Nonlinear optimal control for a gas compressor driven by an induction motor

The article proposes a nonlinear optimal control approach for the dynamic model of a gas centrifugal compressor being driven by an induction motor (IM). The dynamic model of the integrated compressor-induction motor system, being initially expressed in a nonlinear and multivariable state-space form, undergoes approximate linearization around a temporary operating point that is recomputed at each time-step of the control method. The linearization relies on first-order Taylor series expansion and on the computation of the associated Jacobian matrices. For the linearized state-space model of the compressor-IM a stabilizing optimal (H-infinity) feedback controller is designed. This controller stands for the solution to the nonlinear optimal control problem of the compressor-IM under model uncertainty and external perturbations. To compute the controller’s feedback gains an algebraic Riccati equation is repetitively solved at each iteration of the control algorithm. The global stability properties of the control method are proven through Lyapunov analysis. Finally, to implement state estimation-based control of the compressor-IM, without the need to measure its entire state vector, the H-infinity Kalman Filter is used as a robust state estimator. The differential flatness properties of the compressor-IM system are proven. The article’s method provides one of the few algorithmically simple and computationally efficient solutions for the nonlinear optimal control problem of the compressor-IM system.