and drifting buoys, floats, and global ocean datasets. The results show that buoy research has evolved from isolated measurement systems to integrated observing infrastructures that combine in situ sensing, satellite validation, autonomous operation, telemetry, and decision-support services. By linking bibliometric structure and thematic interpretation, this review provides a sector-based map showing where scientific observation, engineering design, operational services, and autonomous technologies converge.

Non-conventional thermal zones are low-cost and ecology friendly alternatives to the housing needs of populations in various situations, such as surviving natural disasters or addressing homelessness. However, it is necessary to guarantee thermal comfort for occupants, while aiming to minimize energy consumption and wastage in refrigeration systems. To reduce the cooling requirements in non-conventional thermal zones it is necessary to model the structure and analyze the principal factors contributing to internal temperature. In this paper, a geodesic dome is modellingusing the lumped parameter technique. This structure is composed of a wooden skeleton and wooden floor, with a canvas surface as its exterior. The mathematical model was tuned using experimental data, and its parameters were classified using Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis. The mathematical model was used to evaluate the impact on internal temperature and occupants’ comfort when two strategies are considered. The results obtained indicatee internal temperature reductions down to a range of 7% to 11%; this result is reflected directly in the energy used to refrigerate the thermal zone, contributing to the objective of providing houses with lower energy consumption.