Entropy and Optimal Control: Theory and Applications
A special issue of Entropy (ISSN 1099-4300). This special issue belongs to the section "Thermodynamics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 61
Special Issue Editor
Interests: control theory and applications; optimization; power conversion; mechatronics; robotics; aerospace systems; system modeling; biomedical robotics
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Entropy and related concepts, such as exergy and entropy generation, play a role in both the fundamental understanding and the optimal design and control of dynamic systems. The seminal work in the 1980s by Mustafa and Glover on H-infinity control already involved a cost function inspired by entropy. More recently, researchers have delineated the system-theoretic underpinnings of thermodynamics using large-scale interconnected dynamical system theory, port-Hamiltonian systems and dissipativity, including extended interpretations and applicability outside classical thermodynamics. Over the last four decades, numerous studies have been conducted on the optimal design and control of energy conversion processes using performance indicators connected to the second law of thermodynamics. However, these studies often lack theoretical support.
This Special Issue focuses on entropy (and other measures related to the second law) as a cost function, used to formulate optimization problems or serving as a (variational) indicator to help elucidate some aspects of the behavior of dynamic systems.
We welcome research papers that address theoretical aspects or proposed methodologies for static and dynamic optimization with theoretical support on established formal frameworks or novel ideas. We particularly seek theoretical considerations or practical methodologies that are applicable to multi-domain systems.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Thermodynamic and thermodynamics-inspired optimization with optimal control.
- Interpretations of the second law beyond thermodynamics, with a focus on variational principles and optimal control.
- Entropy minimization/maximization in systems analysis and optimal control and design.
- The optimal control of port-Hamiltonian and port-thermodynamic systems.
- Novel methodologies for optimal control based on thermodynamics.
Prof. Dr. Hanz Richter
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Entropy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- optimal control
- thermodynamic optimization
- port-Hamiltonian systems
- multi-domain systems
- control theory
- exergy and entropy generation
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