This paper describes a blended learning approach in teaching ¿Constrained Time-Delayed Proportional-Integral-Derivative Control.¿ It is based on the ¿learning by doing¿ paradigm supported by several e-learning tools: by the interactive electronic course materials in Moodle; by the laboratory of low-cost and easy-to-manipulate plants; and by the virtual laboratory WebLAB. These open the access to study and experiment on real systems via Internet for 24 h/day, seven days a week. Synergy of the newly structured theory developed to deal with real-world constraints with the interactive content delivery and with active learning based on simulations, real-time experiments in laboratories, and tele-experiments via Internet offers stimulating and quasi-authentic learning environment. These give students multiple formative feedback, ranging from computer quizzes to plant reactions in a rich variety of authentic situations.

This paper deals with the design of a DC motor speed control implemented by an embedded controller. The design is simple and brings some important changes to the traditional Ziegler–Nichols tuning. The design also includes a novel anti-windup implementation of the controller and an integrated noise-reduction filter design. The proposed tuning method considers all important aspects of the control, such as pre-processing of the measured signals and filtering (to attenuate the measurement noise), time delays of the process, modeling and identification of the process, and constraints on the control signal. Three important aspects of designing PI and PID controllers for processes with noisy output on Arduino-type embedded computers are considered. First, it deals with the integrated design of the input filter and the controller parameters, since both are interdependent. Secondly, the method of setting the controllers from step responses by Ziegler and Nichols is modified for the case of digital signal processing (without drawing the tangent), while it recommends the suitability of its modification in terms of the use of both integral and static models. Third, the most suitable anti-windup solution for the given controller structure is proposed. In summary, the paper shows that an appropriate design of the embedded controller can achieve excellent closed-loop performance even in a noisy process environment with limited control signals.

Distributed generation connected with AC, DC, or hybrid loads and energy storage systems is known as a microgrid. Campus microgrids are an important load type. A university campus microgrids, usually, contains distributed generation resources, energy storage, and electric vehicles. The main aim of the microgrid is to provide sustainable, economical energy, and a reliable system. The advanced energy management system (AEMS) provides a smooth energy flow to the microgrid. Over the last few years, many studies were carried out to review various aspects such as energy sustainability, demand response strategies, control systems, energy management systems with different types of optimization techniques that are used to optimize the microgrid system. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the energy management system of campus microgrids is presented. In this survey, the existing literature review of different objective functions, renewable energy resources and solution tools are also reviewed. Furthermore, the research directions and related issues to be considered in future microgrid scheduling studies are also presented.

In this paper, we discuss the main features of the generalized higher-order proportional-integrative-derivative control (HO-PID) based on the integral-plus-dead-time (IPDT) plant models. It was developed by extending the traditional PI-control to include $m$ th-order derivatives and $n\geq m$ th-order binomial series filters. The HO-PID control provides two additional degrees of freedom, which allow to appropriately modify the speed of the transients and the attenuation of the measurement noise, together with the closed-loop robustness. In this way, it pursues similar goals as an alternative fractional-order PID control. A broad family of the HO-PID controllers with the included low-pass filters is employed to solve a number of new problems. Their integrated suboptimal tuning, based on explicit formulas derived by the multiple real dominant pole (MRDP) method and evaluated by a novel approach that relates the speed of transients to the excessive input and output increments, has been simplified by introducing two integrated tuning procedures (ITPs). The main new finding is that HO-PID control enables faster transients by simultaneously reducing the negative effects of measurement noise and increasing the closed-loop robustness. A brief experimental evaluation using new sensitivity measures fully confirms the excellent HO-PID characteristics and shows that commissioning remains almost as simple as with the filtered PI-control.