THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY

School of mines and minerals sciences

CE 560 / MT 580
Process control

Lecture 06
Control strategies

C. Botha (Mr.)
Contacts: Chemical Engineering Department
Email: clyde.botha@cbu.ac.zm
Alt. Email: bthclyde@gmail.com

January, 2021
 Summary: Feedforward & Feedback principles

Feedforward Feedback
Advantage o Compensates for disturbance o Effective for all sources
before process output is affected. of disturbances.
o Does not affect the stability of the o Does not necessarily need
control system. models.
o Can provide zero steady-
state offset.
Disadvantage o Requires a sensor and a model for o Does not take control
each disturbance. action until process output
o Cannot eliminate zero steady-state variable has been
offset. disturbed.
o Affects stability of the
closed loop control
system.
 Single-loop enhancement using feedforward

o Single-loop enhancement takes

advantage of the additional F1

measurement information to A2
improve performance of a T2 T3

control. Feed

o Fig. 3.9 shows a packed-bed F1 T1

Setpoint
reactor. AC

o Objective is to tightly control the

exit concentration by adjusting
preheat flow.
A1
o Exit concentration is controlled
Product
using a single-loop feedback
strategy. Fig.3.9 Single-loop feedback control strategy
 Single-loop enhancement using feedforward

o Suppose that feed composition is the single most important disturbance.

o The effectiveness of this strategy in attenuating the possible disturbances can be
qualitatively analysed as follows.
o Feed inlet temperature: Change in feed inlet temperature 𝑻𝟏 influences reactor feed
temperature 𝑻𝟑 .
o 𝑻𝟑 affects reactor exit concentration.
o Therefore, an increase in exit concentration will ultimately be detected by the
composition analyser.
o Thus, the controller will respond by closing the valve to reduce the heating of the feed
stream.
 Single-loop enhancement using feedforward

o Single-loop feedback strategy is effective but slow to effect the necessary correction.
o Hence, performance in attenuating feed inlet temperature is inadequate.
o Similar analyses can be made for 𝑭𝟏 , 𝑭𝟐 and 𝑻𝟐 , and the findings would be the same
as for temperature 𝑻𝟏 .
o A change in feed composition also influences the reactor outlet concentration.
o Increase in feed composition may result in increased reaction rate and hence increased
exit composition.
o The increase in exit composition will be detected by the exit composition controller.
o Controller will respond by closing the heating medium valve and hence reducing 𝑻𝟑 .
 Single-loop enhancement using feedforward

o Since feed composition is the most significant disturbance, the controller must be able
to compensate for this disturbance rapidly.
o Single-loop feedback is therefore effective but not adequate enough.
o Hence, performance can be improved by combining with feedforward.
o Fig. 3.10 shows the same packed bed reactor controlled with feedback-feedforward
combination.
o Feedforward adjustments must be implemented in a manner that does not interfere with
feedback adjustments.
o The process is assumed to behave linearly with respect to the two adjustments.
 Single-loop enhancement using feedforward
Feedforward controller

AC-2
F1

A2
T2 T3
Feed +

+
F1 T1

AC-1

A1

Product

Fig.3.10 Feedforward-feedback control for packed bed reactor

 Single-loop enhancement using feedforward

o Hence, the feedforward and feedback adjustments can be calculated independently

and added.
o Secondly, two or more controllers can be combined when they both manipulate the
same variable, i.e., heating media flow-rate in this case.
o Further, both feedforward and feedback must be regulating the same controlled
variable.
o Hence, the feedforward controller output AC-2 is added to the feedback controller
output AC-1.
o The combined signal is sent to the valve.
 Multiple feedforward loops

o Single feedback can attenuate the effect of several disturbances.

o However, for feedforward, each disturbance must be sensed for it to be effective.
o This results in multiple measurements of the disturbance variables.
o Assuming linearity in the process response, adjustments can be calculated for each
disturbance.
o The adjustments can the be combined, provided that:
o 1) they are using the same manipulated variable
o 2) the controlled variable being regulated is the same.
o Fig. 3.11 shows a stirred tank heater with two feedforward controllers.
 Multiple feedforward loops

Feed

F1 T1 Product

T
FC TC h T1
Q

Setpoint
TC

+
F

Heating oil

Fig.3.11 Stirred tank with two feedforward controllers and feedback

 Criteria for implementing feedforward

o Feedforward control is required when

1) Feedback control does not provide satisfactory control performance.
2) A measured feedforward variable is available.
o Furthermore, a feedforward variable must satisfy the following:
1) Variable must be able to indicate the occurrence of an important disturbance.
2) There must not be a causal relationship between the feedforward and the
manipulated variables.
3) Disturbance dynamics must not be significantly faster than the manipulated
variable dynamics.
 Cascade control

o Single-loop feedback control has inherent disadvantage.

