EPSRC Industrial CASE PhD Studentship in Robust Fault Tolerant Model Predictive Control for High Order Systems

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Detail information about job EPSRC Industrial CASE PhD Studentship in Robust Fault Tolerant Model Predictive Control for High Order Systems. Terms and conditions vacancy

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in Robust Fault Tolerant Model Predictive Control for High Order Systems. The work is a collaboration between Imperial College London and Schlumberger Gould Research, Cambridge, and will be based within the Control and Power group in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College. The student will be supervised by Dr Imad Jaimoukha and Dr Simos Evangelou from Imperial College, and by an industrial supervisor from Schlumberger Gould Research. The studentship will start in October 2017.

Model predictive control (MPC) is an online control strategy for problems with hard constraints. It is most suitable for lower order known models, since the resulting optimisation is a quadratic program. Complex models need to be replaced by approximations; approximation, parametric uncertainties of the original model and disturbances, requires Robust MPC. In safety critical applications a fault tolerance measure is necessary. The project aims to integrate model identification and approximation, incorporate uncertainties and fault scenarios into a Robust Fault Tolerant MPC problem. A further aim is to develop feasible relaxation based solution algorithms to the resulting non-convex optimization problems, and apply in industrial problems of interest to Schlumberger, e.g., curvature control.

The ideal candidate should have a strong background in Control Engineering, Automation Engineering or Applied Mathematics. Strong knowledge of linear system theory, a basic understanding of uncertain system modelling and experience in using MATLAB is required. Any knowledge of advanced topics such as large-scale system identification or fault-tolerant control would be beneficial, but are not required skills, as these will be acquired during the PhD.

Applications are invited from candidates with (or who expect to gain) a first-class honours degree or an equivalent degree in Engineering, Mathematics or a related discipline (for more details, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/pgacademic/). The studentship provides a (tax-free) bursary of £16,553 (Standard RCUK Bursary rate) per annum for up to 4 years to cover living expenses, together with the College tuition fees at the UK/EU rate. Applications from Overseas will also be considered, but the difference in the Overseas and UK/EU rate may have to be met by the successful applicant. 

For a description of the Control and Power Research Group please visit our website at http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/controlandpower.  

Informal enquiries and requests for additional information for this post can be made to Dr Imad Jaimoukha or Dr Simos Evangelou by email at [email protected] or [email protected].

Applications will be assessed as received and all applicants should follow the standard College application procedure (indicating Dr Jaimoukha and Dr Evangelou as supervisors) (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/pgprospectus/howtoapply).

Start Date: October 2017.