@inproceedings{WittigRuettersBragard2024,
  author    = {Wittig, M. and R{\"u}tters, Ren{\´e} and Bragard, Michael},
  title     = {Application of RL in control systems using the example of a rotatory inverted pendulum},
  series = {Tagungsband AALE 2024 : Fit f{\"u}r die Zukunft: praktische L{\"o}sungen f{\"u}r die industrielle Automation},
  booktitle = {Tagungsband AALE 2024 : Fit f{\"u}r die Zukunft: praktische L{\"o}sungen f{\"u}r die industrielle Automation},
  editor    = {Reiff-Stephan, J{\"o}rg and J{\"a}kel, Jens and Schwarz, Andr{\´e}},
  publisher = {le-tex publishing services GmbH},
  address   = {Leipzig},
  isbn      = {978-3-910103-02-3},
  doi       = {10.33968/2024.53},
  pages     = {241 -- 248},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {In this paper, the use of reinforcement learning (RL) in control systems is investigated using a rotatory inverted pendulum as an example. The control behavior of an RL controller is compared to that of traditional LQR and MPC controllers. This is done by evaluating their behavior under optimal conditions, their disturbance behavior, their robustness and their development process. All the investigated controllers are developed using MATLAB and the Simulink simulation environment and later deployed to a real pendulum model powered by a Raspberry Pi. The RL algorithm used is Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO). The LQR controller exhibits an easy development process, an average to good control behavior and average to good robustness. A linear MPC controller could show excellent results under optimal operating conditions. However, when subjected to disturbances or deviations from the equilibrium point, it showed poor performance and sometimes instable behavior. Employing a nonlinear MPC Controller in real time was not possible due to the high computational effort involved. The RL controller exhibits by far the most versatile and robust control behavior. When operated in the simulation environment, it achieved a high control accuracy. When employed in the real system, however, it only shows average accuracy and a significantly greater performance loss compared to the simulation than the traditional controllers. With MATLAB, it is not yet possible to directly post-train the RL controller on the Raspberry Pi, which is an obstacle to the practical application of RL in a prototyping or teaching setting. Nevertheless, RL in general proves to be a flexible and powerful control method, which is well suited for complex or nonlinear systems where traditional controllers struggle.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{FunkeBeckmannStefanetal.2023,
  author    = {Funke, Harald and Beckmann, Nils and Stefan, Lukas and Keinz, Jan},
  title     = {Hydrogen combustor integration study for a medium range aircraft engine using the dry-low NOx "Micromix" combustion principle},
  series = {Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2023: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition. Volume 1: Aircraft Engine. Boston, Massachusetts, USA. June 26-30, 2023},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo 2023: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition. Volume 1: Aircraft Engine. Boston, Massachusetts, USA. June 26-30, 2023},
  publisher = {ASME},
  address   = {New York},
  isbn      = {978-0-7918-8693-9},
  doi       = {10.1115/GT2023-102370},
  pages     = {12 Seiten},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {The feasibility study presents results of a hydrogen combustor integration for a Medium-Range aircraft engine using the Dry-Low-NOₓ Micromix combustion principle. Based on a simplified Airbus A320-type flight mission, a thermodynamic performance model of a kerosene and a hydrogen-powered V2530-A5 engine is used to derive the thermodynamic combustor boundary conditions. A new combustor design using the Dry-Low NOx Micromix principle is investigated by slice model CFD simulations of a single Micromix injector for design and off-design operation of the engine. Combustion characteristics show typical Micromix flame shapes and good combustion efficiencies for all flight mission operating points. Nitric oxide emissions are significant below ICAO CAEP/8 limits. For comparison of the Emission Index (EI) for NOₓ emissions between kerosene and hydrogen operation, an energy (kerosene) equivalent Emission Index is used. A full 15° sector model CFD simulation of the combustion chamber with multiple Micromix injectors including inflow homogenization and dilution and cooling air flows investigates the combustor integration effects, resulting NOₓ emission and radial temperature distributions at the combustor outlet. The results show that the integration of a Micromix hydrogen combustor in actual aircraft engines is feasible and offers, besides CO₂ free combustion, a significant reduction of NOₓ emissions compared to kerosene operation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{GehlerOberBloebaumDachwald2009,
  author    = {Gehler, M. and Ober-Bl{\"o}baum, S. and Dachwald, Bernd},
