DYNAMIC SYSTEM ANALYSIS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES: IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL OF A THERMAL LOOP

Phenomena like thermal inertia are difficult concepts to understand for students, because they are difficult to model or to measure. The control theory, on another hand, is often learned in terms of an abstract theory. We have developed a pedagogic cursus, based on the use of a test bench initially dedicated to the test of solar thermal collectors, in order to allow the students to be in real contact with these concepts. The aim of this cursus is to ask them to apply identification techniques and control theory on a real system, with an emphasis on the fact that they have to produce not only theoretical models, but real and proved results.