Control of a pilot plant using QP based min–max predictive control

The practical implementation of min–max MPC (MMMPC) is limited by the computational burden required to compute the control law. This problem can be circumvented by using approximate solutions or upper bounds of the worst possible case of the performance index. In a previous work, the authors presented a computationally efficient MMMPC control strategy in which a close approximation of the solution of the min–max problem is computed using a quadratic programming problem. In this paper, this approach is validated through its application to a pilot plant in which the temperature of a reactor is controlled. The behavior of the system and the controller are illustrated by means of experimental results.     

Linearized min‐max robust model predictive control: Application to the control of a bioprocess

This work deals with the problem of trajectory tracking for a nonlinear system with unknown but bounded model parameter uncertainties. First, this work focuses on the design of a robust nonlinear model predictive control (RNMPC) law subject to model parameter uncertainties implying solving a min‐max optimization problem. Secondly, a new approach is proposed, consisting in relating the min‐max problem to a more tractable optimization problem based on the use of linearization techniques to ensure a good trade‐off between tracking accuracy and computation time. The developed strategy is applied in simulation to a simplified macroscopic continuous photobioreactor model and is compared to the RNMPC and nonlinear model predictive controllers. Its efficiency and its robustness against parameter uncertainties and/or perturbations are illustrated through numerical results.     

A robust least squares based approach to min‐max model predictive control

This article deals with the model predictive control (MPC) of linear, time‐invariant discrete‐time polytopic (LTIDP) systems. The 2‐fold aim is to simplify the treatment of complex issues like stability and feasibility analysis of MPC in the presence of parametric uncertainty as well as to reduce the complexity of the relative optimization procedure. The new approach is based on a two degrees of freedom (2DOF) control scheme, where the output r(k) of the feedforward input estimator (IE) is used as input forcing the closed‐loop system ∑_f. ∑_f is the feedback connection of an LTIDP plant ∑_p with an LTI feedback controller ∑_g. Both cases of plants with measurable and unmeasurable state are considered. The task of ∑_g is to guarantee the quadratic stability of ∑_f, as well as the fulfillment of hard constraints on some physical variables for any input r(k) satisfying an “a priori” determined admissibility condition. The input r(k) is computed by the feedforward IE through the on‐line minimization of a worst‐case finite‐horizon quadratic cost functional and is applied to ∑_f according to the usual receding horizon strategy. The on‐line constrained optimization problem is here simplified, reducing the number of the involved constraints and decision variables. This is obtained modeling r(k) as a B‐spline function, which is known to admit a parsimonious parametric representation. This allows us to reformulate the minimization of the worst‐case cost functional as a box‐constrained robust least squares estimation problem, which can be efficiently solved using second‐order cone programming.     

输入状态稳定的鲁棒预测控制

以有界干扰非线性系统为研究对象,设计一种基于近似可达集的鲁棒预测控制方法。该方法以鲁棒控制不变集作为终端约束集,采用一种简单的三次多项式逼近预测控制的待优化控制律,通过在线优化求解三次多项式的各项系数,并从理论上证明了所设计的鲁棒预测控制律可以使系统输入状态稳定。最后通过仿真实例验证了所提出的鲁棒预测控制方法的可行性和有效性。     

A tabu search algorithm for the min–max k-Chinese postman problem

In this paper we present a tabu search algorithm for the min–max k-Chinese postman problem (MM k-CPP). Given an undirected edge-weighted graph and a distinguished depot node, the MM k  -CPP consists of finding k>1$k>1$ tours (starting and ending at the depot node) such that each edge is traversed by at least one tour and the length of the longest tour is minimized. A special emphasis is put on investigating the trade-off between running time effort and solution quality when applying different improvement procedures in the course of the neighborhood construction. Furthermore, different neighborhoods are analyzed. Extensive computational results show that the tabu search algorithm outperforms all known heuristics and improvement procedures.     

The balance problem of min–max systems is co-NP hard

Min–max systems are timed discrete event dynamic systems containing min, max and plus operations. A min–max system is balanced if it admits a global cycle time (generalized eigenvalue) for every possible assignment of parameters. This paper proves that the testing of the balance property for min–max systems is co-NP hard by showing that the test of inseparability is co-NP hard. The latter result is established on a new complexity result, namely, that the testing of existence of non-trivial fixed points for monotone Boolean functions is NP-complete.     

A scheduling quasi–min-max model predictive control algorithm for nonlinear systems

In this paper, a model predictive control algorithm is designed for nonlinear systems. Combination of a linear model with a linear parameter varying model approximates the nonlinear behavior. The linear model is used to express the current nonlinear dynamics, and the linear parameter varying model is used to cover the future nonlinear behavior. In the algorithm, a “quasi-worst-case” value of an infinite horizon objective function is minimized. Closed-loop stability is guaranteed when the algorithm is implemented in a receding horizon fashion by including a Lyapunov constraint in the formulation. The proposed approach is applied to control a jacketed styrene polymerization reactor.     

