Robust detection and accommodation of incipient component and actuator faults in nonlinear distributed processes

A class of nonlinear distributed processes with component and actuator faults is presented. An adaptive detection observer with a time varying threshold is proposed that provides additional robustness with respect to false declarations of faults and minimizes the fault detection time. Additionally, an adaptive diagnostic observer is proposed that is subsequently utilized in an automated control reconfiguration scheme that accommodates the component and actuator faults. An integrated optimal actuator location and fault accommodation scheme is provided in which the actuator locations are chosen in order to provide additional robustness with respect to actuator and component faults. Simulation studies of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky nonlinear partial differential equation are included to demonstrate the proposed fault detection and accommodation scheme. (C) 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.