MPC for tracking of constrained nonlinear systems. Application to a pilot plant

作者：Ferramosca A^*; Gruber J K; Limon D; Camacho E F

来源：Revista Iberoamericana de Automatica e Informatica Industrial, 2013, 10(1): 18-29.

DOI：10.1016/j.riai.2012.11.002

• Model predictive control
• setpoint tracking
• stability
• nonlinear systems

This paper deals with the tracking problem for constrained nonlinear systems using a model predictive control (MPC) law. MPC provides a control law suitable for regulating constrained linear and nonlinear systems to a given target steady state. However, when the target operating point changes, the feasibility of the controller may be lost and the controller fails to track the reference. Recently, a novel MPC for tracking constrained nonlinear systems has been presented (Ferramosca et al., 2009a). This is capable to steer the system to any reference, even in the case of changing references. In this paper, this controller is used for the real-time control of a chemical pilot plant. The obtained experimental results demonstrate that the MPC for tracking is suitable for the control of plants with nonlinear dynamics since it ensures stability and offset-free convergence in case of large changes in the reference even using short prediction horizons. Besides, in case of unreachable set points, the controller steers the system to the closest reachable equilibrium point.

• 出版日期2013-3