Copyright © IFAC System Structure and Control.

Nantes. France. 1995

VARIABLE-STRUCTURE CONTROL OF NONLINEAR SYSTEMS

P. ZLATEVA
InstllUte oleontrol and System Research. Bulgarian Academy o/Sclences
Acad. G. Bonchev Street. Bl.2. P.o.Box i 9. Sofia J // J. Bulgaria

AbstracL A class of nonlinear systems expressed by nonlinear differential equations with uncertain parameters is
investigated. ~ nonlin.:ar model is transformed into a lin.:ar modd with parameters varying in definite intervals.
Variable structure control in sliding mode is designed. The sliding mode is realized with respect to an auxiliary variable.
~ theoretical results are proved by computer simulations of the designed variable structure control in sliding mode for
nonlinear fermentation processes.

Resume. DaJ1S ce travail on pr=te une recherche sur une c1asse de systemes non-lin~aire aves parametres mal defmis.
L.: mod':le non-liniaire se lransforme en mo&le lineaire avec parametres variables dans des intervalles determirn!s. On
pr.l-senle la synth.:se d'une commande avec structure variable en r';gime glissant. L.: regime glissanl est nfalis.! par rapport
d' une variable auxiliaire. L.:s r.:sultats theoriques sont approuv.:s par des simulations num.!riques d'un syst~ ayes
stru,1ure variable en regime g1issant pour commande d'un processus de fermentatior: non-lineaire.

Key Words. Variable structure systen1S; sliding mode; nonlinear ~"Sten1S; control design; nonlinear differential equations;
fermentation processes

1. INTRODUCTION implementation, and only asymptotic tending of the

In recent years. great attention has been given to
control design for nonlinear and uncertain plants by
using the theory of variable structure systems
(Cortez et al. . 1989: Zinober. 1990: Utkin. 1992:
Zlateva. 199-t). Variable structure control is widely
used in the control of robotics manipulators_ power
converters. chemical processes (Sira-Ramirez. 1993:
Young. 1993).
A central feature of \"ariable structure control is
sliding mode. which occurs when the system state
repeatedly crosses certain subspaces. or sliding
surfaces, in the state or error vector space. The
design of the sliding surface completely determines
the performance of the closed loop system
(Emeliano\". 1967: Utkin. 1978). When a certain
matching criterion holds. nonlinear variable
structure control can yield invariance to the
parameter uncertainties and external disturbances
(Drazenovic. 1969).
A difficulty in applying the \"ariable structure
control approach is the need for the knowledge of
the full-state information (Utkin. 1978). In practice.
it is neither possible nor fc.1sible to ha\'e full
information regarding the state. Thus. "hen the
state can not be measured. the output is measured
instead. The use of state obsen'ers is a natural step
towards the relaxation of this condition. Howe\·er.
this Increases the complexity of
state to the sliding surface can be achieved. An
aliemative to state feedback for simplification of
sy,le!lI implementation is the use of output feedback
(Sira-Ramirez. 1993: Young. 1993).
Fermentation processes involve living organisms.
Their dynamics is often badly understood, c;trongly
nonlinear and non stationary. The model
parameters do not remain constant over long
.. periods due to metabolic various and physiological
modification:: (Bastin and Dochain, 1991: Tzonkov
et al.. 1992: Simeonov, 1993).
In this case. one class 0" systems which are a".e to
perform high quality automatic control are variable
structure systems.
It should be marked that a fermentation processes
ha\"e been an area in which, traditionally, the
,;.;riable structure control ~echmques coul:l not t;,.~
app;~d (Sira-Ramirez. 1993). The specific nature of
these processes with the required smoothness of the
input \'ariables and the inherent limitations in
today's actuators in fermentation induSL)', did not
allow naturally for discontinuous feedback
strategies. Moreover. the typical chattering
responses in sliding mode are undesirable for the
delicatr. and precise regulation of the fermentation
processes.
system

