A METHOD OF PROCESS CONTROLLER OPTIMIZATION IN A MULTIVARIABLE PREDICTIVE CONTROLLER

Abstract: In a process control system, having a controller for providing robust control of a process, the controller utilizes a predetermined range control procedure, the results being a control solution. The process has at least one manipulated variable and at least one controlled variable. A method of providing dynamic optimization comprises the steps of calculating an optimized set of steady state values of the manipulated variables and the controlled variables. An augmented range control procedure is created to harmonize the set of steady state values with the control solution. The augmented range control procedure is solved, the manipulated variables generated thereby being compatible with the set of steady state values and with the control solution. The process is controlled in accordance with the manipulated variables generated by the augmented range control procedure, thereby providing optimal control of the process.

Description: A METHOD OF PROCESS CONTROLLER OPTIMIZATION IN A MULTTVARTABLE PREDICTIVE CONTROLLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to control systems, and more particularly, to a method of dynamic process optimization in a robust multivariable predictive controller (RMPC), the RMPC utilizing range control. In present day control systems, optimization is accomplished by calculating a steady state solution, and then cascading that solution to a multivariable predictive controller (MPC) performing the control problem. There are essentially two shortcomings with this present day approach. Firstly, because ofthe cascade arrangement ofthe steady state solution, the speed ofthe optimization is solely dependent upon the speed ofthe MPC. Thus if the MPC speed is slow, the speed of performing the steady state optimization cannot be fast. Secondly, the steady state solution is oftentimes not dynamically compatible with the control solution ofthe MPC. Thus there is a need to implement the steady state optimization solution in a way that is dynamically compatible with the controller solution. The method ofthe present invention merges the optimization solution with the control solution which results in an overall compatible control result of a process being controlled. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, there is provided by the present invention, a method of dynamic process optimization wherein the optimization solution operates in harmony with the control solution. In a process control system, having a controller for providing robust control of a process, the controller utilizes a predetermined range control procedure the results being a control solution. The process has at least one manipulated variable and at least one controlled variable. A method of providing dynamic optimization comprises the steps of calculating an optimized set of steady state values ofthe manipulated variables and the controlled variables. An augmented range control procedure is created to harmonize the set of steady state values with the control solution. The augmented range control procedure is solved, the manipulated variables generated thereby being compatible with the set of steady state values and with the control solution. The process is controlled in accordance with the manipulated variables generated by the augmented range control procedure, thereby providing optimal control ofthe process. Accordingly, it is an object ofthe present invention to provide a method of dynamic process optimization. It is another object ofthe present invention to provide a method of dynamic process optimization wherein an optimization solution is merged with a control solution. It is still another object ofthe present invention to provide a method of dynamic process optimization wherein the optimization solution and the control solution operate in harmony. These and other objects ofthe present invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the following description and attached drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts, and which drawings form a part ofthe present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a functional block diagram of a process control system in which the present invention can be utilized; Figure 2 shows a flow diagram ofthe method ofthe present invention; Figure 3 shows the graphs of controlled variables 1-4 of an example problem; and Figure 4 shows the graphs of manipulated variables 5-7 ofthe example of Figure 3 utilizing the method ofthe present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before describing the method ofthe present invention, it will be helpful in understanding a system environment in which the present invention is utilized. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a functional block diagram of a process control system in which the present invention may be utilized. A controller 10 has multiple outputs, which are coupled as input variables u to a process 20. The process 20 can include, for example, a plurality of elements which can be controlled such as valves, heaters,.... Process variables y of process 20 include temperature, pressure, level, flow,... which govern product quality. The input variables (or manipulated variables) u, are defined as: Ul mvl U2 mv2 or mv ura mvm and the output variables (or controlled variables) cv, are defined as: Thus, the process 20 is a dynamic process P(s) having m manipulated variables and n controlled variables. The controlled variables (cv) include n, regulated cv, n 2 re- strained cv, and n 3 optimized cv. Generally, n≥ m≥ n ! In the present invention, the control specification, r, (this is referred to as setpoint in previous systems) is defined as follows: rl e [rl rl] rl e [rl rl] rn e [rn rn] For the regulated cv i5 the lower bound is equal to the upper bound, t \ ~ r { . For the restrained CV j , the upper bound is greater than the lower bound, j ≥ rj, or there is either a lower bound only or there is an upper bound only. Finally, for the optimized cv. there is no bound at all. The range control function of controller 10 is formulated to handle the three cases identified above in accordance with: Subject to: MY < x < , MV and PV < y < ~ PV where, W is a user weighing matrix; A is a dynamic model matrix (ay coefficients) that relates the process dynamics of an output to an input; y (optimal response trajectory) are range variables (extension of setpoint); and x (the control solution) is the manipulated variable Δu (i.e, Δu = u CURR£NT - u LAST ), depending on the application. £V and PV (process variable) is the range it is desired to have the process operate, and MV and MV is the range physical limits it is desired to have the process operate. A more detailed description ofthe multivariable predictive controller (MPC) can be had by referring to U.S. Patent No. 5,351,184, issued 27 September 1994, entitled "Method of Multivariable Predictive Control Utilizing Range Control", assigned to the same assignee as the present application and incorporated by reference herein. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the optimal solution is merged -into the RMPC control solution utilizing range control, and more specifically, merged into a range control procedure, i.e., the Range Control Algorithm (RCA), and resulting in an overall compatible solution and will now be described. Referring to Figure 2 there is shown a flow diagram ofthe method ofthe present invention. When the control process is started, initialization, housekeeping,... is performed as required (block 101). The range control algorithm (RCA) is then augmented to incoφorate the steady state solution (block 105). The form ofthe augmented RCA procedure to be described hereinunder. The next step (block 1 10) solves a steady state optimization problem, i.e., solve: $; oϊ, mv j + $J cβ,t (mv j - u ) : This is a quadratic steady state optimization expression, well know to those skilled in the art. The next step (block 115) solves the augmented range control algorithm. The input parameters to the augmented RCA include, setpoint, hi/lo limits, system disturbances,.... The augmenting (or merging, and sometimes referred to as harmonizing) ofthe steady state optimization solution with the dynamic control solution results in an overall compatible solution. The newly calculated mv s are outputted (block 120) to control the process. If the process is not to be terminated (block 125), the control process repeats at block 110. The augmentation is accomplished by expanding the A-matrix such that, for example, the augmented A-matrix, i.e., A matrix, for a 3 mv solution and for five point predictive solution results in: 111110000000000 000001111100000 000000000011111 In a more general form, the augmented range control algorithm solution has the form: where Y = llXssll X ss is a known value, acting like a setpoint change derived from block 110, W 0 is the tuning weight to adjust the optimization speed. The x matrix indicates the first move (now) ofthe first mv, i.e., mv,, the second move (e.g., 1 minute later) of mv,, the third move (e.g., 2 minute later) of mV ] ... the fifth move (e.g., 4 minutes later), ..., the current move of mv 2 , the second move (i.e., 1 min later), ..., and finally the fifth move of mv 3 (i.e., 4 minutes later). Thus, the first augmented row ofthe A matrix multiplied by x indicates the summation of all the moves ofthe first mv (mvj) ofthe 5 points being calculated in this example. Thus, = Δmv, (1) + Δmv, (2) + Δmv, (3) + Δmv, (4) + Δmv, (5) The augmented range control algorithm: y min 1/2 111110000000000 X (1) x,y 000001111100000 x - ss Xss 000000000011111 χ_ equates to: which has a similar form as the range control algorithm, making the implementation of the merging ofthe steady state optimization solution with the dynamic control matrix relatively straight forward. (There is no cascading in the present invention.) Thus, the present invention specifies the values ofthe mvs, i.e., indicates where the points need to be, without indicating how the mvs are to get to the steady state point. How the points (i.e., the individual values ofthe mv s ) arrive at the steady state point is a function ofthe controller and the control solution. The path each mv has to take from the current point to the final optimal point is not specified by the results ofthe optimization but is resolved by the solution ofthe present invention, thereby guaranteeing the compatibility ofthe optimized solution and the control solution. The weighting matrix W and W 0 is selected such that neither the control solution nor the optimization solution is predominant in the merged case. As an example, there is shown an RMPC application for a Residue Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit, RFCCV having 20 cvs and 7 mvs, as indicated in Tables 1 an 2. Cv, is regulated and the rest ofthe cv's have high/low bounds. Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a graph the cv values for cv 1-4. Referring to Figure 4, there is shown a graph ofthe mv 5-7 values. Note that the values of mv 5 (regenerator 2 air, Figure 4A) shows the values decreasing before increasing toward the optimal value. This is to be compatible with TABLE 1 TABLE 2 the cv values and the other mv values. Had the optimization solution been cascaded, the dotted line curve would have been utilized, but is not compatible with cv, (regenerator 2 oxygen, Figure 3 A). Had the path ofthe dotted line been taken, the error in cv, would be larger, there would be more oxygen, making control ofthe burning speed more difficult, and too much oxygen makes the mixture more explosive. While there has been shown what is considered the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it will be manifest that many changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the essential spirit and scope ofthe invention. It is intended, therefore, in the annexed claims to cover all such changes and modifications which fall within the true scope ofthe invention.

