  This paper presents a new predictive second order sliding controller (PSSC)
formulation for setpoint tracking of constrained linear systems. The PSSC
scheme is developed by combining the concepts of model predictive control (MPC)
and second order discrete sliding mode control. In order to guarantee the
feasibility of the PSSC during setpoint changes, a virtual reference variable
is added to the PSSC cost function to calculate the closest admissible set
point. The states of the system are then driven asymptotically to this
admissible setpoint by the control action of the PSSC. The performance of the
proposed PSSC is evaluated for an advanced automotive engine case study, where
a high fidelity physics-based model of a reactivity controlled compression
ignition (RCCI) engine is utilized to serve as the virtual test-bed for the
simulations. Considering the hard physical constraints on the RCCI engine
states and control inputs, simultaneous tracking of engine load and optimal
combustion phasing is a challenging objective to achieve. The simulation
results of testing the proposed PSSC on the high fidelity RCCI model show that
the developed predictive controller is able to track desired engine load and
combustion phasing setpoints, with minimum steady state error, and no
overshoot. Moreover, the simulation results confirm the robust tracking
performance of the PSSC during transient operations, in the presence of engine
cyclic variability.