591
However, there are single reports about variable (4)
structure control of fermentation processes (Cortez
et al. , 1989: Sira-Ramirez. 1993: Zlateva et aI., where X min . Xma.,' Smin. S"""'. Dmin . Drrw<. S;:in ;
1994; Zlateva, 1994). Two approaches to control
design are used. The first one is comprised of two s m'a:< . k min
lit ' t
km." are constants.
I

steps: first, nonIinear model linearization at one

operation point, and second. variable structure
control design using the obtained linear model. In
this case. the stability of closed loop system is
guaranteed only in the vicinity of the chosen
operating point. The second approach uses directly
the nonlinear model and full - biological state
information.
In the present work, a class of the nonlinear systems
with uncertain parameters (a class of the continuous
fermentation processes) with only the input and
output measurable is considered. A variable
structure control in sliding mode is proposed. To
avoid the chattering phenomenon the sliding mode
is realized with respect to an au:xiliary input
variable.
2. PROBLEM STATEMENT
It is assumed that the state variable - biomass
concentration is not directly measured, and that
only the output - substrate concentration is
measured.
The problem is to design a variable structure control
law such that nonlinear and uncertain fermentation
process to be stable and invariance to the parameter
uncertainties and e~1ernal disturbances.
3. VARIABLE STRUCTURE CONTROL DESIGN
3.1. Transformation of nonIinear fermentation
process model
The system (1)-(2) is replaced by a second - order
algebraic differential equation of the form:

The kinetics of the class of continuous fermentation

processes described by the following nonlinear
differential equations is investigated (Bastin and (5)
Dochain.1991) : klk. dS dD
+--'-DS-D-+(Sin -S)- .
d\'
k2 +S dt dt
-=rp-DX: (1)
dt In order to apply the main principles of the variable
structure control theory (Emelianov, 1967), the
dS
-=-k.rp+D(S -S). (2) nonlinear differential equation (5) is transformed
dt ' In into an input - output linear differential equation
with uncertain parameters:
kS
where rp = _ I_X is the gro\\th rate:
k, +S
(6)
X and S are state variables - the biomass
and substrate concentration. respectively:
D is the dilution rate: where the following substitutes are carried out:
SfII is the influent substrate concentration:
k 2 [-k l rp+D(SIn -S)]
k; (i= 1.. .. 3) are the characteristic al =
coefficients of the fermentation process. (k2 +S)S

The control input is dilution rate (u = D) and the

output - substrate concentration (v = 5). State (7)
variables. dilution rate. influent substrate [-k3rp + D(S;n - S)]kl .
concentration and characteristic coefficients belong a r) =
(k: +S)
to given intervals. depending on technological
requirements: hI) =-(S;II - S){ [-k 3 rp + D(S;n - S)] .

(k , - k S
.. [ - 1 -1]+q*3}
(3)
(k:. +S)S
O< SInmfII -'''n-')I/J
< (' < (,m,,.. O<k· mIn _< /. <_k,m.,,. .
~ ,1\1

592
 In this case. the parameters aj and bj • i = 0, I are
represented as nonlinear and nonstationary del
functions of the fennentation process state variables -=e,
dt -
and characteristic coefficients. Taking into account (12)
the conditions (1)-( ~) these parameters are
considered as uncertain parameters which vary in
known intervals:

<
a,mm _a < m.".. b1m l!1 -
< b, -< bma.x where e/ = e.
j _a, I ~
(8)
nUn ma'( mm ma.,; Define the auxiliary variable:
where a j • aj , bj • bj are constants.
du
The intervals boundaries are obtained as follows v=- (13)
dt '
(Zlateva, 199~) :
Substituting (13) into (12), it is obtained the
following extended system model:

(9) el 0
d
- e, = -ao -a l (14)
dt
u 0 0
It should be marked that the parameters expressions
(7) are not drawn in a uniquely possible way. where v is an auxiliarv input variable and the
original input variable u is now an added state to
the system.
3.2. Control la\\
To avoid the chattering phenomenon the sliding
Suppose it is desired to regulate the substrate mode is realized with respect to the auxiliary input
concentration (S = y) to its set-point (S' = g). The variable v. Thus. the dynamic variable structure
substrate concentration error is: feedback controller exhibiting smoothing features
for the control input signal designed u is obtained.
e = S· - S = g - y. ( 10)
On the basis of the variable structure system theory
where g is positive constant. (Emelianov. 1967: Utkin, 1978). the control law is
designed as follows:
Differentiating (10) and using (6). it is obtained the
following second - order differential equation of the
error:

d~e de du where If/, . i=l...A are switching coefficients;

