Design and real-time evaluation of a novel observer-based predefined-time controller for the industrial processes

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Control Systems Theory

Background:

• Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTRs) are fundamental in chemical processes.
• Effective control is vital for CSTR performance, impacting efficiency and safety.
• Existing control methods may lack accuracy, speed, or robustness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel observer-based sliding mode controller for CSTRs.
• To demonstrate the superiority of the proposed controller over existing methods.
• To analyze the stability and performance characteristics of the new control strategy.

Main Methods:

• Design of an observer-based sliding mode controller.
• Stability analysis using Lyapunov theory.
• Comparative evaluation against five benchmark methods (fixed-time, finite-time, asymptotic).
• Real-time simulation under bounded and unbounded control signal scenarios.

Main Results:

• The proposed controller achieved superior performance across all evaluation indices.
• Demonstrated fast response, accurate tracking, and precise estimation.
• Exhibited chatter-free operation and robust characteristics.
• Outperformed comparative methods in both bounded and unbounded signal scenarios.

Conclusions:

• The novel observer-based sliding mode controller provides enhanced performance for CSTRs.
• The method offers significant advantages in terms of speed, accuracy, and robustness.
• This controller represents a promising advancement for CSTR process control.