Application of minimum crest factor multisinusoidal signals for "plant-friendly" identification of nonlinear process systems

Guidelines for specifying the design parameters of minimum crest factor multisine signals generated per the approach of Guillaume et al. are presented. These guidelines are evaluated in the identification and control of nonlinear process systems. The minimum crest factor multisine signals offer some distinct advantages over both Schroeder phased multisine signals and multi-level Pseudo-Random Sequences (multi-level PRS) with respect to "plant-friendliness" considerations. These signals can be used to reduce the effects of nonlinearity in obtaining an Empirical Transfer Function Estimate (ETFE). As an example, the ETFE of a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) reactor simulation is presented. The effectiveness of the minimum crest factor multisine signals is also discussed and illustrated in the identification and control of a simulated continuous stirred tank reactor using "Model-on-Demand" estimation and Model Predictive Control. Since the performance of the "Model-on-Demand" estimator is highly dependent upon the quality of the identification data, the CSTR case study provides a compelling example of the usefulness of the proposed design procedure. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.