A review on data-driven linear parameter-varying modeling approaches: A high-purity distillation column case study

Model-based control strategies are widely used for optimal operation of chemical processes to respond to the increasing performance demands in the chemical industry. Yet, obtaining accurate models to describe the inherently nonlinear, time-varying dynamics of chemical processes remains a challenge in most model-based control applications. This paper reviews data-driven, Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) modeling approaches for process systems by exploring and comparing various identification methods on a high-purity distillation column case study. Several LPV identification methods that utilize input-output and series expansion model structures are explored. Two LPV identification perspectives are adopted: (i) the local approach, which corresponds to the interpolation of Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) models identified at different steady-state operating points of the system and (ii) the global approach, where a parametrized LPV model structure is identified directly using a global data set with varying operating points. For the local approach, various model interpolation schemes are studied under an Output Error (OE) noise setting, whereas in the global case, a polynomial parametrization based OE prediction error minimization approach, an Orthonormal Basis Functions (OBFs) based model estimator and a Least-Square Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM) based non-parametric approach are investigated. Through extensive simulation studies, the aforementioned LPV identification approaches are analyzed in terms of the attainable model accuracy and local frequency response behavior of the obtained models. Recommendations are provided to achieve adequate choice between the methods for a particular process system at hand.