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.     

PID controller optimization for H∞ control by linear programming

The constraints on the PID gains, which are derived from the H_∞ norm performance index by discretization of the frequency, are convex or concave depending on frequencies. This problem is a non‐convex problem, and a new method of approximating these constraints as adequate linear inequalities is proposed. Then, the optimal solution can be efficiently and successfully searched for by applying linear programming iteratively. This method is compared with methods based on barrier function and linear matrix inequality. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimal tuning of H∞ fixed‐structure robust controller against multiple high‐level requirements using evolutionary computation

This work deals with the optimal controller synthesis against high‐level multiple requirements using evolutionary computation. Indeed, such stochastic algorithms are interesting to solve problems based on complex industrial specifications and so seem to be particularly well suited to optimal robust controller synthesis. Using the H_∞ loop‐shaping framework, the optimal weights/controller tuning without any structural assumption (in terms of poles/zeros/damping) on the searched filters (except of course their order) is investigated. The absence of such any structural assumption is important to avoid affecting the quality of the solution toward a complex specification and allows reducing the synthesis problem to a simple one with static scalings in place of frequency weights. Using a version of differential evolution algorithm well adapted for high dimensional control problems, computing directly a fixed‐structure controller for complex industrial specifications toward a generic nonconstraint fitness with quite reasonable computing time is achieved. The illustrating example deals with the line‐of‐sight stabilization problem.     

A design of disturbance observer in standard H∞ control framework

The disturbance observer (DOB)‐based controller is widely used to estimate and suppress disturbance in motion control system. Because the low‐pass filter (Q‐filter) in DOB decides the performances of disturbance suppression, noise rejection, and robust stability against system uncertainties, design of Q‐filter is the principal task in DOB construction. This paper presents a systematic scheme for Q‐filter design based on H_∞ norm optimization. Cost function for optimization is proposed by considering performance and relative order condition of the Q‐filter. The norm minimization problem is then transformed to a standard H_∞ control problem. Furthermore, the relationship between performance and frequency weighting functions is investigated based on which selection of weighting functions is presented. Simulation results validate the global optimality and systematicness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Delay‐dependent robust H∞ controller synthesis for discrete singular delay systems

In this paper, the problems of delay‐dependent robust stability analysis, robust stabilization and robust H_∞ control are investigated for uncertain discrete‐time singular systems with state delay. First, by making use of the delay partitioning technique, a new delay‐dependent criterion is given to ensure the nominal system to be regular, causal and stable. This new criterion is further extended to singular systems with both delay and parameter uncertainties. Then, without the assumption that the considered systems being regular and causal, robust controllers are designed for discrete‐time singular time‐delay systems such that the closed‐loop systems have the characteristics of regularity, causality and asymptotic stability. Moreover, the problem of robust H_∞ control is solved following a similar line. The obtained results are dependent not only on the delay, but also on the partitioning size and the conservatism is non‐increasing with reducing partitioning size. These results are shown, via extensive numerical examples, to be much less conservative than the existing results in the literature. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

H∞-optimal controller discretization

A redesign method for discretizing a continuous-time controller is proposed. The resulting hybrid control system, for example with continuous-time plant and discrete-time controller, is stable, and performance including the system's inter-sampling behaviour can be optimized by approximating some chosen reference transfer function of the continuous-time control system. In order to obtain a tractable problem, the continuous-time part of the hybrid system and the reference transfer function are approximated by a discrete-time system with arbitrary fast sampling. After lifting the resulting periodic system, the approximation problem can be formulated as a standard H_∞-problem which is solved using standard software for H_∞-controller design.     

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.     

Discrete‐time robust H∞control of a class of nonlinear uncertain systems

This paper presents an approach to discrete‐time robust H^∞ control for a class of nonlinear uncertain systems on the basis of the use of Sum Quadratic Constraints. The approach involves controllers, which include copies of the system nonlinearities in the controller. The nonlinearities being considered are those that satisfy a certain global Lipschitz condition. The linear part of the controller is synthesized using linear robust H^∞ control theory, and this leads to a nonlinear controller, which gives an upper bound on the attainable disturbance attenuation level. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

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.     

