Passivity-Based Control Applied to the Port-Hamiltonian Dynamics of a Multidomain System with a Sixth-Order Synchronous Machine Model

This thesis presents the design and evaluation of a passivity-based controller applied

to a small-scale hydropower system modeled within the port-Hamiltonian framework.

The model integrates the hydraulic and electromechanical dynamics of the system,

providing a coherent nonlinear energy-based representation. Based on this model, a

controller is designed using the Interconnection and Damping Assignment Passivity-

Based Control (IDA-PBC) methodology, aimed at shaping the system energy and

dissipation structure. Closed-loop stability is established through a Lyapunov-based

analysis using the desired Hamiltonian function, ensuring local asymptotic stability

of the equilibrium. The dynamic performance of the proposed controller is evaluated

through numerical simulations under different operating scenarios and compared

with a conventional AVR–PSS–PID scheme. Performance assessment is conducted

using the ITAE index applied to terminal voltage and rotor speed deviation, supported

by a statistical analysis based on Monte Carlo simulations. The results indicate that

the IDA-PBC controller achieves comparable and, in several scenarios, superior

performance with respect to the classical approach, yielding lower ITAE values and a

more consistent dynamic response, while providing formal stability guarantees.