  title     = {Application of discrete mechanics and optimal control to spacecraft in non-keplerian motion around small solar system bodies},
  series = {Procceedings of the 60th International Astronautical Congress},
  booktitle = {Procceedings of the 60th International Astronautical Congress},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  isbn      = {978-161567908-9},
  pages     = {1360 -- 1371},
  year      = {2009},
  abstract  = {Prolonged operations close to small solar system bodies require a sophisticated control logic to minimize propellant mass and maximize operational efficiency. A control logic based on Discrete Mechanics and Optimal Control (DMOC) is proposed and applied to both conventionally propelled and solar sail spacecraft operating at an arbitrarily shaped asteroid in the class of Itokawa. As an example, stand-off inertial hovering is considered, recently identified as a challenging part of the Marco Polo mission. The approach is easily extended to stand-off orbits. We show that DMOC is applicable to spacecraft control at small objects, in particular with regard to the fact that the changes in gravity are exploited by the algorithm to optimally control the spacecraft position. Furthermore, we provide some remarks on promising developments.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{DachwaldWurm2009,
  author    = {Dachwald, Bernd and Wurm, P.},
  title     = {Design concept and modeling of an advanced solar photon thruster},
  series = {Advances in the Astronautical Sciences},
  booktitle = {Advances in the Astronautical Sciences},
  publisher = {American Astronautical Society},
  address   = {San Diego, Calif.},
  isbn      = {978-087703554-1},
  issn      = {00653438},
  pages     = {723 -- 740},
  year      = {2009},
  abstract  = {The so-called "compound solar sail", also known as "Solar Photon Thruster" (SPT), holds the potential of providing significant performance advantages over the flat solar sail. Previous SPT design concepts, however, do not consider shadowing effects and multiple reflections of highly concentrated solar radiation that would inevitably destroy the gossamer sail film. In this paper, we propose a novel advanced SPT (ASPT) design concept that does not suffer from these oversimplifications. We present the equations that describe the thrust force acting on such a sail system and compare its performance with respect to the conventional flat solar sail.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{GedleSchmitzGielenetal.2022,
  author    = {Gedle, Yibekal and Schmitz, Mark and Gielen, Hans and Schmitz, Pascal and Herrmann, Ulf and Teixeira Boura, Cristiano Jos{\´e} and Mahdi, Zahra and Caminos, Ricardo Alexander Chico and Dersch, J{\"u}rgen},
  title     = {Analysis of an integrated CSP-PV hybrid power plant},
  series = {SolarPACES 2020},
  booktitle = {SolarPACES 2020},
  number    = {2445 / 1},
  publisher = {AIP conference proceedings / American Institute of Physics},
  address   = {Melville, NY},
  isbn      = {978-0-7354-4195-8},
  issn      = {1551-7616 (online)},
  doi       = {10.1063/5.0086236},
  pages     = {9 Seiten},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {In the past, CSP and PV have been seen as competing technologies. Despite massive reductions in the electricity generation costs of CSP plants, PV power generation is - at least during sunshine hours - significantly cheaper. If electricity is required not only during the daytime, but around the clock, CSP with its inherent thermal energy storage gets an advantage in terms of LEC. There are a few examples of projects in which CSP plants and PV plants have been co-located, meaning that they feed into the same grid connection point and ideally optimize their operation strategy to yield an overall benefit. In the past eight years, TSK Flagsol has developed a plant concept, which merges both solar technologies into one highly Integrated CSP-PV-Hybrid (ICPH) power plant. Here, unlike in simply co-located concepts, as analyzed e.g. in [1] - [4], excess PV power that would have to be dumped is used in electric molten salt heaters to increase the storage temperature, improving storage and conversion efficiency. The authors demonstrate the electricity cost sensitivity to subsystem sizing for various market scenarios, and compare the resulting optimized ICPH plants with co-located hybrid plants. Independent of the three feed-in tariffs that have been assumed, the ICPH plant shows an electricity cost advantage of almost 20\% while maintaining a high degree of flexibility in power dispatch as it is characteristic for CSP power plants. As all components of such an innovative concept are well proven, the system is ready for commercial market implementation. A first project is already contracted and in early engineering execution.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{MahdiDerschSchmitzetal.2022,
  author    = {Mahdi, Zahra and Dersch, J{\"u}rgen and Schmitz, Pascal and Dieckmann, Simon and Caminos, Ricardo Alexander Chico and Teixeira Boura, Cristiano Jos{\´e} and Herrmann, Ulf and Schwager, Christian and Schmitz, Mark and Gielen, Hans and Gedle, Yibekal and B{\"u}scher, Rauno},
