Fractional Order Systems:PID Controller Design and Fractional Order Element Modeling

This research thesis within the XXVI Ph.D. Course in Systems Engineering is centered on Fractional, or also noticed as Non-Integer Order, Systems. The Ph.D. Thesis' purpose is to present the auto-tuning procedure of Fractional Order PID Controllers PID proposing also a future implementation via fractional order elements. The Thesis is organized in four chapters to outline the different research activity phases developed during the Ph.D. course. In the Chapter 1 an overview on Fractional Order Systems is presented. The Chapter 2 focuses on the auto-tuning procedure proposed for Non-Integer Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers and some examples are presented. The Chapter 3 is divided in two parts: the first one is dedicated to the modeling and control of Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (IPMC) and than a study on Fractional Order Elements modeling as possible building block for controller implementation is proposed. Finally the conclusions are presented in the Chapter 4.