CONSTRAINED NONLINEAR MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The proposed MPC is based on a successive linearization of the model at each sampling time and a formulation of a MPC. The cost function of the MPC problem is subject to a reference system as equality constraint and to upper and lower limits in the input variables. In order to satisfy both constraints simultaneously it is needed to include a slack variable in the equality constraint. This slack variable provides more flexibility in the control moves so that the solution of the optimization problem becomes feasible. Proposed controller was implemented to an experimental neutralization pH plant. Results showed a very satisfactory performance of the proposed strategy.