o Corrective action takes place after controlled variable is affected.
o With feedforward, disturbance is compensated for before it has an effect on the
process.
o Furthermore, feedforward offers a greater improvement for processes with large time
constants or time delay (dead time).
o Large time constant means process’ response to a disturbance is slow or sluggish.
o Hence, response would be significantly delayed for feedback.
o Such a prolonged delay is undesirable as it may lead to large deviation from setpoint.
 Cascade control

o However, feedforward requires measurement of every disturbance signal and that a

model for each disturbance.
o E.g., stirred tank heater is controlled with a feedforward.
o Controlled variable is the temperature 𝑻.
o Measurements are 𝑻𝒊 or 𝑭𝒊 for feedforward configuration.
o Hence, a correlation between 𝑻𝒊 or 𝑭𝒊 and 𝑻 is required, i.e. a model for feedforward to
be implemented.
T (controlled variable) = f (Ti or Fi ) .......................................(7.2)

o Measuring 𝑻𝒊 and 𝑭𝒊 allows 𝑻 to be determined by the controller.

o If setpoint (𝑻𝒔 ) is provided, the feed forward controller will calculate the adjustments.
 Cascade control

o Models depends on the process complexity and may not always be available.
o May also be difficult to obtain especially for process in operation.
o Hence, an alternative control approach such as cascade control may be implemented.
o Cascade control improves dynamic response of a process to a disturbance and hence
performance of control.
o It uses secondary measurement(s) and a secondary feedforward controller in addition to
a primary controller.
o Secondary measurement is selected in such a way that it indicates the occurrence of a
key disturbance.
o Secondary should be faster than the primary controller.
 Cascade control

o Cascade control: Control strategy using two controllers with the output of the first
serving to adjust the set point for the second.
o Two controllers and hence the loops are referred to by various names: primary or
outer or master and secondary or inner or slave controllers/loops.
o Secondary controller is nested inside the loop of the primary controller.
o For the stirred tank heater, the cascade control is shown in Fig. 7.4.
o Control objective, i.e., tight control of the exit temperature remains the same.
o Hence, primary measurement is the exit temperature.
o Suppose that the most significant disturbance variable is the steam pressure.
 Cascade control

Fi (ft3/min), Ti (oF)

CV1

T TT
h
Q
Fig.7.3 Stirred heater tank with SP1 from operator
FC
cascade control
Condensate
MV2 SP2=MV1

CV2
Fst (Ib/min)
FT FC
Steam
 Cascade control

o Steam flow is selected as secondary measurement.

o Since it responds in a predictable manner to a disturbance, change in steam pressure
which is not measured.
o In the absence of the secondary loop, a single-loop feedback makes no correction for
the steam pressure disturbance.
o Cascade makes a much faster correction and so provides better performance.
o By analysing the initial response of the cascade control to steam pressure change,
better insight as to why performance is better can be gained.
o Initially, the exit temperature and valve position opening is constant.
o Hence, the error from primary controller is zero assuming PI control for both controllers.
 Cascade control

o Error from secondary controller is also zero.

o Then, steam flow is such that it gives the desirable exit temperature.
o If the steam pressure increases, the flow sensor will detect this increase.
o However, setpoint for secondary controller is still constant and controller responds by
closing the valve.
o This compensation works towards restoring the steam flow at which exit temperature is
desirable.
o Since sensor and valve constitute a very fast process, flow controller rapidly achieves
desired steam flow.
o As a second example, consider the natural draft furnace in which the exit hot oil
temperature is required to be controlled.
 Cascade control

Stack gas

SP2=MV1

PC
Furnace
PT
Fuel gas TC
SP1 from operator
CV2

Fig.7.4 Furnace temperature 3

CV1
F (ft /min), TT
control using cascade
Ti (oF)
control F (ft3/min),
To (oF)

Cold oil Hot oil

 Cascade control

o A single-loop feedback temperature controller would adjust the fuel valve directly.
o Suppose the key disturbance is the fuel gas supply pressure, fuel gas flow-rate
would change.
o Temperature of the exit hot oil would ultimately be affected.
o Temperature control with feedback only will make delayed corrective action since hot
oil temperature must change.
o Therefore, the conventional feedback control would result in a sluggish response to a
change in the fuel gas pressure.
o Similar initial response analysis as for the stirred tank heater can be made here.
o Hence, cascade control would improve the control performance by making a faster
corrective action when the fuel supply pressure changes.
 Cascade control

o Cascade control is used in Water SP1

many industrial processes FT

PC

particularly where the PS

disturbances are WC
FC

associated with the T

Product

manipulated variable. W

o Also when the final control Rod mill Ball mill • Flow-rate
Feed • Density
element exhibits non- FC
linear behaviour, i.e., • level
• Flow-rate
• Density
valve does not move F
Water
• Density
• Pressure

exactly by the amount Pump speed

directed by the controller. D=Density, F = Flow-rate and P = Pressure

Fig.7.4 Cascade control for mill product size

 Criterial for implementing cascade control

o Cascade control is required when

1) Single-loop control does not provide satisfactory control performance.
2) A measured secondary variable is available.
o Furthermore, a feedforward variable must satisfy the following:
1) Secondary variable must be able to indicate the occurrence of an important
disturbance.
2) There must be a causal relationship between the manipulated and the secondary
variables.
3) Secondary variable dynamics must not be significantly faster than the primary
variable dynamics.