Robust output feedback distributed model predictive control of networked systems with communication delays in the presence of disturbance

In this work, an output feedback cooperative distributed model predictive control is developed for a class of networked systems composed of interacting subsystems interconnected through their states, in which it handles bounded disturbances and time varying communication delays. A distributed buffer based prediction strategy is used to compensate bounded delays and predict those states, which are coupled between subsystems that their actual values may not available due to delays. In the design of robust distributed model predictive control, distributed moving horizon estimation is employed so that convergence and boundedness of the estimation error are ensured. Furthermore, robust exponential stability of the closed loop system is established. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated using two interconnected continuous stirred tank reactors. •A distributed prediction strategy is proposed to compensate the network communication delays.•A distributed constrained moving horizon estimator is designed using the predicted states given by the prediction strategy.•An analytic dynamic expression for the estimation error is presented.•A robust output feedback cooperative distributed model predictive control is proposed.•Robust exponential stability of the closed loop networked system is established.