EACT531-ADVANCED PROCESS CONTROL

CHAPTER 7
Control of Multiple-Input, Multiple-
Output Processes

Dr. Saravanakumar Gurusamy

EET Department,
Technical and Vocational Training Institute,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
gsk.ftvet@gmail.com

TVTI-EACT531-APC-CHAPTER1 1
Control of Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output
Processes

Multi loop controllers

• Modeling the interactions
• Relative Gain Array (RGA)
• Singular Value Analysis (SVA)
• Decoupling strategies
Control of multivariable processes
• In practical control problems there typically are several process variables
which must be controlled and a number which can be manipulated

• Example: product quality and throughput must usually be controlled.

Examples of Multivariable
Control Problem
Process Interaction and Control Loop
Interactions
• Controlled Variables: xD , xB , P, hD , and hB

• Manipulated Variables: D, B, R, QD , and QB

Definitions
• Multiloop control: Each manipulated variable depends on
only a single controlled variable, i.e., a set of conventional
feedback controllers.

• Multivariable Control: Each manipulated variable can

depend on two or more of the controlled variables.
• Examples: decoupling control, model predictive control
Multiloop Control Strategy
•Typical industrial approach
•Consists of using n standard FB controllers (e.g. PID), one for
each controlled variable.

•Control system design

1. Select controlled and manipulated variables.
2. Select pairing of controlled and manipulated variables.
3. Specify types of FB controllers.

Example: 2 x 2 system

Two possible controller pairings:

U1 with Y1, U2 with Y2 …or
U1 with Y2, U2 with Y1

Note: For n x n system, n! possible pairing configurations.

Transfer Function Model (2 x 2 system)

Two controlled variables and two manipulated variables (4 transfer

functions required)
Y1 ( s ) Y1 ( s )
= GP11 ( s ), = GP12 ( s )
U1 ( s) U 2 (s)
Y2 ( s ) Y2 ( s )
= GP 21 ( s ), = GP 22 ( s )
U1 ( s ) U 2 ( s)

Thus, the input-output relations for the process can be written as:

Y1 ( s ) = GP11 ( s )U1 ( s ) + GP12 ( s )U 2 ( s )

Y2 ( s ) = GP 21 ( s )U1 ( s ) + GP 22 ( s )U 2 ( s )
 Or in vector-matrix notation as,

Y ( s ) = GP ( s )U ( s )

where Y(s) and U(s) are vectors,

Y1 ( s )  U1 ( s ) 
Y ( s) =   , U (s) =  
 2 
Y ( s )  2 
U ( s )

And Gp(s) is the transfer function matrix for the process

 G P11 (s) G P12 (s) 

G P (s) = 
G P 21 (s) G P 22 (s) 
2 X 2 Multi Loop System
The third feedback loop causes two potential
problems:

1. It tends to destabilize the closed-loop system.

2. It makes controller tuning more difficult.
 Block Diagram Analysis
For the multiloop control configuration the transfer function between a controlled
and a manipulated variable depends on whether the other feedback control loops
are open or closed.

Example: 2 x 2 system, 1-1/2-2 pairing

From block diagram algebra we can show

Y1 ( s )
= GP11 ( s), (second loop open) U2 =0
U1 ( s )

Y1 ( s ) GP12GP 21GC 2
= GP11 − (second loop closed)
U1 ( s ) 1 + GC 2GP 22
Note that the last expression contains GC2 .
Closed Loop Stability

the stability of the overall system merely depends on the stability of the two
individual feedback control loops and their characteristic equations
 Relative gain array
Bristol (1966) developed a systematic approach for the analysis of
multivariable process control problems. His approach requires only
steady-state information (the process gain matrix K) and provides
two important items of information:
1. A measure of process interactions.
2. A recommendation concerning the most effective pairing of
controlled and manipulated variables.
Example of RGA Analysis: 2 x 2 system
• Steady-state process model,
Y1 = K11U 1 + K12U 2
Y2 = K 21U 1 + K 22U 2

The RGA is defined as:

 11 12 
RGA = 
 21  22 

where the relative gain, ij, relates the ith controlled

variable and the jth manipulated variable
open - loop gain
 ij =
closed - loop gain
Scaling Properties:
i) ij is dimensionless
ii)   ij =   ij = 1.0
i j

For 2 x 2 system,

1
11 = , 12 = 1 − 11 =  21
K12K 21
1−
K11K 22
Recommended Controller Pairing
Corresponds to the ij which has the largest positive value.
In general:
1. Pairings which correspond to negative pairings should
not be selected.
2. Otherwise, choose the pairing which has ij closest
to one.

Examples:
Process Gain Relative Gain
Matrix, : Array, :

K 
K11 0  1 0
 0
 K 22   0
 1 
 0 K12 
0 1
K
 21 0   1 0

K11
 0
K12 
K 22 
 1
0
0

 1 
 K11

0 
K 1 0
K 22  0
 21
 1 
Recall, for 2X2 systems...
1
Y1 = K11U 1 + K12U 2 11 = , 12 = 1 − 11 =  21
K12K 21
1−
Y2 = K 21U 1 + K 22U 2 K11K 22

EXAMPLE:
 K11 K12   2 1.5
K=  = 
K 21 K 22  1.5 2 
 2.29 − 1.29 
 = 
Recommended pairing is Y 1
 and U1, Y2 and U2.
− 1.29 2.29 

EXAMPLE:

− 2 1.5 0.64 0.36 

K=  =
1.5 2  0.36 0.64 

Recommended pairing is Y 1 with U1, Y2 with U2.

Alternative Strategies for Dealing with Undesirable
Control Loop Interactions

1. "Detune" one or more FB controllers.

2. Select different manipulated or controlled variables.
e.g., nonlinear functions of original variables
3. Use a decoupling control scheme.
4. Use some other type of multivariable control scheme.

Decoupling Control Systems

•Basic Idea: Use additional controllers to compensate for process

interactions and thus reduce control loop interactions

•Ideally, decoupling control allows setpoint changes to affect only

the desired controlled variables.

•Typically, decoupling controllers are designed using a simple

process model (e.g. steady state model or transfer function model)
Design Equations:
We want cross-controller, GC12, to cancel out the effect of U2 on Y1.
Thus, we would like,
T12GP11U 2 + GP12U 2 = 0
Since U2  0 (in general), then
GP12
T12 = −
GP11
Similarly, we want G21 to cancel the effect of M1 on C2. Thus, we require that...

T21GP 22U1 + GP 21U1 = 0

GP 21
 T21 = −
GP 22

cf. with design equations for FF control based on block diagram analysis
Alternatives to Complete Decoupling

• Static Decoupling (use SS gains)

• Partial Decoupling (either GC12 or GC21 is set equal to zero)

Process Interaction
Corrective Action (via “cross-controller” or “decoupler”).
Ideal Decouplers:

GP12 ( s)
T12 ( s) = −
GP11 ( s)
GP 21 ( s)
T21 ( s ) = −
GP 22 ( s)
Variations on a Theme:
•Partial Decoupling:
Use only one “cross-controller.”
•Static Decoupling:
Design to eliminate SS interactions
Ideal decouplers are merely gains:
K P12
T12 = −
K P11
K P 21
T21 = −
K P 22

•Nonlinear Decoupling
Appropriate for nonlinear processes.