A Two‐Stage Method for Order Selection in Model‐Free Predictive Control

Abstract

One of the primary advantages of model‐free predictive control over conventional methods is that it does not use any mathematical models and relies only utilizes measured input/output data from the storage. The capability of model‐free predictive control has been already demonstrated in nonlinear systems using linear and polynomial regression for data storage. However, identifying the appropriate order that aligns with the actual system order remains a primary challenge, selecting an incorrect order may result in increasing redundant terms, ultimately leading to instability issues. In this study, we employed the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) order selection technique, combined with the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), to identify the appropriate input and output orders of the system as well as the optimal horizon order in predictive control. This combined technique was subsequently applied to determine the appropriate order for model‐free predictive control. Our findings confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method using numerical simulations in both linear and nonlinear systems. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.