Guaranteed H∞ robustness bounds for Wiener filtering and prediction

The paper deals with special classes of H_∞ estimation problems, where the signal to be estimated coincides with the uncorrupted measured output. Explicit bounds on the difference between nominal and actual H_∞ performance are obtained by means of elementary algebraic manipulations. These bounds are new in continuous‐time filtering and discrete‐time one‐step ahead prediction. As for discrete‐time filtering, the paper provides new proofs that are alternative to existing derivations based on the Krein spaces formalism. In particular, some remarkable H_∞ robustness properties of Kalman filters and predictors are highlighted. The usefulness of these results for improving the estimator design under a mixed H₂/H_∞ viewpoint is also discussed. The dualization of the analysis allows one to evaluate guaranteed H_∞ robustness bounds for state‐feedback regulators of systems affected by actuator disturbances. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Robust nonlinear H ∞ control based on the incremental gain

The incremental gain is proposed as an alternative to the usual gain for designing nonlinear H _∞ controllers. Considering a class of plants with Lipschitz nonlinearities and using linear matrix inequalities, a state feedback controller is designed such that the closed‐loop system is exponentially stable in the absence of disturbance inputs and has incremental gain less than or equal to a minimized number in the presence of disturbances as well as model uncertainties. Moreover, a norm‐wise robustness analysis of the proposed technique against nonlinear uncertainties has been accomplished. Our result is verified through stabilization of both certain and uncertain systems in an incremental sense and also input tracking of a chaotic plant. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

H∞ control for a class of cascade switched nonlinear systems

In this paper, we investigate the H_∞ control problem for a class of cascade switched nonlinear systems consisting of two nonlinear parts which are also switched systems using the multiple Lyapunov function method. Firstly, we design the state feedback controller and the switching law, which guarantees that the corresponding closed‐loop system is globally asymptotically stable and has a prescribed H_∞ performance level. This method is suitable for a case where none of the switched subsystems is asymptotically stable. Then, as an application, we study the hybrid H_∞ control problem for a class of nonlinear cascade systems. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the feasibility of our results. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society     

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.     

Design of a robust observer‐based memoryless H∞ control for internet congestion

This work is concerned with the transmission control protocol(TCP)‐based active queue management for alleviating Internet congestion. To achieve the objective, a novel robust observer‐based H_∞ control scheme is proposed to stabilize the data queue length of the router to a given target. The robust observer is advocated to reconstruct a substitution state of the TCP window size under uncertain Internet environments, wherein the TCP window size is almost impossible to be explicitly measured in practise. Meanwhile, a memoryless H_∞ controller is employed to guarantee the system asymptotical stability and further enhance the robustness. With the assistance of a unique nonlinear decoupling method, a feasible controller design method is presented in terms of linear matrix inequality. Compared with the existing literatures, the proposed control principle is more practical, and it can be conveniently implemented into the Internet routers while introduces less computational burden. Finally, the proposed result is embedded into Network Simulator 2 and compared with the other schemes in the literature. Numerical experiments illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plant zero structure and further order reduction of a singular H∞ controller

A new class of reduced‐order controllers is obtained for the H_∞ problem. The reduced‐order controller does not compromise the performance attained by the full‐order controller. Algorithms for deriving reduced‐order H_∞ controllers are presented in both continuous and discrete time. The reduction in order is related to unstable transmission zeros of the subsystem from disturbance inputs to measurement outputs. In the case where the subsystem has no infinite zeros, the resulting order of the H_∞ controller is lower than that of the existing reduced‐order H_∞ controller designs which are based on reduced‐order observer design. Furthermore, the mechanism of the controller order reduction is analysed on the basis of the two‐Riccati equation approach. The structure of the reduced‐order H_∞ controller is investigated. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.