Output Feedback Economic Model Predictive Control of Parabolic PDE Systems

We proposed an economic model predictive control (EMPC) system for parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) systems in [17]. The EMPC system assumed the knowledge of the complete state spatial profile at each sampling period. From a practical point of view, measurements of the state variables are available only at a finite number of spatial positions. To address this practical consideration, an output feedback EMPC system that accounts for both manipulated input and state constraints is developed for a quasi- linear parabolic PDE system. The EMPC system is applied to a nonisothermal tubular reactor. Two EMPC systems, each utilizing a different number of measurement sensors and formulated with various degrees of accuracy (i.e., number of modes retained from the infinite-dimensional model), are presented and compared on the basis of model accuracy, and input and state constraint satisfaction.