Nested Distributed Model Predictive Control

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel distributed model predictive control method for coupled linear systems, replacing traditional disturbance rejection with a second MPC to improve robustness and coordination among subsystems.

Contribution

It presents a new distributed MPC approach that integrates a second MPC for disturbance rejection, eliminating the need for explicit invariant sets and enhancing subsystem coordination.

Findings

Improved robustness to disturbances in distributed control systems

Enhanced coordination by considering neighbors' plans

Elimination of explicit invariant set requirements

Abstract

We propose a distributed model predictive control approach for linear time-invariant systems coupled via dynamics. The proposed approach uses the tube MPC concept for robustness to handle the disturbances induced by mutual interactions between subsystems; however, the main novelty here is to replace the conventional linear disturbance rejection controller with a second MPC controller, as is done in tube-based nonlinear MPC. In the distributed setting, this has the advantages that the disturbance rejection controller is able to consider the plans of neighbours, and the reliance on explicit robust invariant sets is removed.