Fuzzy control systems for thermal processes: synthesis, design and implementation

Abstract

A completed case study on fuzzy logic control of thermal processes has been carried out using a professional laboratory oven for industrial purpose as an experimental test rig. It involved system engineering design analysis, control synthesis, and implementation as well as application software and signal interface design and development. The resulting expertise and lessons learned are reported in this contribution. The structure of PD type of fuzzy logic controllers is closely discussed along with synthesis issues of membership functions and knowledge rule base. Special software was developed using Microsoft Visual Studio, C++ and Visual basic for GUI for a standard PC platform. The application software designed and implemented has four modules: FIS editor, Rule Editor, Membership Function Editor and Fuzzy Controller with Rule Viewer. Quality and performance of the overall fuzzy process control system have been investigated and validated to fulfill the required quality specification