Real-time design of an adaptive nonlinear predictive controller

Based on real-time identification and using the concept of NARX (Nonlinear AutoRegressive with exogenous inputs) models, a new adaptive nonlinear predictive controller (ANPC) design is proposed. NARX models represent a natural way to describe the input-output relationship of severely nonlinear systems. From an initial batch of input-output data, a parsimonious NARX model is obtained using the Modified Gram-Schmidt (MGS) orthogonalization algorithm. Following this initial off-line identification and model reduction procedure, the control loop is closed. The ANPC directly uses the obtained structure and initial parameter estimates, which are updated each time step using recursive identification. The controller is designed similar to a typical linear predictive controller based on solving a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem. This paper shows how to solve this NLP problem on-line without the knowledge of the NARX model structure. The design is given for the multi-input multi-output (MIMO) case.     

Tube‐based robust nonlinear model predictive control

This paper extends tube‐based model predictive control of linear systems to achieve robust control of nonlinear systems subject to additive disturbances. A central or reference trajectory is determined by solving a nominal optimal control problem. The local linear controller, employed in tube‐based robust control of linear systems, is replaced by an ancillary model predictive controller that forces the trajectories of the disturbed system to lie in a tube whose center is the reference trajectory thereby enabling robust control of uncertain nonlinear systems to be achieved. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一类非线性离散系统模糊控制器的分析和设计

针对一类非线性离散不确定系统,在系统状态不可测的情况下,以T-S模型描述不同状态空间的局部动态区域,并通过中心平均反模糊化、乘积推理、单点模糊化方法得到全局模糊系统模型.基于李亚普诺夫理论和线性矩阵不等式,设计了一种基于观测器的鲁棒控制器,并对离散状态下的此类系统进行了稳定分析.最后通过M ATLAB仿真,证明了该方法的有效性.     

Long Range Predictive Control of Nonlinear Processes Based on Recurrent Neuro-Fuzzy Network Models

A recurrent neuro-fuzzy network-based nonlinear long range model predictive control strategy is proposed in this paper. The process operation is partitioned into several fuzzy operating regions. Within each region, a local linear model is used to model the process. The global model output is obtained through the centre of gravity defuzzification. Based upon a neuro-fuzzy network model, a nonlinear model-based predictive controller can be developed by combining several local linear model-based predictive controllers which usually have analytical solutions. This strategy avoids the time consuming numerical optimisation procedure, and the uncertainty in convergence to the global optimum which are typically seen in conventional nonlinear model-based predictive control strategies. Furthermore, control actions obtained based on local incremental models contain integration actions which can nat-urally eliminate static control offsets. The technique is demonstrated by an application to the modelling and control of liquid level in a water tank.     

Experimental evaluation of a multivariable adaptive nonlinear predictive controller

A new multivariable adaptive nonlinear predictive controller is designed using a general nonlinear input-output model and variable transformations. The controller is similar in form to typical linear predictive controllers can be tuned analogously or by specifying a single parameters for each controlled variable. In addition, the design procedure is computationally efficient. The new controller is compared to a multi-loop proportional-integral (PI) controller with one-way static decoupling and to an adaptive linear predictive controller through tests on a simulated nonlinear distillation column. The new controller performed well in an experimental application to a multicomponent distillation column.     

基于小波变换的非线性广义预测控制

提出了基于小波变换的非线性广义预测控制算法。预测模型采用Hammerstein模型,对于其静态非线性部分采用小波网络来辨识,动态线性部分用最小二乘法来辨识。这种辨识方法比传统的多项式拟合的模型误差要小得多。基于这种预测模型广义预测控制器弥补了传统广义预测控制的模型失配问题。以CSTR为例对所设计的控制器进行仿真研究,结果表明控制器能够取得良好的控制效果。     

Robust dynamic ship positioning control system design and applications

This paper describes the robust control system design for a ship dynamic positioning system. The control design is based on an approximate linear model derived from the nonlinear hydrodynamic equations governing the horizontal motions of the ship. The nonlinear models of the ship, seawaves, current, wind and thrusters are derived and simulated for control design verification. The H_∞ control design technique is employed to design the controller. The control problem is formulated in state‐space form and the design specifications are translated into requirements on the weighting functions of the error signal and the thrusters input. A tuning procedure is proposed based on the wind and wave disturbances. The controller is initially tested on the nonlinear ship model and simulation results are presented to demonstrate the robustness of the H_∞ controller. Tank tests results are then presented to assess the controller performance. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Robust backstepping output tracking control for SISO uncertain nonlinear systems with unknown virtual control coefficients

The output tracking controller design problem is dealt with for a class of nonlinear strict-feedback form systems in the presence of nonlinear uncertainties, external disturbance, unmodelled dynamics and unknown time-varying virtual control coefficients. A new method based on signal compensation is proposed to design a linear time-invariant robust controller, which consists of a nominal controller and a robust compensator. It is shown that the closed-loop control system with a controller designed by the proposed method has robust asymptotical practical tracking property for any bounded initial conditions and robust tracking transient property if all initial states are zero.     