~+Ol - +ooe = b l -+bou+oog· (11)
a( e) is sliding surface.
dt dt dt

In this case. the set-point signal g is considered as The sliding surface is defined as follows:
an external disturbance.
(16)
According to the proposed transformation. the
investigated nonlinear system (I )-(2) is considered where c is a strictly positive constant.
as linear uncertain sYstem with differentiated
control input. The condition for the existence and stability of a
sliding mode (Emelianov, 1967) is given by:
To quarantee the invariance of the variable structure
system in sliding mode to the parameter d(a(e))
a(e) <0. for a(e)"'O. (17)
uncertainies and external disturbances. it is required dl
to hold the certain matching conditions. For this
reason. the system is represented by the following On the basis of this condition. it is defined the
generalized controller observability form (Fliess. following inequalities which have to satisfy the
1989): switching coefficients:

593
 0.015. X $0.2 ; 0.1$ S $ 1.8 ;
> -0 0 c-a
~1 _SUp--: ~,~ SUp _ _l :
b1 - b1 05. D $0.39;
(18)
0.28$ kl $052;

0.28$ k2 $0.52 : 19.1$ k3 $355

According to the method of the equivalent control Taking into account the conditions (7)-(9), the
(Utkin, 1978), the discontinuous motion on the following boundaries of the transformed model
sliding surface o(e)=O can be described in an parameters are calculated:
idealized fashion. by invariance conditions o(e)=:O
and d(o(e)yd! =0. Under ideal sliding condition -13 $ 0
1
$ 20; 0 .2 $ b l $ 4;
o(e)=:O, at least one of the variables no longer
-1.3 $ 00 $ 1.8; -73 $ b o $ 54
qualifies as a state variable for the system since it is
expressible as a linear combination of the remaining
On the basis of the conditions (15)-( 18), the
state. The function sng{ 0'( e») , is then ideally
au."xiIiary input variable is obtained as follows :
replaced by zero. The ideal (autonomous) closed
loop dynamics may then be expressed in terms of a
reduced state vector which only includes the
remaining n-l variable (in investigated case n =2) .
This leads to the following ideal sliding dynamics: where the sliding surface is:

del 0'(e)=0.5e 1 +e~

- = -ce. (19)
dt I

It is investigated the performance of the designed

The equivalent control is defined as a virtual variable structure control with respect to parameter
feedback control action ideally achieving a smooth uncertamtles by varying the characteristic
evolution of the system trajectories on the coefficients of the fermentation process and to
constraining sliding surface o(e)=O . provided initial e:\1ernaI disturbances by varying the influent
conditions are precisely set on such a switching substrate concentration and the process set-point.
surface. The equivalent control is formally obtained
from the condition d(o(e))ldJ =0. In Figure I . is shown the evolution of the substrate
concentration S. dilution rate D, auxiliary input
Taking into account the technological constraints variable v at step change of the set-point S· . The
(~) the dilution rate is submitted to following good performance of the nonlinear system and the
condition: smooth nature of the control input - dilution rate D
are evident.
r
~ Dmax when u ~ Dmax
D= u ll'hen DmlIl < u < Dmax (20) RI: -s D IS ~ III'.I
111.'( : U.. _°,-1_ _-..:!.
' lIfl",,- I.I"-_ _ _ _ _-=-I!,..-----;
__0.o:,

lDmm whel7 u 5. Dmm

~. SIMULATION STUDIES

This section present some simulation results using

the proposed \'ariable structure control in sliding
mode to regulate the substrate concentration of the
continuous nonlinear fermentation process.
(;;:7:-::
~

