H∞ controller design for boilers

This paper examines the ability of the H_∞ design methodology to provide a solution to a gas- or oil-fired boiler control problem, and addresses the nontrivial application issues of the H_∞ design. The H_∞ methodology is applied to an experimentally verified heating-cogeneration boiler model which exhibits nonlinearities, instability, time delays, non-minimum phase behaviour, and coloured noise disturbances with sensor noise in the frequency range of the significant plant dynamics. The design shows that, to satisfy performance criteria, a high order controller is needed. The paper also demonstrates a trade-off between the reduction of controller order and the loss of controller performance.     

Practical multi-constraint H∞ controller synthesis from time-domain data

This paper presents a practical algorithm for MIMO controller design with multiple H^∞ norm constraints. The plant is described by its sampled-data impulse response matrix, which could be determined directly from measurements; the controller design parameters are the tap weights of an FIR discretization of the Q-(or Youla-) parameter. We approximate the H^∞ norm by the maximum transfer matrix 2-norm on an even frequency sampling over θ = [0, π]. The control design algorithm uses the Newton method to minimize two cost functions sequentially: the first determines multiple H^∞ feasibility, and the second minimizes a generalized entropy. As a design example, we control the acoustic radiation from a (mathematically modelled) submerged spherical shell. The plant-model impulse response matrix has McMillan degree 8 800. We specify and synthesize a controller that simultaneously achieves ten H^∞ constraints: one on the radiation reduction, one for stability robustness, and eight on actuator authority.     

Singular H∞ control for nonlinear systems

This paper presents a solution to the singular H_∞ control problem via state feedback for a class of nonlinear systems. It is shown that the problem of almost disturbance decoupling with stability plays a fundamental role in the solution of the considered problem. We also point out when the singular problem can be reduced to a regular one or solved via standard H_∞ technique. We must stress that the solution of the singular problem is obtained without making any approximation of it by means of regular problems. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

H∞ estimation for uncertain systems

This paper deals with the problem of H_∞ estimation for linear systems with a certain type of time-varying norm-bounded parameter uncertainty in both the state and output matrices. We address the problem of designing an asymptotically stable estimator that guarantees a prescribed level of H_∞ noise attenuation for all admissible parameter uncertainties. Both an interpolation theory approach and a Riccati equation approach are proposed to solve the estimation problem, with each method having its own advantages. The first approach seems more numerically attractive whilst the second one provides a simple structure for the estimator with its solution given in terms of two algebraic Riccati equations and a parameterization of a class of suitable H_∞ estimators. The Riccati equation approach also pinpoints the ‘worst-case’ uncertainty.     

On H∞-control of discrete-time nonlinear systems

Following recent works on continuous-time nonlinear H_∞-control, where connections with game theory and passivity conditions have been set, the present paper studies the corresponding problem for discrete-time systems. The paper describes sufficient conditions for the existence and the construction of a feedback law which imposes a prescribed level of disturbance attenuation with internal stability. Both cases of state feedback and measurement feedback are considered.     

Robust H∞ Control Problem For General Nonlinear Systems With Uncertainty

In this paper, both state and output feedback robust H^∞ control problems for general nonlinear systems with norm‐bound uncertainty are considered. Sufficient conditions for the existence of robust output feedback H^∞ controller are provided. State space formulas for robust H^∞ output controller are provided.     

H∞ nonlinear filtering

This paper investigates the problem of H_∞ estimation of nonlinear processes. An estimator, which may be nonlinear, is looked for so that a given bound on the ratio between the energy of the estimation error and the energy of the oxogeneous inputs to the estimated process is achieved. Conditions for the existence of such an estimator and formulas for its derivation are obtained using both the game theory approach and the theory of dissipative systems. The results of the paper extend the recent results on H_∞ nonlinear control. They are demonstrated by a simple example of a linear system with a nonlinear measurement rule and compared with corresponding results that are obtained by the extended Kalman filter.     

The discrete-time H∞ control problem with measurement feedback

This paper is concerned with the discrete-time H_∞ control problem with measurement feedback. We extend previous results by having weaker assumptions on the system parameters. We also show explicitly the structure of H_∞ controllers. Finally, we show that it is in certain cases possible, without loss of performance, to reduce the dynamical order of the controllers.     

