Cascade Control

1. Introduction
2. Process examples
3. Closed-loop analysis
4. Controller design
5. Simulink example
Introduction
Feedback control
Corrective action taken regardless
of disturbance source
Corrective action not taken until
after the output has deviated from
the setpoint
Problematic for processes with large
time constants and/or long time
delays
Feedforward control
Corrective action can be taken
before the output has deviated from
the setpoint
Disturbance must be explicitly
measured
Typically requires a process model

Cascade Control
Cascade control can provide improved performance for
unmeasured disturbances
Basic characteristics
A second measurement and a second controller are used in
an inner feedback loop
The setpoint for the inner control loop is provided by an
outer control loop designed to regulate the controlled output
The disturbance can be more rapidly identified with the
secondary measurement than with the primary measurement
Particularly useful when the disturbance is associated
with the manipulated input
Flow Control Example
Control problem
Regulate flow rate
through control value
despite changes in
upstream and/or
downstream pressures
Control alternatives
Specify the value
position to indirectly
achieve the desired flow
rate
Utilize a measurement of
the flow rate to design a
feedback controller that
explicitly regulates the
flow rate
Applications
Any control problem in
which a flow rate is used as a
manipulated variable
Outer controller provides the
setpoint for the inner flow
controller in a cascade
arrangement

Furnace Example
Conventional control
Directly regulate hot oil
temperature with fuel gas
value position
Poor performance for
changes in fuel gas
supply pressure
Disturbance is related to
the manipulated input
Cascade control
Add an inner controller that
regulates fuel gas pressure
by manipulating the value
position
Hot oil temperature
controller provides setpoint
for inner controller
Improved performance for
changes in fuel gas supply
pressure


Chemical Reactor Example
Secondary (inner) controller
Manipulated variable cooling water makeup value position
Controlled output cooling jacket temperature
Disturbance cooling water inlet temperature
Primary (outer) controller
Manipulated variable cooling jacket temperature setpoint
Controlled output reactor temperature
Disturbance reactant feed flow rate


Cascade Control Block Diagram
Closed-Loop Transfer Function
General formula for closed-loop transfer functions


Z = any variable in feedback system
Z
i
= any input variable in feedback system
H
f
= product of all transfer functions between Z and Z
i

H
e
= product of all transfer functions in feedback loop
Closed-loop transfer function for inner disturbance (D
2
)
e
f
i
Z
Z
H +
H
=
1
1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2
1 2
1 1 1 1
1 2
2
1
2
2 2 2
2
2
2
1
2 2 2
2 2
2
2
1 1
1 1
~
p p v c c m p v c m
p d
p c m
p
p v c m
d
p v c m
p v c
sp
G G G G G G G G G G
G G
G G G G
G G
D
Y
G
G G G G
G
D
Y
G
G G G G
G G G
Y
Y
+ +
=
+
=

+
=
+
=
Closed-Loop Stability
Characteristics equation for cascade control


Characteristic equation for conventional
control (G
m2
= 0, G
c2
= 1)


If inner loop has faster dynamics then the
outer loop, then cascade control usually has
improved stability characteristics
0 1
1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2
= + +
p p v c c m p v c m
G G G G G G G G G G
0 1
1 2 1 1
= +
p p v c m
G G G G G
Closed-Loop Stability Example
Transfer functions



Inner loop for cascade control (K
c2
= 4)



Inner loop for conventional control
2 . 0 05 . 0 1
1 3
1
1
) 1 2 )( 1 4 (
4
1
5
2 1 2 1
2 1
= = =
+
=
=
+ +
=
+
=
m m d d
p p v
G G G
s
G
G
s s
G
s
G
1 2 . 0
4
) 1 (
1
5
) 4 )( 2 . 0 ( 1
) 1 (
1
5
) 4 (
1
~
2 2 2
2 2
2
2
+
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
s
s
s
G G G G
G G G
Y
Y
p v c m
p v c
sp
1
5
) 1 )( 0 ( 1
) 1 ( ) 1 (
1
~
2 2 2 2
2 2
2
2
+
= =
+
=
+
=
s
G
G G
G
G G G G
G G G
Y
Y
v
p v
v
p v c m
p v c
sp
Closed-Loop Stability Example cont.
Characteristic equation for cascade control



