Tuning of PID controller for an automatic regulator voltage system using chaotic optimization approach

Despite the popularity, the tuning aspect of proportional–integral-derivative (PID) controllers is a challenge for researchers and plant operators. Various controllers tuning methodologies have been proposed in the literature such as auto-tuning, self-tuning, pattern recognition, artificial intelligence, and optimization methods. Chaotic optimization algorithms as an emergent method of global optimization have attracted much attention in engineering applications. Chaotic optimization algorithms, which have the features of easy implementation, short execution time and robust mechanisms of escaping from local optimum, is a promising tool for engineering applications. In this paper, a tuning method for determining the parameters of PID control for an automatic regulator voltage (AVR) system using a chaotic optimization approach based on Lozi map is proposed. Since chaotic mapping enjoys certainty, ergodicity and the stochastic property, the proposed chaotic optimization introduces chaos mapping using Lozi map chaotic sequences which increases its convergence rate and resulting precision. Simulation results are promising and show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Numerical simulations based on proposed PID control of an AVR system for nominal system parameters and step reference voltage input demonstrate the good performance of chaotic optimization. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.