Flatness-based feedforward control design of a system of parabolic PDEs based on finite difference semi-discretization

This contribution is concerned with feedforward control design for setpoint transitions of systems of semilinear boundary-controlled parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs). For this, the originally infinite-dimensional system is semi-discretized using finite differences on the spatial derivatives. The resulting system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is differentially flat, such that a nominal feedforward control can be determined using the flat output and its time derivatives. The method is applied to control the ignition of a nonlinear tubular reactor model. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)