A tutorial review on process identification from step or relay feedback test

Step and relay feedback tests have been widely used for model identification in the process industry. The corresponding identification methods developed in the past three decades are surveyed in this paper. Firstly, the process models with time delay mainly adopted for identification in the literature are presented with a classification on different response types. By categorizing the major technical routes developed in the existing references for parameter estimation relating to different applications, the identification methods are subsequently clustered into groups for overview, along with two specific categories for robust identification against load disturbance and the identification of multivariable or nonlinear processes. The rationales of each category are briefly explained, while a typical or state-of-the-art identification algorithm of each category is elucidated along with application to benchmark examples from the literature to illustrate the achievable accuracy and robustness, for the purpose of facilitating the readers to have a general knowledge of the research development. Finally, an outlook on the open issues regarding step or relay identification is provided to call attention to future exploration.