Research Initiation Award: Robust Control of Chemical Processes

化学处理系统的模型可能受到不同程度误差的影响。在许多物质中，误差范围的合理界限可以定量地确定。特别是椭球置信区域——确定性模型——可以作为过程工厂建模的副产品生成。该项目解决了鲁棒控制器的设计，能够满足正常植物以及属于邻近椭球不确定性区域的所有植物的性能和稳定性规范。本研究的目标是：(1)开发一种综合的方法来分析具有椭球不确定对象的系统的鲁棒性，(2)为这些对象合成鲁棒控制器提供工具，并通过仿真研究测试和评估由此产生的控制策略。鲁棒性分析将通过扩展频域技术的结果来进行，从而得出一个简单的鲁棒稳定性的充分必要条件。新的合成方法计划使用通用的控制结构以及专门的设计，如极点放置。化学工程系统的计算机模拟研究将用于批判性地评估使用与化学加工工业相关的系统的新控制策略。

Models of chemical processing systems may be affected by varying degrees of error. In many substances reasonable bounds on the extent of the errors can be determined quantitatively. In particular, ellipsoidal confidence regions-- certainty models-- can be generated as a by product of efforts to model process plants. This project addresses the design of robust controllers capable of satisfying performance and stability specifications for a normal plant as well as for all plants belonging to a neighboring ellipsoidal uncertainty region. The objectives of this research are to (1) develop a comprehensive methodology for analyzing the robustness of systems with ellipsoidally uncertain plants, (2) produce tools for synthesizing robust controllers for such plants, and test and evaluate the resulting control strategies via simulation studies. The analysis of robustness will be carried out by extending the results of a frequency-domain technique which leads to a simple necessary and sufficient condition for robust stability. New synthesis methods are planned using generic control structures as well as specialized designs such as pole-placement. Computer simulation studies of chemical engineering systems will be used to critically evaluate the new control strategies using systems of relevance to the chemical processing industry.