Multi-objective LQR with Optimum Weight Selection to Design FOPID Controllers for Delayed Fractional Order Processes

An optimal trade-off design for fractional order (FO)-PID controller is proposed in this paper with a Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) based technique using two conflicting time domain control objectives. The deviation of the state trajectories and control signal are automatically enforced by the LQR. A class of delayed FO systems with single non-integer order element has been controlled here which exhibit both sluggish and oscillatory open loop responses. The FO time delay processes are controlled within a multi-objective optimization (MOO) formulation of LQR based FOPID design. The time delays in the FO models are handled by two analytical formulations of designing optimal quadratic regulator for delayed systems. A comparison is made between the two approaches of LQR design for the stabilization of time-delay systems in the context of FOPID controller tuning. The MOO control design methodology yields the Pareto optimal trade-off solutions between the tracking performance for unit set-point change and total variation (TV) of the control signal. Numerical simulations are provided to compare the merits of the two delay handling techniques in the multi-objective LQR-FOPID design, while also showing the capability of load disturbance suppression using these optimal controllers. Tuning rules are then formed for the optimal LQR-FOPID controller knobs, using the median of the non-dominated Pareto solution to handle delays FO processes.