Model Predictive Control for

Integrating Processes
Lou Heavner – Consultant, APC
Presenter

 Lou Heavner
Introduction

 Historically, APC project engineers and consultants

have tried to keep level control outside of the MPC
solution. Level control and control of other
integrating processes are poorly understood by many
control engineers. This presentation will attempt to
answer the following questions:
– Can you control level with MPC?
– How do you control level with MPC?
– When should you control level with MPC?
Integrating Processes

 Non-Self-Regulating – No natural equilibrium or

steady-state
– Must be controlled
– Includes most liquid levels, many gas pressure systems, and
some other processes
• Over a short enough time horizon, most processes appear to
be integrating
– Deadtime may be present, but no 1st order or higher order
time constants in open loop response
Integrating Process - Open Loop Response

Controller Output

Process

Variable
Process Examples

 Hopper w/ Loss-in-Weight Feeder and Conveyor

– Large Deadtime Dynamic
 Distillation Column Bottom Level and Reflux
Accumulator Level
– Multi-variable Interaction
 Evaporator Level
– Multi-variable Interaction
– Large Deadtime Dynamic
 Oil & Gas Production Separator Level
– Multi-variable Interaction
– Slug Control
Conventional Control of Integrating
Processes

 PI control is recommended
– Closed Loop Time Constant (lambda)
• Lambda - (setpoint change) - time for PV to reach setpoint after
a setpoint change
• Lambda - (load change) - the time required to stop the change
in the PV due to a step load change. The level will return to
setpoint in about 6 x Lambda.
• Beall reference describes in great detail
Lambda Tuning Rules (Integrating Process)

 Choose Lambda (λ)

– Small Lambda reduces process overshoot and shortens
process response
– Small Lambda passes more of the variability “downstream”
– Rule of thumb: select Lambda as large as possible to
attenuate process variability
 Tr = (2* λ) + Td or if Td<< λ, Tr = 2 *λ
 Kc = ____Tr____ or if Td<< λ, Kc = ___2____
Kp(λ + Td)2 Kp* λ
Model Predictive Control

● Handles difficult process dynamics, reduces

variability and protects constraints

● Easy, Fast, Implementation

● Fully embedded, no integration required

- Configuration

- Operator Displays

- Historian

● Scaleable, Practical Model Predictive Control

● PredictPro

- LP Optimization

- Large Problems (80x40)

Model Predictive Control
Learns From The Past

To Predict The Future

Modeled

Relationship

Past Present Future

Multivariable Dynamic Process Models

The Model Consists Of Step Responses That Show The

Relationship Between Every Process Input And Output

Model Predictive Control of Integrating
Processes

 Factors considered:
– Feedback mechanism
• Model Correction Factor
• Rotation Factor
– TSS selection
– MPC Controller “Tuning”
• POM
• POE
– Multivariable Interaction
– Deadtime
Prediction Error

 Model Correction Factor & Rotation Factor

– Consider a prediction vector P whose elements are indexed by j. That
is j= 0 to 119 since in MPC-PRO the prediction horizon is 120 elements
long.
– The equation for the update of the prediction vector is:
P(j) = P(j) + {(1 – R) + j*R}*F
Where R is the ROTATION FACTOR and F is the filtered shift measured as
the error (i.e. the difference between the first element of the last prediction
vector and the feedback measurement) multiplied by the MODEL
CORRECTION FACTOR
 Parameter Names & Default Values
– Predict Pro: ROTATION_FACTOR[x] = 0.05
– Predict: ROT_FACTOR[x] = 0.001
– MOD_CORR_FACTOR[x] = 0.75 v10.0+ or 0.4 in earlier versions
– [x] is the number of the process output
– Tunable w/o download
MPC Tuning

 Time to Steady-State (TSS)

– Defines Prediction Horizon
– Sets Controller execution speed
– Requires Download
 Penalty on Move (POM)
– Slows the control action of MVs (Process Inputs)
– Makes the controller more robust
– Powerful, but requires a download to change
 Penalty on Error (POE)
– Works on Process Outputs
– Fine tuning and usually not altered
– Requires Download
MPC Pro Operate
 SP and Load Response
Effect of TSS SP changes
POM = 39.5
MCF = 0.75
ROT = 0.05

TSS Max CV Max MV Apparent

Case (Configured) "Lambda" Overshoot Move TSS
sec min % % min
1 240 9 2.19 5.64 44
2 360 9 0.77 5.17 28
3 600 15 0.38 2.99 33
4 1080 n/a 0 0.36 27

Increasing TSS stabilizes the level control reducing both overshoot and MV moves
Effect of TSS on load disturbances
POM = 39.5
MCF = 0.75
ROT = 0.05

TSS Max CV Apparent

Case (Configured) "Lambda" Overshoot TSS
sec min % min
1 240 5 2.44 31
2 360 4 2.03 30
3 600 6 2.99 27
4 1080 6 2.42 32

st
Setting TSS = 6* Deadtime gives good results approximating 1 order response

Setting TSS = 10 x Deadtime approaches critically damped response

Load Response with 2 different TSS
Effect of POE
TSS = 240 sec
MCF = 0.75
ROT = 0.05

Max CV Max MV Apparent

Case POM "Lambda" Overshoot Move TSS
min % % min
1 22 6 1.17 1.82 21
2 39.5 9 2.19 5.64 44
3 55.5 11 2.76 4.44 44

Reducing POM improves performance

Effect of Model Correction Factor
TSS = 240 sec
POM = 39.5
ROT = 0.05

Max CV Max MV Apparent

Case MCF "Lambda" Overshoot Move TSS
min % % min
1 0.5 5 2.11 5.63 33
2 0.75 9 2.19 5.64 44
3 0.9 8 2.12 5.45 32.5
Effect of Rotation Factor

TSS = 240 sec

POM = 39.5
MCF = 0.75
Max CV Max MV Apparent
Case ROT "Lambda" Overshoot Move TSS
min % % min
1 0.01 8 2.22 5.78 44
2 0.05 9 2.19 5.64 44
3 0.1 8 2.18 5.65 32.5
4 0.5 8 2.11 5.47 33
Lessons Learned

 Select TSS
– Limited by Deadtime
– Dependant on Self-Regulating responses in multi-variable
application
– Nature of desired “closed-loop” response – Tight Response vs
Attenuate Variability
– Increase TSS to reduce overshoot
• Start with 6 x deadtime if possible
 Select Penalty on Move
– Counter-intuitive for integrating processes
– Smaller POM reduces overshoot and shortens response
 Select Model Correction Factor
– Relatively weak handle
 Select Rotation Factor
– Relatively weak handle
Where To Get More Information

 Author:
– Lou.Heavner@Emerson.com
– (512) 834-7262
 References:
– Beall, James F., Base Process Control Diagnostics and
Optimization, Internal Emerson document, 2002.
 Consulting services
– Contact your local sales office