Basic Principles of Model-Based Fault Diagnosis

Although there is a close relationship among the various quantitative model-based techniques, observer-based approaches have become very important and diffused, especially within the automatic control community. Luenberger observers [1,45, 53], unknown input observers [44], and Extended Kalman Filters [21] have been mostly used in fault detection and identification for chemical processes and plants. Reviews of several model-based techniques for FD can be found in [8, 13, 35, 50] and, as for the observer-based methods, in [1, 36,44], 

The literature focused on model-based FD presents a few applications of observers to chemical plants. In [10] an unknown input observer is adopted for a CSTR, while in [7] and [21] an Extended Kalman Filter is used in [9] and [28] Extended Kalman Filters are used for a distillation column and a CSTR, respectively in [45] a generalized Luenberger observer is presented in [24] a geometric approach for a class of nonlinear systems is presented and applied to a polymerization process in [38] a robust observer is used for sensor faults detection and isolation in chemical batch reactors, while in [37] the robust approach is compared with an adaptive observer for actuator fault diagnosis. 

Since perfect knowledge of the model is rarely a reasonable assumption, soft computing methods, integrating quantitative and qualitative modeling information, have been developed to improve the performance of observer-based schemes for uncertain systems [36], Major contributions to observer-based approaches can be found in [39, 56] as well, where fault isolation is achieved via a bank of observers, while identification is based on the adoption of online universal interpolators (e.g., ANNs whose weights are updated on line). As for the use of observers in the presence of advanced control techniques, such as MPC or FLC, in [44] an unknown input observer is adopted in conjunction with an MPC scheme. 

However, most of the above-mentioned approaches are referred to continuous reactors application of these techniques to batch chemical processes is usually difficult, because of their nonlinear dynamics, intrinsically unsteady operating conditions, lack of full state measurements, and poor model knowledge. 

In this chapter, an FD framework for batch chemical processes is developed, where diagnosis of sensor, actuator, and process faults can be achieved via an integrated approach. The proposed approach is based on physical redundancy for detection of sensor faults [38], while an analytical redundancy method, based on a bank of diagnostic observers, is adopted to perform process/actuator fault detection, isolation, and identification [4], 

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Basic Principles of Model-Based Fault Diagnosis... 

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