Patent ID: 11934159
Assignee: ASPENTECH CORPORATION
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A computer-implemented method of increasing performance in conducting step testing of an industrial process, the method comprising:
configuring a MPC controller that controls an industrial process at a plant or refinery, the MPC controller having an objective function and the industrial process having one or more process variables;
for each of the one or more process variables:
receiving a giveaway tolerance defining an allowable difference between a current value of the process variable and a target value for the process variable, the target value determined by the MPC controller;

determining that at least one of the process variables does not meet the received giveaway tolerance and adjusting the configuration of the MPC controller in a manner that moves the at least one process variables not meeting the received giveaway tolerance towards the received giveaway tolerance, wherein the adjusting creates room for the at least one process variables not meeting the received giveaway tolerance to optimize by modifying high and low limits on at least one process variable already within the respective received giveaway tolerance, the adjusting comprising, for each of the one or more process variables:
calculating an optimal target value for the process variable using the objective function;
in response to the current value not being within the giveaway tolerance with respect to the calculated optimal target value, determining to optimize the process variable;
in response to determining not to optimize the process variable:
adjusting the configuration with respect to the process variable by modifying at least one of high and low limits on the process variable; and
adjusting the objective function by removing the process variable from the calculation performed by the objective function;

using the adjusted configuration, calculating new target values for the one or more process variables;
generating a dynamic move plan from the calculated new target values; and
adding to the dynamic move plan perturbation signals calculated based on the adjusted configuration.