  title     = {Technical assessment of Brayton cycle heat pumps for the integration in hybrid PV-CSP power plants},
  series = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  booktitle = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  number    = {2445 / 1},
  publisher = {AIP conference proceedings / American Institute of Physics},
  address   = {Melville, NY},
  isbn      = {978-0-7354-4195-8},
  issn      = {1551-7616 (online)},
  doi       = {10.1063/5.0086269},
  pages     = {11 Seiten},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {The hybridization of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Photovoltaics (PV) systems is a promising approach to reduce costs of solar power plants, while increasing dispatchability and flexibility of power generation. High temperature heat pumps (HT HP) can be utilized to boost the salt temperature in the thermal energy storage (TES) of a Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) system from 385 °C up to 565 °C. A PV field can supply the power for the HT HP, thus effectively storing the PV power as thermal energy. Besides cost-efficiently storing energy from the PV field, the power block efficiency of the overall system is improved due to the higher steam parameters. This paper presents a technical assessment of Brayton cycle heat pumps to be integrated in hybrid PV-CSP power plants. As a first step, a theoretical analysis was carried out to find the most suitable working fluid. The analysis included the fluids Air, Argon (Ar), Nitrogen (N2) and Carbon dioxide (CO2). N2 has been chosen as the optimal working fluid for the system. After the selection of the ideal working medium, different concepts for the arrangement of a HT HP in a PV-CSP hybrid power plant were developed and simulated in EBSILON®Professional. The concepts were evaluated technically by comparing the number of components required, pressure losses and coefficient of performance (COP).},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{ZahraPhaniSrujanCaminosetal.2022,
  author    = {Zahra, Mahdi and Phani Srujan, Merige and Caminos, Ricardo Alexander Chico and Schmitz, Pascal and Herrmann, Ulf and Teixeira Boura, Cristiano Jos{\´e} and Schmitz, Mark and Gielen, Hans and Gedle, Yibekal and Dersch, J{\"u}rgen},
  title     = {Modeling the thermal behavior of solar salt in electrical resistance heaters for the application in PV-CSP hybrid power plants},
  series = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  booktitle = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  number    = {2445 / 1},
  publisher = {AIP conference proceedings / American Institute of Physics},
  address   = {Melville, NY},
  isbn      = {978-0-7354-4195-8},
  issn      = {1551-7616 (online)},
  doi       = {10.1063/5.0086268},
  pages     = {9 Seiten},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems are able to store energy cost-effectively in their integrated thermal energy storage (TES). By intelligently combining Photovoltaics (PV) systems with CSP, a further cost reduction of solar power plants is expected, as well as an increase in dispatchability and flexibility of power generation. PV-powered Resistance Heaters (RH) can be deployed to raise the temperature of the molten salt hot storage from 385 °C up to 565 °C in a Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) plant. To avoid freezing and decomposition of molten salt, the temperature distribution in the electrical resistance heater is investigated in the present study. For this purpose, a RH has been modeled and CFD simulations have been performed. The simulation results show that the hottest regions occur on the electric rod surface behind the last baffle. A technical optimization was performed by adjusting three parameters: Shell-baffle clearance, electric rod-baffle clearance and number of baffles. After the technical optimization was carried out, the temperature difference between the maximum temperature and the average outlet temperature of the salt is within the acceptable limits, thus critical salt decomposition has been avoided. Additionally, the CFD simulations results were analyzed and compared with results obtained with a one-dimensional model in Modelica.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{CaminosSchmitzAttietal.2022,
  author    = {Caminos, Ricardo Alexander Chico and Schmitz, Pascal and Atti, Vikrama and Mahdi, Zahra and Teixeira Boura, Cristiano Jos{\´e} and Sattler, Johannes Christoph and Herrmann, Ulf and Hilger, Patrick and Dieckmann, Simon},
  title     = {Development of a micro heliostat and optical qualification assessment with a 3D laser scanning method},
  series = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  booktitle = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  number    = {2445 / 1},
  publisher = {AIP conference proceedings / American Institute of Physics},
  address   = {Melville, NY},
  isbn      = {978-0-7354-4195-8},
  issn      = {1551-7616 (online)},
