Torsional vibrations rejection in drilling systems: A combined observer-higher-order sliding mode control approach

Abstract

One of the fundamental challenges in drilling systems is the phenomenon of torsional vibrations that can cause system destruction. This paper presents a new control approach to reject stick-slip vibrations in a drill-string. Firstly, a two-degree-of-freedom plant model with friction that represents the interaction between the rock formation and the drill bit is discussed. Secondly, a higher-order sliding mode control (HOSMC) is proposed in conjunction with a cascade structure to reject the vibrations. Thirdly, given the limitation of measuring only the surface top drive velocity, a state observer is designed to estimate system states, including bit-rock interaction torque. Realistic numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed solution showcasing negligible residual oscillations on the order of 10⁻³ and a better torque estimation, yet still to be improved, further demonstrating the effectiveness of the control strategy, highlighting its robustness, high precision, predefined convergence time, and ease of implementation.

Keywords

Drilling systems / Stick-slip torsional vibrations compensation / Higher-order sliding mode control / State observer / Robustness analysis

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