Maximum Power Transfer for Nonlinear State Space Systems

The classical Maximum Power Transfer theorem of linear electrical network theory is generalized to the setting of a nonlinear state space system connected to a source. This yields a state space version of the input-output operator results of Wyatt (1988). Key tool in the analysis is the formulation of a Hamiltonian input-output system, which is closely related to Pontryagin’s Maximum principle. The adjoint variational system incorporated in this system defines an optimal load. The structure of such an optimal load is investigated for classes of physical systems.