  doi       = {10.1063/5.0086262},
  pages     = {8 Seiten},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {The Solar-Institut J{\"u}lich (SIJ) and the companies Hilger GmbH and Heliokon GmbH from Germany have developed a small-scale cost-effective heliostat, called "micro heliostat". Micro heliostats can be deployed in small-scale concentrated solar power (CSP) plants to concentrate the sun's radiation for electricity generation, space or domestic water heating or industrial process heat. In contrast to conventional heliostats, the special feature of a micro heliostat is that it consists of dozens of parallel-moving, interconnected, rotatable mirror facets. The mirror facets array is fixed inside a box-shaped module and is protected from weathering and wind forces by a transparent glass cover. The choice of the building materials for the box, tracking mechanism and mirrors is largely dependent on the selected production process and the intended application of the micro heliostat. Special attention was paid to the material of the tracking mechanism as this has a direct influence on the accuracy of the micro heliostat. The choice of materials for the mirror support structure and the tracking mechanism is made in favor of plastic molded parts. A qualification assessment method has been developed by the SIJ in which a 3D laser scanner is used in combination with a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). For the validation of this assessment method, a single mirror facet was scanned and the slope deviation was computed.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{NiederwestbergSchneiderTeixeiraBouraetal.2022,
  author    = {Niederwestberg, Stefan and Schneider, Falko and Teixeira Boura, Cristiano Jos{\´e} and Herrmann, Ulf},
  title     = {Introduction to a direct irradiated transparent tube particle receiver},
  series = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  booktitle = {SOLARPACES 2020},
  number    = {2445 / 1},
  publisher = {AIP conference proceedings / American Institute of Physics},
  address   = {Melville, NY},
  isbn      = {978-0-7354-4195-8},
  issn      = {1551-7616 (online)},
  doi       = {10.1063/5.0086735},
  pages     = {9 Seiten},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {New materials often lead to innovations and advantages in technical applications. This also applies to the particle receiver proposed in this work that deploys high-temperature and scratch resistant transparent ceramics. With this receiver design, particles are heated through direct-contact concentrated solar irradiance while flowing downwards through tubular transparent ceramics from top to bottom. In this paper, the developed particle receiver as well as advantages and disadvantages are described. Investigations on the particle heat-up characteristics from solar irradiance were carried out with DEM simulations which indicate that particle temperatures can reach up to 1200 K. Additionally, a simulation model was set up for investigating the dynamic behavior. A test receiver at laboratory scale has been designed and is currently being built. In upcoming tests, the receiver test rig will be used to validate the simulation results. The design and the measurement equipment is described in this work.},
  language  = {en}
}
@inproceedings{NeumannAdamBackesetal.2021,
  author    = {Neumann, Hannah and Adam, Mario and Backes, Klaus and B{\"o}rner, Martin and Clees, Tanja and Doetsch, Christian and Glaeser, Susanne and Herrmann, Ulf and May, Johanna and Rosenthal, Florian and Sauer, Dirk Uwe and Stadler, Ingo},
  title     = {Development of open educational resources for renewable energy and the energy transition process},
  series = {ISES SWC 2021},
  booktitle = {ISES SWC 2021},
  publisher = {International Solar Energy Society},
  address   = {Freiburg},
  doi       = {10.18086/swc.2021.47.03},
  pages     = {6 Seiten},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {The dissemination of knowledge about renewable energies is understood as a social task with the highest topicality. The transfer of teaching content on renewable energies into digital open educational resources offers the opportunity to significantly accelerate the implementation of the energy transition. Thus, in the here presented project six German universities create open educational resources for the energy transition. These materials are available to the public on the internet under a free license. So far there has been no publicly accessible, editable media that cover entire learning units about renewable energies extensively and in high technical quality. Thus, in this project, the content that remains up-to-date for a longer period is appropriately prepared in terms of media didactics. The materials enable lecturers to provide students with in-depth training about technologies for the energy transition. In a particular way, the created material is also suitable for making the general public knowledgeable about the energy transition with scientifically based material.},
  language  = {en}
}