A Robust Model Predictive Control using a feedforward structure for a hybrid hydraulic piezo actuator in camless internal combustion engines

This paper deals with a hybrid actuator composed by a piezo and a hydraulic part and with a Robust Model Predictive Control (RMPC) structure combined with a feedforward control in camless engine motor applications. A combination between a feedforward control based on an inversion of the system and an MPC structure is considered. The idea of the conception of the proposed new actuator is to use the advantages of both, the high precision of the piezo and the force of the hydraulic part. In fact, piezoelectric actuators (PEAs) are commonly used for precision positionings, despite PEAs present nonlinearities, such as hysteresis, saturations, and creep. In the control problem such nonlinearities must be taken into account. In this paper the Preisach dynamic model with the above mentioned nonlinearities is considered together with a feedforward control combined with a RMPC. Simulations of the implementation with real data are shown.