Application of Singular Value Decomposition to the Design, Analysis, and Control of Industrial Processes

Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is proving to be a very useful tool in modern linear system theory. It is also finding an important role in analysis and design of control systems for those real industrial processes which tend to not be so well behaved as assumed by the theory. This paper will describe how the concepts of SVD analysis can be used to help determine realistic answers to the many practical questions that must be addressed by the control engineer if he or she is going to tackle real multivariable control problems. Such questions as: What is the effect of process design alternatives and operating conditions on the control problem? The paper will also show how SVD can be used to design simple but effective multivariable control systems.