Characteristic equation for conventional control



Can use larger gains in outer control loop with
cascade control than with conventional control
3 . 43
0 4 5 31 46 8
0 1
, 1
1
2 3
1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2
=
= + + + +
= + +
u c
c
p p v c c m p v c m
K
K s s s
G G G G G G G G G G
3 . 11
0 1 7 14 8
0 1
, 1
1
2 3
1 2 1 1
=
= + + + +
= +
u c
c
p p v c m
K
K s s s
G G G G G
Cascade Controller Design
Inner loop
Typically a P or PI controller
Tuned first with outer controller in manual
Tuned to provide fast response to setpoint changes
Outer loop
Typically a PI or PID controller
Tuned second with inner controller in automatic
Tuned to provide acceptable responses to setpoint
changes and/or disturbances
Must be retuned if inner loop is retuned


Direct Synthesis Design
Inner loop



Outer loop
2
2
process Inner
2
2 2
2 2
2
2
2 2
2 2 2
2 2
2
2
1
1
1 If
1
1
1
~
d
d
v p
c m
d m
d
v p
c d
p v c m
p v c
sp
G
G
G G
G G
G G
G
G G
G G
G G G G
G G G
Y
Y

= =

=
+
=

1
1
process Outer
2 1 1
1 1 1
1 1 1
1
2 1
1
1
1 2 1 1
1 2 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1
1
1
1
If
1
1 1
d
d
d p m
c m m
d m m
d
d p
c
d
p d c m
p d c m
p c m
p c m
sp
G
G
G G K
G K G
G G K
G
G G
G
G
G G G G
G G G K
G G G G
G G G K
Y
Y

= =

=
=
+
=
+
=

Cascade Controller Design Example
Transfer functions



Inner controller design


Outer controller design
1 1 1 1
1
1 10
4
1
5
2 1 2 1
2 1
= = = =
=
+
=
+
=
m m d d
p p v
G G G G
G
s
G
s
G
s
s
K
s
s
s
s
G
G
G G
G
s
G
I
I
c
d
d
v p
c d
t
t 1 1
2 . 0
1
5
1
1
1
1 2 . 0
1
2
2
2
2 2
+
=
+
=
+
=

=
+
=
s
s
K
s
s
s
s
G
G
G G K
G
s
G
I
I
c
d
d
d p m
c d
t
t 1
10
1 10
2
1
5
1
4
1 10
1
1
1 5
1
1
1
2 1 1
1 1
+
=
+
=
+
=

=
+
=
Conventional Controller Design
Process transfer function


IMC tuning (t
c
= 5)


Simulink PID controller parameters
) 1 10 )( 1 (
20
) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
1 2 1
+ +
= =
s s
s G s G s G s G s G
m p p v
91 . 0 11 11 . 0
1
2 1
2 1
2 1
2 1
=
+
= = + = =
+
=
t t
t t
t t t t
t
t t
D I
c
c
K
K
10 . 0 01 . 0 11 . 0 = = = = = =
D c
I
c
c
K D
K
I K P t
t
Simulink Implementation
Valve
5
s+1
To Workspace1
output
To Workspace
setpoint
Setpoint
Process
4
10s+1
Outer Controller
PID
Inner Controller
PID
Disturbance 2 Disturbance
Add3 Add2
Add 1
Add
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
Time
O
u
t
p
u
t
Inner Disturbance


Cascade
Conventional
Setpoint
Closed-Loop Performance
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
O
u
t
p
u
t
Time
Outer Disturbance


Cascade
Conventional
Setpoint
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Setpoint
O
u
t
p
u
t
Time


Cascade
Conventional
Setpoint