Nonlinear state estimation with robust convergence

The problem of designing a dynamic measurement processor for the on-line estimation of the state of a multi-input multi-output nonlinear plant is addressed. The plant can be either observable or detectable, encompassing a broad range of cases in process systems engineering. On the basis of the structure of a suitable property of robust nonlinear estimability, an estimator is built and its convergence studied, yielding sufficient conditions for robust convergence, a systematic construction, and a tractable gain tuning procedure. The estimability property has a verifiable test, and the execution of the tuning procedure, as well as the interpretation of its convergence features can be achieved within a conventional control framework for linear single-input controllers or single-output filters. The estimation of a continuous polymer reactor is considered as an application example. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.