Novel programmable logic controller implementation of a predictive controller based on Laguerre functions and multiparametric solutions

This study presents a novel programmable logic controller (PLC) implementation of a constrained predictive control (MPC) algorithm based on Laguerre functions and multi-parametric quadratic programming (mp-QP). First, the study shows how Laguerre functions can be used in conjunction with mp-QP to achieve a large decrease in both the online computations and data storage requirements while increasing the feasible region of the optimisation problem for MPC; extensive simulation results are given to back this claim. Next, the study shows how the algorithm can be embedded on an industrial PLC using the IEC 61131-3 programming standard. A laboratory test was carried out to demonstrate the code on real hardware.