Control Co-Design: The ARPA-E ATLANTIS and SHARKS Programs 

Abstract: Over the last few decades, control engineers have focused on developing innovative control theories and algorithms to regulate systems. These control efforts are usually at the last stage of a sequential strategy that allows engineering departments to work independently and consecutively towards the design of new products and systems. Control algorithms are usually developed at the end of that sequential process, once the mechanical, electrical and other sub-systems are completely defined. This presentation discusses a different approach, named Control Co-Design (CCD). Following a concurrent engineering strategy that considers multidisciplinary sub-system interactions from the beginning of the design process, CCD applies control concepts to design the entire system and reach optimal solutions that are not achievable otherwise. This approach is a game-changer for the control engineer, who will be not only the designer of advanced control algorithms, but also the natural leader of the design of new products and systems. During this presentation we will also review the new ATLANTIS and SHARKS Programs on floating offshore wind turbines and tidal energy converters respectively, proposed and developed by the speaker at ARPA-E (US DOE) following CCD methodologies.