Lecture #26 Agenda

 Quiz
 Cascade control (Chapter 12)
 In the near future
 Chapters 10,15, and 16

Chapter 12
Cascade and
Feedforward Control

1
 Cascade, Ratio, and Feedforward
Control
 Each of these techniques offers advantages
with respect to disturbance rejection:
 Cascade reduces the effect of specific types of
disturbances.
 Feedforward control is a general methodology for
compensating for measured disturbances.

Cascade Control

• Architectures for Improved Disturbance

Rejection
» Cascade
» Feed Forward
• Both require additional instrumentation
and engineering time in return for a
controller better able to reject disturbances
• Neither architecture benefits nor detracts
from set point tracking performance

2
 Compensating for Disturbances
Reduces Deviations from Setpoint and
Settling Time

6
FB-only
3
T' (K)

-3
Compensating
for disturbances
-6
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time (seconds)

The Cascade Architecture

cascade control can improve
but can not help rejection
rejection of this disturbance of this disturbance
disturbance
variable II Disturbance
Process II
disturbance
variable I Disturbance
Process I

secondary primary
primary secondary process process
set point set point Final variable Primary variable
Primary Secondary
+– Controller +– Controller
Control
Secondary
++ ++
Process Process
Element

secondary process variable

primary process variable

3
 The Cascade Architecture

• A cascade is comprised of two ordinary

P, PI, or PID controller
• The secondary (inner) loop has a
traditional feedback structure except it
is literally nested inside the primary
loop

Cascade Design

• Cascade design requires a secondary process variable

(call the main process variable the primary variable)
• The secondary process variable:
– must be measurable with a sensor
– the same valve that manipulates the primary variable
must also manipulate the secondary variable
– the same disturbances that disrupt the primary variable
must also disrupt the secondary variable
– must be inside the primary process variable, which
means it responds before the primary variable to
disturbances and valve manipulations

4
 Cascade Design
• A cascade design requires:
– two sensors
– two controllers
» one final control element

• The output of the primary controller, rather than

going to a valve, becomes the set point of the
secondary controller
• Because of this nested architecture:

Success requires that

the settling time of the secondary (inner) loop
is significantly faster
than that of the primary (outer) loop

Level Controller on a Tank With

and Without Cascade Control
Fin
Lsp
Fout
Possible
LC LT
disturbances in
downstream
pressure

Fin
Lsp
Fout
LC LT
FT

FC
RSP

5
 Analysis of Cascade Example
 Without a cascade level controller, changes
in downstream pressure will disturb the tank
level.
 With cascade level controller, changes in
downstream pressure will be absorbed by
the flow controller before they can
significantly affect tank level because the
flow controller responds faster to this
disturbance than the tank level process.
Fin
Lsp
Fout
LC LT

Key Features for Cascade Control

to be Successful

 Secondary loop should reduce the effect of

one or more disturbances.
 Secondary loop must be at least 3 times faster
than master loop (settling time).
 The secondary loop should be tuned tightly.

6
 Multiple Cascade Example
RSP
TT TC AC

RSP

FC

FT
AT

 This approach works because the flow control

loop is much faster than the temperature control
loop which is much faster than the composition
control loop.

Class Handout
Tsp

TR
TC

TT
Preheater furnace Reactor

TH

Reactant A Cooling water

TR

Fuel

7
 Tuning a Cascade Implementation
• Cascade loop tuning uses our existing skills:
– Begin with both controllers in manual mode
– Select P-Only controller for the inner secondary loop
(integral action increases settling time and offset is rarely
an issue for the secondary process variable)
– Tune the secondary P-Only controller for set point
tracking and test it to ensure satisfactory performance
– Leave secondary controller in automatic; it is now part of
the primary process. Select a PI or PID controller for the
primary loop, tune it for disturbance rejection and test it
– With both controllers in automatic, tuning is complete

Cascade Architecture for Jacketed

Reactor

• Primary variable remains reactor exit stream

temperature
• Secondary variable is cooling jacket outlet
temperature