YangQuan Chen earned his Ph.D. from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in 1998. He had been a faculty of Electrical Engineering at Utah State University (USU) from 2000-12. He joined the School of Engineering, University of California, Merced (UCM) in summer 2012 teaching “Mechatronics”, “Engineering Service Learning” and “Unmanned Aerial Systems” for undergraduates; “Fractional Order Mechanics”, “Linear Multivariable Control”, “Nonlinear Controls” and “Advanced Controls: Optimality and Robustness” for graduates. His research interests include mechatronics for sustainability, cognitive process control (smart control engineering enabled by digital twins), small multi-UAV based cooperative multi-spectral “personal remote sensing”, applied fractional calculus in controls, modeling and complex signal processing; distributed measurement and control of distributed parameter systems with mobile actuator and sensor networks. He received Research of the Year awards from USU (12) and UCM (20). He was listed in Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate Analytics in 2018 and 2019.

Fractional Order Modeling and Control in Industrial Electronics

Fractional order calculus is about differentiation and integration of non-integer order. Many imperfect industrial electronic components (including energy storage) can be better characterized by using fractional order models. In this talk, basic ideas of using fractional order calculus for modeling and control will be shown, then some application results in PWM rectifier, servo system and DC-DC converter will be demonstrated, finally, future research opportunities will be shared. The overall take-home message is that, fractional order methods can lead to better than the best results that integer-order methods could offer.