Economic MPC of Nonlinear Systems with Non-Monotonic Lyapunov Functions and Its Application to HVAC Control

Abstract: This paper proposes a Lyapunov-based economic MPC scheme for nonlinear sytems with non-monotonic Lyapunov functions. Relaxed Lyapunov-based constraints are used in the MPC formulation to improve the economic performance. These constraints will enforce a Lyapunov decrease after every few steps. Recursive feasibility and asymptotical convergence to the steady state can be achieved using Lyapunov-like stability analysis. The proposed economic MPC can be applied to minimize energy consumption in HVAC control of commercial buildings. The Lyapunov-based constraints in the online MPC problem enable the tracking of the desired set-point temperature. The performance is demonstrated by a virtual building composed of two adjacent zones.