Output tracking of constrained nonlinear processes with offset-free input-to-state stable fuzzy predictive control

This paper develops an efficient offset-free output feedback predictive control approach to nonlinear processes based on their approximate fuzzy models as well as an integrating disturbance model. The estimated disturbance signals account for all the plant-model mismatch and unmodeled plant disturbances. An augmented piecewise observer, constructed by solving some linear matrix inequalities, is used to estimate the system states and the lumped disturbances. Based on the reference from an online constrained target generator, the fuzzy model predictive control law can be easily obtained by solving a convex semi-definite programming optimization problem subject to several linear matrix inequalities. The resulting closed-loop system is guaranteed to be input-to-state stable even in the presence of observer estimation error. The zero offset output tracking property of the proposed control approach is proved, and subsequently demonstrated by the simulation results on a strongly nonlinear benchmark plant.     

Input-to-state stability and integral input-to-state stability of nonlinear impulsive systems with delays

This paper is concerned with analyzing input-to-state stability (ISS) and integral-ISS (iISS) for nonlinear impulsive systems with delays. Razumikhin-type theorems are established which guarantee ISS/iISS for delayed impulsive systems with external input affecting both the continuous dynamics and the discrete dynamics. It is shown that when the delayed continuous dynamics are ISS/iISS but the discrete dynamics governing the impulses are not, the ISS/iISS property of the impulsive system can be retained if the length of the impulsive interval is large enough. Conversely, when the delayed continuous dynamics are not ISS/iISS but the discrete dynamics governing the impulses are, the impulsive system can achieve ISS/iISS if the sum of the length of the impulsive interval and the time delay is small enough. In particular, when one of the delayed continuous dynamics and the discrete dynamics are ISS/iISS and the others are stable for the zero input, the impulsive system can keep ISS/iISS no matter how often the impulses occur. Our proposed results are evaluated using two illustrative examples to show their effectiveness.     

Local input-to-state stability: Characterizations and counterexamples

We show that a nonlinear locally uniformly asymptotically stable infinite-dimensional system is automatically locally input-to-state stable (LISS) provided the nonlinearity possesses some sort of uniform continuity with respect to external inputs. Also we prove that LISS is equivalent to existence of a LISS Lyapunov function. We show by means of a counterexample that if this uniformity is not present, then the equivalence of local asymptotic stability and local ISS does not hold anymore. Using a modification of this counterexample we show that in infinite dimensions a uniformly globally asymptotically stable at zero, globally stable and locally ISS system possessing an asymptotic gain property does not have to be ISS (in contrast to finite dimensional case).     

Lyapunov conditions for input-to-state stability of impulsive systems

This paper introduces appropriate concepts of input-to-state stability (ISS) and integral-ISS for impulsive systems, i.e., dynamical systems that evolve according to ordinary differential equations most of the time, but occasionally exhibit discontinuities (or impulses). We provide a set of Lyapunov-based sufficient conditions for establishing these ISS properties. When the continuous dynamics are ISS, but the discrete dynamics that govern the impulses are not, the impulses should not occur too frequently, which is formalized in terms of an average dwell-time (ADT) condition. Conversely, when the impulse dynamics are ISS, but the continuous dynamics are not, there must not be overly long intervals between impulses, which is formalized in terms of a novel reverse ADT condition. We also investigate the cases where (i) both the continuous and discrete dynamics are ISS, and (ii) one of these is ISS and the other only marginally stable for the zero input, while sharing a common Lyapunov function. In the former case, we obtain a stronger notion of ISS, for which a necessary and sufficient Lyapunov characterization is available. The use of the tools developed herein is illustrated through examples from a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) oscillator and a problem of remote estimation over a communication network.     

基于ISS的非线性纯反馈系统的自适应动态面控制

研究一类具有未知死区的非线性纯反馈系统的自适应控制问题．基于输入状态稳定理论和小增益定理,提出一种自适应动态面控制方案．该方案有效地减少了可调参数的数目,避免了传统后推设计中由于需要对虚拟控制反复求导而导致的计算复杂性．理论分析证明了闭环系统是半全局一致终结有界的．     

Stabilizing decentralized model predictive control of nonlinear systems

This note presents a stabilizing decentralized model predictive control (MPC) algorithm for nonlinear discrete time systems. No information is assumed to be exchanged between local control laws. The stability proof relies on the inclusion of a contractive constraint in the formulation of the MPC problem.     