基于Volterra模型的预测控制及应用

由于工业实践的需要,非线性预测控制近年来受到广泛地关注.Volterra模型是一类特殊的非线性模型,非常适合描述工业过程中的无记忆非线性对象.传统的基于Volterra模型的控制器合成法及迭代计算预测控制器法计算量大,且不便于处理控制约束.非线性模型预测控制求解是典型的非线性规划问题,序列二次规划(sequential quadratic program,SQP)算法是求解非线性规划问题常用方法之一.针对Volterra非线性模型预测控制求解问题,本文将滤子法与一种信赖域SQP算法相结合,提出一种改进SQP算法用于基于非线性Volterra模型的带控制约束的多步预测控制求解,并分析了所提方法的收敛性.工业实例仿真结果证实了所提方法的可行性与有效性.     

Control of integrated processes: A case study on reactive distillation in a medium-scale pilot plant

This paper deals with the systematic design of a multivariable controller for a medium-scale reactive distillation column that is operated in semi-batch mode. This is a challenging problem because of the time-varying and strongly nonlinear dynamics of the process and considerable deviations of the behaviour of the real plant from the rigorous model used for process design. The design procedure consists of three steps: first, a suitable control structure that enables the operation of the column near the economically optimal operating point is determined based upon the rigorous nonlinear process model. In a second step, a linear model of the column is identified from experiments and used to compute the best attainable control performance for the chosen control structure. In this step, actuator limitations and model uncertainties described by confidence intervals that were obtained in the identification procedure are considered. In the third step, the resulting high-order controller is approximated by a low-order controller that gives nearly the same performance and preserves robust stability for the computed uncertainty bounds. The controller performance is demonstrated in a series of experiments that were performed at the real reactive distillation column.     

Design and Validation of an ${\mathcal{L}}_{1}$ Adaptive Controller for Mini-UAV Autopilot

The dynamics of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is nonlinear and subject to external disturbances. The scope of this paper is the test of an \({\mathcal{L}_1}\) adaptive controller as autopilot inner loop controller candidate. The selected controller is based on piecewise constant adaptive laws and is applied to a mini-UAV. Navigation outer loop parameters are regulated via PID control. The main contribution of this paper is to demonstrate that the proposed control design can stabilize the nonlinear system, even if the controller parameters are selected starting from a decoupled linear model. The main advantages of this technique are: (1) the controller can be implemented for both linear and nonlinear systems without parameter adjustment or tuning procedure, (2) the controller is robust to unmodeled dynamics and parametric model uncertainties. The design scheme of a customized autopilot is illustrated and different configurations (in terms of mass, inertia and airspeed variations) are analyzed to validate the presented approach.     

Robust MPC for Linear Systems with Structured Time‐Varying Uncertainties and Saturating Actuator

In this paper, a synthesis of model predictive control (MPC) algorithm is presented for uncertain systems subject to structured time‐varying uncertainties and actuator saturation. The system matrices are not exactly known, but are affine functions of a time varying parameter vector. To deal with the nonlinear actuator saturation, a saturated linear feedback control law is expressed into a convex hull of a group of auxiliary linear feedback laws. At each time instant, a state feedback law is designed to ensure the robust stability of the closed‐loop system. The robust MPC controller design problem is formulated into solving a minimization problem of a worst‐case performance index with respect to model uncertainties. The design of controller is then cast into solving a feasibility of linear matrix inequality (LMI) optimization problem. Then, the result is further extended to saturation dependent robust MPC approach by introducing additional variables. A saturation dependent quadratic function is used to reduce the conservatism of controller design. To show the effectiveness, the proposed robust MPC algorithms are applied to a continuous‐time stirred tank reactor (CSTR) process.     

A robust constrained model predictive control scheme for norm‐bounded uncertain systems with partial state measurements

A robust model predictive control scheme for a class of constrained norm‐bounded uncertain discrete‐time linear systems is developed under the hypothesis that only partial state measurements are available for feedback. The proposed strategy involves a two‐phase procedure. Initialization phase is devoted to determining an admissible, though not optimal, linear memoryless controller capable to formally address the input rate constraint; then, during on‐line phase, predictive capabilities complement the designed controller by means of N steps free control actions in a receding horizon fashion. These additive control actions are obtained by solving semidefinite programming problems subject to linear matrix inequalities constraints. As computational burden grows linearly with the control horizon length, an example is developed to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach for realistic control problems: the design of a flight control law for a flexible unmanned over‐actuated aircraft, where the states of the flexibility dynamics are not measurable, is discussed, and a numerical implementation of the controller within a nonlinear simulation environment testifies the validity of the proposed approach and the possibility to implement the algorithm on an onboard computer.     

