Hybrid Fuzzy Predictive Control of a Batch Reactor Using a Branch and Bound and a Genetic Algorithm Approach

The paper deals with model predictive control (MPC) of nonlinear hybrid systems with discrete inputs. It is often required to take into account the hybrid and/or nonlinear nature of real systems, therefore, a hybrid fuzzy model is used for MPC in the paper. Two approaches that are suitable for MPC of nonlinear hybrid systems with discrete inputs are compared on a batch reactor example: a branch & bound and a genetic algorithm. We have established that both algorithms are suitable for controlling such systems. The main advantages of the genetic algorithm are boundedness of computational time in one step and whole computation-efficiency, whereas the main drawbacks are its inherent sub-optimality and the need for suitably tuned parameters. On the other hand, the branch & bound approach does not require parameter tuning and using a suitable cost function provides optimal results in considerably less time than an explicit enumeration method.