In this case. the biomass concentration. substrate ftl~: ~ ! .'/l1li I

ACt: 8.1 BE·2 5Ull1 I.B
concentration. dilution rate. influent substrate
concentration and characteristic cocfficients Fig. I. Evolution of the substrate concentration S,
intcr.als ha,'e the following values (Bastin and dilution rate D. auxiliary input variable I' at step
Dochain. 1991): change of the set-point S· (from 0. 1 to 0.8)

594
 The simulation results corroborate that the closed
nonlinear system is invariant to the step change of
the influent substrate concentration. It is depicted in
Fig.2. and Fig.3. where SI11=2 and Sin=3,
respectively. It can be observed that dilution rate
only takes extreme value (Dmin=O) during a small
time intervals. This time is just enough to the
substrate concentration S reaches the boundary layer
around set -point S· .
':;
I :
1(1:
Fig. 2. Evolution of the substrate concentration S.
dilution rate D. auxiliary variable v where Sin =2:
S·=O. 1: S(0)=16
~
1(1: 1.6
8 .]1 I and control problems. Springer-Verlag, New
8.32 '14'.1 .412 I.J
Fig. 3. Evolution of the substrate concentration S.
dilution rate D. auxiliary variable v where Sin =3:
5·=0.1:5(0)=16 . Science. Amsterdam.
5. CONCLUSION
The design of a variable structure control in sliding
mode for a class of nonlinear systems has been
de,·e1oped. This class of systems is described by
nonlinear differential equations with uncertain
parameters. For control design purpose. the
nonlinear model is transformed into a linear model
with parameters. \'a~' ing in definite intervals. To
a,'oid the chattering phenomenon the sliding mode
is realized to respect to an auxiliary variable. It is
595
shown that the nonlinear system is invariant to the
parameters uncertainties and external disturbances.
The obtained results proved that the designed
variable structure control can be successfully used
for set-point stabilization of the nonlinear and
uncertain fermentation processes.
6. REFERENCES
Bastin, G. and D. Dochain (1991). On-line
Estimation and Adaptive Control of Bioreactors,
Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Drazenovic, B. (1969). The invariance conditions in
variable structure systems. Automatica,5,3, 287-
295.
Emelianov, S. V. (1967). Variable structure
controls:llstems. Nauka, Moscow. (in Russian)
Fliess, M. (1989). Nonlinear control theory and
differential algebra. Modelling and adaptive
control. (Ch. Byrnes and A. Khurzhansky, Ed.)
Lecture Notes in Control and Information
Sciences. vol. 105. Springer-Verlag. Berlin.
Simeonov. 1. (199-1-). Modelling and Control of
Anaerobic Digestion of Organic Waste,
Chem. Biochem.Eng. Q., 8, -1-5-52.
Sira-Ramirez. H. (1993). On the dynamical sliding
mode control of nonlinear systems. Int. 1. Control,
57, 1039-1062.
Suarez-Cortez. R.. 1. Alvarez-Gallegos and E.
Gonzalez-Mora (1989). Sliding conroller desing
for a nonlinear fermentation system. Biotechnol.
Bioeng. , .33. 377-385.
Tzonkov. S.. D. File\", I. Simeonov and L. Vaklev
(1992) . Control of the biotechnological processes.
Technica. Sofia. (in Bulgarian)
Utkin. V. I. (1978). Sliding modes and their
applications in variable structure systems. Mir,
Moscow. (in Russian)
lftkin. V. I. (1992). Sliding modes in optimization
York.
Young. KD .. Ed. (1993). Variable structure control
for robotics and aerospace applications. Else\Oler
Zinobcr. A. S.. Ed. (1990). Deterministic control of
uncertain svstems. Peter Peregrinus. London.
Zlateva. P.. V. Lubenova. I. Simeonov, and M.
Ignatova (l99~) . Sliding mode control of
continuous fermentation processes with state
estimation. In: Proc. IF AC Int. Workshop on New
Trends in Design of Control Systems, Smolenice,
Slo\"akia. September 199~. 181-18~.
Zlateva. P. (I99~) A method to fermentation
processes control in the class of variable structure
systems. AUfomalica & Infarmatics .. 1. 19-22. (in
Bulgarian)