基于神经网络与多模型的非线性自适应广义预测解耦控制

针对一类非线性多变量离散时间动态系统,提出了基于神经网络与多模型的非线性自适应广义预测解耦控制方法.该控制方法由线性鲁棒广义预测解耦控制器和神经网络非线性广义预测解耦控制器以及切换机构组成.线性鲁棒广义预测解耦控制器用于保证闭环系统输入输出信号有界,神经网络非线性广义预测解耦控制器能够改善系统性能.切换策略通过对上述两种控制器的切换,保证系统稳定的同时,改善系统性能.同时本文给出了所提自适应解耦控制方法的稳定性和收敛性分析.最后,通过仿真实例验证了该方法的有效性.     

Semiglobal robust backstepping output tracking for strict-feedback form systems with nonlinear uncertainty

Output tracking controller design problem is dealt with for a class of nonlinear systems in strict-feedback form in the presence of time-varying nonlinear uncertainties and unmodeled dynamics with multi-operation points. A new method based on signal compensation is proposed to design a robust controller, which consists of a nominal controller and a robust compensator. It is shown that semiglobal robust tracking property can be achieved. A new feature of our results is that the controller is a linear and time-invariant one and “explosion of complexity” problem is avoided.     

一类具有非线性扰动的多重时滞不确定系统鲁棒预测控制

针对一类具有非线性扰动且同时存在多重状态和输入时滞的不确定系统, 提出 一种鲁棒预测控制器设计方法. 基于预测控制滚动优化原理, 运用Lyapunov稳定性 理论和线性矩阵不等式 (Linear matrix inequalities, LMIs)方法, 首先近似求解无限时域二次性能指标优化问题, 然后优化非 线性扰动项所应满足的最大上界, 定量地研究鲁棒预测控制在范数有界意义下的扰动抑制 问题, 并给出了鲁棒预测控制器存在的充分条件. 最后通过仿真验证了所提方法的有效性.     

Robust PI controller design for nonlinear systems via fuzzymodeling approach

The design problem of proportional and proportional-plus-integral (PI) controllers for nonlinear systems is studied. First, the Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy model with parameter uncertainties is used to approximate the nonlinear systems. Then a numerically tractable algorithm based on the technique of iterative linear matrix inequalities is developed to design a proportional (static output feedback) controller for the robust stabilization of the system in T-S fuzzy model. Next, we transform the problem of PI controller design to that of proportional controller design for an augmented system and thus bring the solution of the former problem into the configuration of the developed algorithm. Finally, the proposed method is applied to the design of robust stabilizing controllers for the excitation control of power systems. Simulation results show that the transient stability can be improved by using a fuzzy PI controller when large faults appear in the system, compared to the conventional PI controller designed by using linearization method around the steady state     

基于不确定逼近的机械手自适应鲁棒预测控制

针对具有参数不确定性和未知外部干扰的机械手轨迹跟踪问题提出了一种多输入多输出自适应鲁棒预测控制方法. 首先根据机械手模型设计非线性鲁棒预测控制律, 并在控制律中引入监督控制项; 然后利用函数逼近的方法逼近控制律中因模型不确定性以及外部干扰引起的未知项. 理论证明了所设计的控制律能够使机械手无静差跟踪期望的关节角轨迹. 仿真验证了本文设计方法的有效性.     

Theoretical analysis of unconstrained nonlinear model predictive control

Model predictive control (MPC) is a well-established controller design strategy for linear process models. Because many chemical and biological processes exhibit significant nonlinear behaviour, several MPC techniques based on nonlinear process models have recently been proposed. The most significant difference between these techniques is the computational approach used to solve the nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) optimization problem. Consequently, analysis of NMPC techniques is often connected to the computational approach employed. In this paper, a theoretical analysis of unconstrained NMPC is presented that is independent of the computational approach. A nonlinear discrete-time, state-space model is used to predict the effects of future inputs on future process outputs. It is shown that model inverse, pole-placement, and steady-state controllers can be obtained by suitable selection of the control and prediction horizons. Moreover, the NMPC optimization problem can be modified to yield nonlinear internal model control (NIMC). The computational requirements of NIMC are considerably less than NMPC, but the NIMC approach is currently restricted to nonlinear models with well-defined and stable inverses. The NIMC controller is shown to provide superior servo and regulatory performance to a linear IMC controller for a continuous stirred tank reactor.     

Application of Wiener model predictive control (WMPC) to an industrial C2-splitter

Dual composition control of a high-purity distillation column is recognized as an industrially important, yet notoriously difficult control problem. It is proposed, however, that Wiener models, consisting of a linear dynamic element followed in series by a static nonlinear element, are ideal for representing this and several other nonlinear processes. They are relatively simple models requiring little more effort in development than a standard linear step response model, yet offer superior characterization of systems with highly nonlinear gains. Wiener models may be incorporated into MPC schemes in a unique way that effectively removes the nonlinearity from the control problem, preserving many of the favorable properties of linear MPC, especially in the analysis of stability. In this paper, Wiener model predictive control is applied to an industrial C2-splitter at the Orica Olefines plant with promising results.