T1: Harmonic Control Arrays: A Control Methodology for Systems Involving Periodic Signals
Organizer: Prof. Murat Dogruel
Affiliation: Istanbul 29 Mayis University, Türkiye
Type: Tutorial
Duration: Half-day tutorial
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Time: 09:00 - 13:00 Room N - D3A
Speaker Biography
Dr. Murat Dogruel received his B.S. degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, Türkiye, in 1988, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA, in 1992 and 1995, respectively. From 1995 to 2022, he served in the Faculty of Engineering at Marmara University, Istanbul, Türkiye, where he attained the rank of full professor and chaired the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. He was a Visiting Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Miami from 2001 to 2003. From 2006 to 2008, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences at the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and was Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Marmara University from 2014 to 2017. He is currently with the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Istanbul 29 Mayis University, Türkiye. His research interests include control, signal and image processing, and power electronics. He has introduced the novel concept of Harmonic Control Arrays and is actively engaged in its theoretical and practical development.
Abstract
Eliminating periodic disturbances and tracking periodic reference signals pose significant challenges for many control systems across a wide range of application domains. This tutorial introduces Harmonic Control Arrays (HCA), a novel control methodology specifically designed for control systems that involve periodic reference signals or periodic disturbances. HCA provides a structured approach to achieving accurate periodic tracking and to mitigating the effects of periodic disturbance signals. The tutorial offers a comprehensive overview of HCA, covering its theoretical foundations, practical implementation using tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, and real-world applications in areas such as power electronics and electromechanical systems. Participants will gain hands-on experience with HCA through simulations and live demonstrations. The tutorial also examines the relationship between HCA and traditional feedback control methodologies. Traditional control methods often encounter difficulties in effectively handling such scenarios, particularly in the presence of time delays, nonlinearities, and model uncertainties. The Harmonic Control Array (HCA) framework provides a robust and systematic way to address these challenges, enabling the design of high-performance control systems in the presence of periodic signals. The fundamental insight behind HCA is to decompose the error signal into its complex-valued harmonic components using Fourier analysis, to control each harmonic independently in the frequency domain, and then to synthesize the real-time control input from these harmonically controlled components.
List of Topics and Their Descriptions
The tutorial is structured to provide both theoretical understanding and practical implementation skills:
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Introduction to HCA Fundamentals
- Overview of control challenges with periodic signals
- Unitary feedback systems and the role of integral control
- Mathematical foundation: Fourier series analysis and synthesis
- The HCA concept: dispersion, harmonic control, and assembly
- A typical control system using HCA
- Benefits and limitations of HCA compared to alternative methods
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MATLAB/Simulink Modeling and Simulation
- Discrete-time implementation of HCA
- Construction of the Disperser block
- Implementation of exponential sequences
- Building the HCA PI controller block with complex gains
- The Assembler block for signal synthesis
- Complete closed-loop system integration
- Simulation examples: DC motor position control, inverter control, hot rolling mill process
- Performance evaluation and comparison with conventional controllers
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Real-Time Implementation Technologies
- Microcontroller implementation algorithm and architecture
- C programming details for embedded HCA controllers
- Memory management and computational efficiency
- FPGA implementation for high-speed applications
- Electronic circuit control examples with experimental results
- Comparison of MATLAB simulations with hardware implementations
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Advanced Topics and Applications
- A tuning rule for complex PI gains: an optimization-based approach
- Piecewise-constant periodic references: Fourier coefficient calculation
- Applications in power electronics: single-phase standalone inverters
- Applications to nonlinear systems: inductor circuits with saturation and hysteresis
- Control of chaotic systems using HCA
- Comparison studies: HCA vs. PID, IMC, and MPC on benchmark problems
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Q&A and Interactive Discussion
- Opportunity for participants to ask questions
- Discussion of specific control problems brought by attendees
- Guidance on adapting HCA to different application domains
- Future research directions and open problems
Expected Participants
This tutorial is designed for a broad audience of control engineering professionals and researchers:
- Graduate students conducting research in control engineering, power electronics, robotics, marine systems, and related fields
- Applied researchers and industry practitioners working on systems with periodic references or disturbances
- Engineers and designers from SMIs seeking to enhance the performance of their control systems
- Theoretical researchers and academicians investigating control of systems with periodic inputs
- Anyone interested in learning a specialized control technique for periodic signal management
A basic, undergraduate-level understanding of control systems concepts (e.g., feedback control, frequency response, sampled-data systems) is sufficient. No advanced knowledge of harmonic analysis is required, as these concepts will be introduced as needed during the tutorial.
Equipment
Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops.