Disturbance rejection tube model predictive levitation control of maglev trains

Magnetic levitation control technology plays a significant role in maglev trains. Designing a controller for the levitation system is challenging due to the strong nonlinearity, open-loop instability, and the need for fast response and security. In this paper, we propose a Disturbance-Observe-based Tube Model Predictive Levitation Control (DO-TMPLC) scheme combined with a feedback linearization strategy for the levitation system. The proposed strategy incorporates state constraints and control input constraints, i.e., the air gap, the vertical velocity, and the current applied to the coil. A feedback linearization strategy is used to cancel the nonlinearity of the tracking error system. Then, a disturbance observer is implemented to actively compensate for disturbances while a TMPLC controller is employed to alleviate the remaining disturbances. Furthermore, we analyze the recursive feasibility and input-to-state stability of the closed-loop system. The simulation results indicate the efficacy of the proposed control strategy.