Fixed-order H∞ compensator design

A method is presented for the construction of fixed-order compensators to provide H_∞ norm constraint for linear control systems with exogenous disturbances. The method is based on the celebrated bounded-real lemma that predicates the H_∞ norm constraint via a Riccati inequality. The synthesis of fixed-order controllers whose dimensions are less than the order of a given plant, is demonstrated by a set of sufficient conditions along with a numerical algorithm.     

H∞ control and filtering with initial uncertainty for infinite dimensional systems

The H_∞-control problem with a non-zero initial condition for infinite dimensional systems is considered The initial conditions are assumed to be in some subspace. First the H_∞ problem with full information is considered and necessary and sufficient conditions for the norm of an input-output operator to be less than a given number are obtained, The characterization of all admissible controllers is also given. This result is then used to solve the general H^∞ control problem and the filtering problem with initial uncertainty. The filtering problem on finite horizon involves the estimate of the state at final time. The set of all suboptimal filters is given both on finite and infinite horizons.     

H∞ generalized minimum sensitivity control design

This paper presents a two-stage approach to the H_∞ generalized sensitivity minimization problem (H_∞-GSM) for SISO, continuous-time plants. Besides some possible advantages in the control law evaluation with respect to alternative polynomial methods, the proposed approach provides a direct link with the solution of an underlying generalized minimum variance (H₂-GMV) problem and allows one to identify the class of the joint H₂/H_∞-GMV (equalizing H₂-GMV) optimal controllers.     

H∞ control with weighting functions having purely imaginary poles—implementing internal models to H∞ controllers

The present paper considers a variant of the standard H_∞ control problem which allows one to use weighting functions having jω poles. Using the solution, one can design H_∞ controllers having prescribed jω poles such as internal models. To solve the problem, the authors propose a new requirement of closed-loop stability, called essential stability, and alternative standing assumptions imposed on the generalized plant. To write the results in the form of the so-called 2-ARE solution, the authors introduce the notion of quasi-stabilizing solutions to the algebraic Riccati equations arising in H_∞ control. The solution involves the same Riccati equations and parametrization of the controllers given by Glover and Doyle except the stability requirement on the solutions to the Riccati equations.     

H∞ Control with Transients for Singular Systems

In this paper, the problem of a generalized type of H_∞ control is investigated for continuous‐time singular systems, which treats a mixed attenuation of exogenous inputs and initial conditions. First, a performance measure that is essentially the worst‐case norm of the regulated outputs over all exogenous inputs and initial conditions is introduced. A necessary and sufficient condition is obtained to ensure the singular system to be admissible and the performance measure to be less than a prescribed scalar. Based on the criterion a sufficient condition for the existence of a state‐feedback controller is established in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Moreover, the relationship between the performance measure and the standard H_∞ norm of the system is provided. Two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the properties of the obtained results.     

H∞ balancing for nonlinear systems

In previously obtained balancing methods for nonlinear systems a past and a future energy function are used to bring the nonlinear system in balanced form. By considering a different pair of past and future energy functions that are related to the H_∞ control problem for nonlinear systems we define H_∞ balancing. Furthermore, we investigate the monotonicity of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations that appear in this balancing method. The method is used as a tool for model reduction.     

Low‐order H∞ controller design on the frequency domain by partial optimization

In this paper, an optimization method of low‐order multivariable controllers for H_∞ control is proposed. Starting from a low‐order stabilizing controller, our method gives a sequence of controllers for which the H_∞ norm performance index is monotonically non‐increasing by tuning the numerator coefficient matrices of the low‐order controller. This controller class includes multivariable PID controllers. The proposed method is a descent method where the feasible direction is calculated by solving a linear matrix inequality that represents a sufficient condition for the H_∞ criterion for each frequency. Usefulness is shown by two numerical examples. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Robust H∞ nonlinear control via measurement feedback

This paper deals with the problem of finite-time-horizon robust H_∞ control via measurement feedback, for affine nonlinear systems with nonlinear time-varying parameter uncertainty. The problem addressed is the design of a control law, which processes the measured output and guarantees a prescribed level of closed-loop disturbance attenuation. Conditions for the existence of such a controller are obtained by solving an auxiliary control problem for a related system which is obtained from the original one by converting the parameter uncertainty into exogenous bounded energy signals. This approach allows us to apply the recently developed H_∞ nonlinear control techniques to solve the robust control problem. The problem is investigated in both the continuous- and discrete-time cases. The results are demonstrated by a simple example. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.