Computers have had a profound

impact on
- automatic control
- automation
- manufacturing
Other uses:
- mathematical modeling
- simulation

Changing Manufacturing
Requirements
Good

Fast any two out of three before 1990,

Cheap

and
Green: new addition for 21st Century

Feedback Control Is Basic Building

Block (Since 1950s)

Output
Setpoint

Feedback
Controller

Updated
Process State

Process
Inputs

Process

Observer

Process
Outputs

Quality
Measurement

Feedback
Information

Beginnings of Advanced Process

Control (APC)
First usage of APC was in guidance and control
of aircraft/satellites.
Due to complexity of these systems, PID control
was inadequate.
Digital computer control was required for
analysis of the differential equations.
1957 Sputnik launching
USSR/USA competition in control technology
(Maximum vs. Minimum Principle)
4

1960s/1970s a split developed between

modern and classical control camps
Time domain vs. frequency domain
Optimization vs. PID tuning
Automatic control became an
interdisciplinary field.
PID control was still dominant in process
industries.

Gap Between Control Theory and

Practice
Explosion of information since 1960s
You can get 80% of the profit with 20% of
the effort.
What can go wrong will go wrong.

The author has been reading the

chemical process control literature for over
25 years and in his opinion the vast
majority of papers contained little or no
material useful in the daily practice of
control engineering. (ca. 1986)

Why APC Has Not Been Used

There are very few pilot installations for
testing control algorithms.
Proprietary processes and great variety of
processes prevent technology transfer.
Engineers design safe self-regulatory
processes then use large inventories
and blend products.

 You cant make any money with APC.

Inter-disciplinary problem knowledge required
includes control theory, engineering, advanced
math, statistics.
Small yield for effort plants have other
problems to solve that will give more significant
increase in production, yield, quality, etc.
Math model of process required in process
control not easy to get for some processes.
10

Three Types of Control (ca. 1975)

1. Feedback
2. Feedforward
3. Divine intervention

11

Major Developments Influencing Growth of

APC Since 1970s

Energy crisis
Distributed control hardware
Environmental restrictions
Quality control (international competition)
Computing speed

12

Computers (as of 1960)

Average
Monthly
Rental
(1960 $)

Maximum
Core
Storage
Capacity
(in 1000
bits)

Add
Time
(Microsec)

Read
Cards
Per
Min

IBM-7090

55,000

160

0.004

250

CDC-1604

34,000

32

0.005

1300

DEC-PDP1

2,200

0.010

(Tape
Input)
13

14

Key to Better Controllers?

Better mathematical models and
instrumentation
Key concept in new generation of
feedback controllers they are
Model-Based
Tuning based on optimization criteria
rather than frequency response but model
accuracy is a requirement
15

Model Predictive Control (MPC)

Most widely used multivariable control algorithm
in chemical process industries
Makes explicit use of process model (related to
Kalman filter)
Control actions obtained from on-line
optimization (QP)
Handles process variable constraints
Unifies treatment of load, set-point changes
Many commercial packages
16

17

Desirable Closed Loop

Performance

Tight control about a set point

Fast, smooth set point changes
Insensitivity to model errors
Insensitivity to plant changes
Ease of on-line tuning

18

Early Ideas About MPC

One technique for obtaining a feedback
controller synthesis from knowledge of openloop controllers is to measure the current control
process state and then compute very rapidly for
the open-loop control function. The first portion
of this function is then used during a short time
interval, after which a new measurement of the
process state is made and a new open-loop
control function is computed for this new
measurement. The procedure is then repeated.
Lee and Markus (1967)
Foundation of Optimal Control Theory
19

What is Coming Next?

Faster hardware MPC of units with more than
10 inputs and 10 outputs is already established
in industrial practice. Larger MPC
implementations and faster sample rates will
probably accompany faster computing.
Better MPC algorithms Improved algorithms
could easily have more impact than the
improved hardware for the next several years.

20

 MPC on the DCS - What will be the ratio

of PID to MPC loops if this happens?
Nonlinear Models - When will control
based on nonlinear models become part
of industrial practice? The nonlinear MPC
theory and algorithms are improving
steadily as are nonlinear model
identification technologies.
21

22

23

Figure 19.1 The five levels of process control and optimization in

manufacturing. Time scales are shown for each level.

24

Supply Chain Management

Anticipate customer requirements

Commit to customer orders
Procure new materials
Allocate production capacity
Schedule production
Schedule delivery

25

Process Dynamic Modeling

Approaches

Empirical
Semi-empirical
Theoretical/fundamental
Flowsheet simulator
Nonlinear/linear

26

Nonlinear Response

Reboiler
duty fixed

27

Some Quotes about Modeling

All models are wrong but some are useful.
It is much easier to prove a model wrong
than prove it right.
It is better to be approximately right than
exactly wrong.

28

 Models that accurately represent the plant

over the full operating region are
necessary.
Very high computer speeds are required.
- Dynamic models will need to be run at
50-500 times real time to meet
application objectives.
29

Improved Instrumentation and

Control Technologies
Nonlinear model predictive control
Process and controller monitoring, fault
detection
Estimation and inferential control
Identification and adaptive control
Plantwide control (design vs. control)
Process sensors
Microfabricated instrumentation
Information and data handling
30

Process Control 21 Century

st

Factory of the future

-

B.S. engineer/operator
Nonlinear programming
Self-tuning controllers
Data reconciliation, filtering
Artificial intelligence

31

Future DCS Operator

Requests simulation optimization runs

Analyzes/implements control moves
Makes decisions to improve profits
Maintenance scheduling, shutdown
planning
Analogy to airline pilot (process unit $ >
airplane $)
32

33

34

Manufacturing and Operations in

the Future
Operations are guided by complete
information, i.e., integration of sales,
marketing, manufacturing, supply, and
R&D data accomplished.
Data and information flow in a seamless
fashion along the whole supply chain from
raw materials suppliers through all the
steps of manufacturing operations to the
customer.
35

 Computer networks with wireless

communication capability connect all
components of the supply chain.
Individuals on a need to know basis will
have instantaneous reliable access to
data, information, and decision-support
tools that will help them to do their job
regardless of their geographical location.
36