Finite‐dimensional, output‐predictor‐based, adaptive observer for heat PDEs with sensor delay

Abstract

SummaryWe are considering the problem of designing observers for heat partial differential equations (PDEs) that are subject to sensor delay and parameter uncertainty. In order to get finite‐dimensional observers, described by ordinary differential equations (ODE), we develop a design method based on the modal decomposition approach. The approach is extended so that both parameter uncertainty and sensor delay effects are compensated for. To cope more effectively with sensor delay, an output predictor is designed and the online provided output predictions are substituted to the future output values in the observer. To compensate for parameter uncertainty, we design a parameter estimator providing online parameter estimates, which are substituted to the unknown parameters in the observer. The parameter estimator design is made decoupled from the observer gain design by using an appropriate decoupling transformation. Using an analysis of the small‐gain‐theorem type, the whole (state and parameter) estimation error system is shown to be exponentially stable, under well‐defined conditions on the observer dimension, the sensor delay, and signal persistent excitation (PE).