Claims: CLAIMS Claim 1. In a process control system, having a controller for providing robust control of a process, the controller utilizing a predetermined range control procedure, the results being a control solution, further the process having at least one manipulated variable and at least one controlled variable, a method of providing dynamic optimization comprising the steps of: a) creating an augmented range control procedure to harmonize the set of steady state values with the control solution; b) solving the augmented range control procedure, the manipulated variables generated thereby being compatible with the set of steady state values and with the control solution; and c) controlling the process in accordance with the manipulated variables generated by the augmented range control procedure, thereby providing optimal control of the process . Claim 2. A method of providing dynamic optimization according to Claim 1 , further comprising the step of: a) prior to creating an augmented range control procedure, calculating an optimized set of steady state values ofthe manipulated variables and the controlled variables. Claim 3. In a process control system, the method of Claim 1 wherein the step of calculating comprises the step of calculating an optimized set of steady state variables of the manipulated variables and the controlled variables utilizing a quadratic steady state optimization expression.

Inventors: HORN BRIAN C, LU ZHUXIN J, MACARTHUR J WARD, HORN, BRIAN, C., LU, ZHUXIN, J., MACARTHUR, J., WARD
Applicants: HONEYWELL INC, HONEYWELL INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: G05B13
IPC codes: G05B11, G05B13