Hybrid neural network predictor for distributed parameter system
based on nonlinear dimension reduction
Mengling Wang
a,
n
, Chenkun Qi
b
, Huaicheng Yan
a
, Hongbo Shi
a
a
Key Laboratory of Advanced Control and Optimization for Chemical Processes of Ministry of Education, East China University of Science and Technology,
130, Meilong Road, Shanghai, China
b
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 , Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, China
article info
Article history:
Received 11 May 2015
Received in revised form
16 July 2015
Accepted 1 August 2015
Available online 10 August 2015
Keywords:
Neural network
Nonlinear parabolic distributed parameter
system
Nonlinear dimension reduction
Recursive algorithm
abstract
In this study, a hybrid neural network predictor is proposed to predict spatiotemporal dynamics of the
nonlinear distributed parameter systems (DPSs) with unwanted disturbance or slow set point changes.
First, a nonlinear principal component analysis (NL-PCA) network is designed to transform the high-
dimensional spatiotemporal data into a low-dimensional time domain, which can better represent the
nonlinearity of the system compared to the linear time/space separation method. Then the hybrid NN
models are built to identify the low-dimensional temporal data. To capture the spatiotemporal dynamics
of DPS, the four-step recursive algorithm is used to obtain the time-varying weights of the model, while
the parameters of NN model does not need to online update. The simulations demonstrated show that
the proposed approach can achieve a good performance on prediction with system slow time-varying
dynamics.
& 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Many industrial processes are distributed parameter systems
(DPSs), generally describing by sets of partial differential equations
(PDEs) [1–4]. Modeling and control of DPSs have faced many
challenges, owing to their infinite dimensional, spatial-temporal
nature and nonlinearities.
The nonlinear black-bo x identification method such as the non-
linear state-space model, the nonlinear autoregressive with exogen-
ous input (NARX) model, fuzzy models, neural network (NN) can be
used to predict t he nonlinear dynamics of system based on the
offline input/output data [5–8]. And these nonlinear black-bo x
identification methods can be easily integrat ed for online-prediction,
filter design and control design [9–11]. Using the black -bo x identi-
ficati on methods for DPS, Guo and Varshney [12,13] proposed the NN
based time/space discretization method to model nonlinear DPS.
Howev er this kind of method req uires a large number of spatial
discretization points and results in a high-order model [14,15].
Another method, time/space separation method is proposed for the
appro ximation of DPSs using spatial basis functions expansion. After
the truncation, it results in a relati ve ly low-d imensional coeffici ent s
modeling problem, compar e to the time/space discretization based
modeling method.
For most time/space separation based modeling approach, the
modeling performance is very dependent on the choice of spatial
basis functions. And most modeling approaches for DPS are based
on principal component analysis (PCA) or Singular value decom-
position (SVD) method [14–19]. Though these methods are the
popular approaches to find the principal spatial structures (spatial
basis functions) from the spatiotemporal data, these linear dimen-
sion reduction method may not find the optimal spatial structures
to model the nonlinear dynamics efficiently. Thus, in [19],afive-
layer NL-PCA network is trained for the nonlinear dimension
reduction and time/space reconstruction, while a NN model is
built to identify the low-dimensional time series. It can help to
describe the nonlinearity of the system better than the linear time/
space separation method.
As we know , industrial processes usually have set point changes,
or un w ant ed disturbances, the model is required to adapt to the
varied dynamics. The NL-PCA based NN model we proposed was
identified by the offline spatiotempor al data sets. It has limitation for
online-predic tion under some circumstances. As we know , any one-
model based predictor has a given predictive accuracy . Especially
when the system has slow time varying beha viors, the predictive
accuracy will be affected more or less [20–23]. Thus, the idea of the
combined method is proposed to improve prediction performances
in an effective way [24–26]. Bates and Granger showed that a linear
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journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/ locate/neucom
Neurocomputing
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neucom.2015.08.005
0925-2312/& 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
n
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: wml_ling@ecust.edu.cn (M. Wang).
Neurocomputing 171 (2016) 1591–1597