Towards Control by Interconnection of Port-Thermodynamic Systems

Abstract: The power conserving interconnection of port-thermodynamic systems via their power ports results in another port-thermodynamic system, while the same holds for the rate of entropy increasing interconnection via their entropy flow ports. Control by interconnection of port-thermodynamic systems seeks to control a plant port-thermodynamic system by the interconnection with a controller port-thermodynamic system. The stability of the interconnected port-thermodynamic system is investigated by Lyapunov functions based on generating functions for the submanifold characterizing the state properties as well as additional conserved quantities. Crucial tool is the use of canonical point transformations on the symplectized thermodynamic phase space.