Robust discrete-time set-based adaptive predictive control for nonlinear systems

The problem of robust adaptive predictive control for a class of discrete-time nonlinear systems is considered. First, a parameter estimation technique, based on an uncertainty set estimation, is formulated. This technique is able to provide robust performance for nonlinear systems subject to exogenous variables. Second, an adaptive MPC is developed to use the uncertainty estimation in a framework of min–max robust control. A Lipschitz-based approach, which provides a conservative approximation for the min–max problem, is used to solve the control problem, retaining the computational complexity of nominal MPC formulations and the robustness of the min–max approach. Finally, the set-based estimation algorithm and the robust predictive controller are successfully applied in two case studies. The first one is the control of anonisothermal CSTR governed by the van de Vusse reaction. Concentration and temperature regulation is considered with the simultaneous estimation of the frequency (or pre-exponential) factors of the Arrhenius equation. In the second example, a biomedical model for chemotherapy control is simulated using control actions provided by the proposed algorithm. The methods for estimation and control were tested using different disturbances scenarios.     

Analysis of input-to-state stability for discrete time nonlinear systems via dynamic programming

The input-to-state stability (ISS) property for systems with disturbances has received considerable attention over the past decade or so, with many applications and characterizations reported in the literature. The main purpose of this paper is to present analysis results for ISS that utilize dynamic programming techniques to characterize minimal ISS gains and transient bounds. These characterizations naturally lead to computable necessary and sufficient conditions for ISS. Our results make a connection between ISS and optimization problems in nonlinear dissipative systems theory (including L₂-gain analysis and nonlinear H_∞ theory). As such, the results presented address an obvious gap in the literature.     

Input to state stability of min-max MPC controllers for nonlinear systems with bounded uncertainties

Min-max model predictive control (MPC) is one of the control techniques capable of robustly stabilize uncertain nonlinear systems subject to constraints. In this paper we extend existing results on robust stability of min-max MPC to the case of systems with uncertainties which depend on the state and the input and not necessarily decaying, i.e. state and input dependent bounded uncertainties. This allows us to consider both plant uncertainties and external disturbances in a less conservative way.It is shown that the input-to-state practical stability (ISpS) notion is suitable to analyze the stability of worst-case based controllers. Thus, we provide Lyapunov-like sufficient conditions for ISpS. Based on this, it is proved that if the terminal cost is an ISpS-Lyapunov function then the optimal cost is also an ISpS-Lyapunov function for the system controlled by the min-max MPC and hence, the controlled system is ISpS. Moreover, we show that if the system controlled by the terminal control law locally admits certain stability margin, then the system controlled by the min-max MPC retains the stability margin in the feasibility region.     

A note on stability, robustness and performance of output feedback nonlinear model predictive control

In recent years, nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) schemes have been derived that guarantee stability of the closed loop under the assumption of full state information. However, only limited advances have been made with respect to output feedback in the framework of nonlinear predictive control. This paper combines stabilizing instantaneous state feedback NMPC schemes with high-gain observers to achieve output feedback stabilization. For a uniformly observable MIMO system class it is shown that the resulting closed loop is asymptotically stable. Furthermore, the output feedback NMPC scheme recovers the performance of the state feedback in the sense that the region of attraction and the trajectories of the state feedback scheme can be recovered to any degree of accuracy for large enough observer gains, thus leading to semi-regional results. Additionally, it is shown that the output feedback controller is robust with respect to static sector bounded nonlinear input uncertainties.     

A hybrid model predictive control strategy for nonlinear plant-wide control

A plant-wide control strategy based on integrating linear model predictive control (LMPC) and nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) is proposed. The hybrid method is applicable to plants that can be decomposed into approximately linear subsystems and highly nonlinear subsystems that interact via mass and energy flows. LMPC is applied to the linear subsystems and NMPC is applied to the nonlinear subsystems. A simple controller coordination strategy that counteracts interaction effects is proposed for the case of one linear subsystem and one nonlinear subsystem. A reactor/separator process with recycle is used to compare the hybrid method to conventional LMPC and NMPC techniques.     

A multiple model approach for predictive control of nonlinear hybrid systems

This paper presents modeling and control of nonlinear hybrid systems using multiple linearized models. Each linearized model is a local representation of all locations of the hybrid system. These models are then combined using Bayes theorem to describe the nonlinear hybrid system. The multiple models, which consist of continuous as well as discrete variables, are used for synthesis of a model predictive control (MPC) law. The discrete-time equivalent of the model predicts the hybrid system behavior over the prediction horizon. The MPC formulation takes on a similar form as that used for control of a continuous variable system. Although implementation of the control law requires solution of an online mixed integer nonlinear program, the optimization problem has a fixed structure with certain computational advantages. We demonstrate performance and computational efficiency of the modeling and control scheme using simulations on a benchmark three-spherical tank system and a hydraulic process plant.