Advanced control design for marine diesel engine propulsion systems

A new marine diesel engine propulsion control design procedure is proposed which is applicable to a wide range of marine vessels. This procedure combines linear optimal H-infinity control methods with non-linear control techniques to address the propulsion system's nonlinearity. Simulation results show that a tracking control system aimed at saving fuel and optimizing efficiency may be obtained which is applicable across all maneuvring regimes. This compares favorably with the situation in some operating scenarios where the use of the linear controller alone can result in poor performance or even instability.