Tehoohjaus

Tehoohjaus, literally "power control" in Finnish, is a general concept in control engineering that refers to managing a system's power output to meet performance goals while optimizing energy use, safety, and reliability. It is not a single standardized technology but a family of strategies applied across domains such as automotive, electrical drives, industrial processes, and energy systems.

At its core, tehoohjaus uses sensors to monitor relevant variables (for example torque, speed, voltage, temperature) and a controller to produce actuator commands. Common approaches include feedback control (such as PID), feedforward control, and model-based techniques like model predictive control. Controllers may also implement constraints and optimization objectives to balance performance with efficiency.

Typical applications include automotive powertrains and electric drives where throttle, torque, or motor current is regulated; renewable energy inverters and grid-connected converters; industrial motors and process equipment; and building energy management systems for heating and electrical loads.

Implementation challenges include nonlinear system dynamics, sensor noise, time delays, and the need for robust performance under varying operating conditions. Safety interlocks and fail-safes are often essential components of tehoohjaus systems, as are considerations of energy storage, regenerative processes, and grid compliance.

Tehoohjaus integrates with broader energy management strategies to maximize efficiency and reduce emissions, rather than optimizing a single variable in isolation. Developments in this area draw on classical control theory as well as modern techniques such as adaptive control, optimization, and machine learning.

See also power management, motor control, torque control, PID controller, model predictive control.