Model predictive control. With a foreword by M. J. Grimble and M. A. Johnson (Q2386501)

This text is an introduction to model predictive control, a control methodology which has encountered some success in industry (beyond the PID strategy), but which still presents many theoretical challenges (stability, robustness). The first edition was published in 1999 by Springer, London. The authors limit the scope mainly to linear processes and they represent them in the frequency domain. They present many commercial schemes. Chapter four considers generalized predictive control for noisy processes. Next, some practical issues are addressed: the authors connect the previous formulation with data available from plants in industry. Chapter six deals with multivariable processes. Chapter seven studies constraints in this context. Chapter eight considers robustness issues. The next chapters are specific to this second edition with topics on nonlinear processes and hybrid systems. The last chapter is devoted to applications (solar power plant, pilot for a chemical plant (heat exchanger), sugar refinery, olive oil mill, mobile robot). Many other applications are described along the way though; they belong to the chemical industry. Two appendices detail some optimization algorithms (simplex method, linear quadratic control). Many exercises are included at the end of the chapters, and finally 215 references and an index are given. The book is of interest as an introduction to model predictive control, and a merit is the special presentation, connecting the subject intimately with industrial situations.