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19-27, 1995
E M A N N
M o d e l predictive control
Linear Jbrmulation
The essential elements of the various predictive control
schemes are: (1) at sampling time k, use an appropriate
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model to predict future plant output over a predetermined horizon, assuming no further control action, (2)
compute the present and future control actions such
that some performance index is minimized over the
horizon, and (3) implement the first control action and
repeat the procedure at time k + 1.
Consider a single-input, single-output case without
loss of generality. Then the control calculation consists
of the following optimization problem:
mJn
~72(i)(y~P(k+i)-2(k+i)) 2
(1)
+ 2~ A2 ( j ) ( A u ( k + M -
j))2
j=l
.p(k + j ) = y * (k + j ) + SmiAU(k + j - i)
i=1
+ w ( k + j)
(2)
(j = 1,2,...P)
y * (k + j ) = Y. SmiAu(k + j - i) + SdjAd(k )
i=j+l
(3)
( j = 1,2...P)
The second term on the RHS of Equation (3) is the
contribution of the most recent measured disturbance
change. To predict the output values using Equation
(2), w(k + j) must be estimated. This is carried out as
follows:
w(k+j)=w(k)=y(k)-y*(k)
( j = 1,2.... P)
(4)
M o d e l p r e d i c t i v e c o n t r o l u s i n g n e u r a l networks: K.O. T e m e n g
etal.
21
y = a ( E w i u i +0)
(5)
i=1
where y is the output, u are the inputs, w are the connection weights, 0 is the basis term, N is the number of
inputs and a is the activation function. A commonly
used activation or squashing function is the sigmoid:
1
a(x) - - l+e x
(6)
(7)
(8)
Outputlayer
~
cWenlngh~
~idn "-I~
neuron
(~
idden layer
(~ ,nputlayer
I~1
Figure 1
1~2
I ~3
22
(9)
network was carried out via the backpropagationthrough-time algorithm, a derivation of which can be
found in Werbos 25 and Suet a[. 26.
Process description
The spent acid recovery (SAR) converter is shown in
Figure 3. Cold feed containing sulfur dioxide (SO2),
oxygen (O2) and inerts is sent to a series of four vanadium pentoxide catalyst beds where reaction to sulfur
trioxide (SO3) takes place. Conversion is carried out in
four stages or passes to maximize reaction efficiency,
and in each stage, the inlet temperature is controlled.
The reaction is exothermic, necessitating heat exchangers to cool the hot gases leaving each stage. The transferred heat is then used to heat the cold feed to the
proper temperature to initiate reaction in the first pass.
The gases leaving the third pass are cooled by transferring heat to steam, thereby generating superheated
steam.
The reactor system also provides a means to divert
portions of the cold feed through a network of valves,
dampers and piping to control the temperature inlet of
each pass. For example, the temperature of the feed to
the first pass can be lowered by opening valve C. This
permits a fraction of the cold feed to bypass the heat
exchangers completely, and depending on the split, it
can have an appreciable effect on the temperature of the
gas entering the first pass of the converter.
To achieve optimum conversion, the inlet temperature for each pass must be controlled. In general, the
optimum inlet temperature for each pass is that which
gives the greatest temperature rise across the bed. The
optimum temperature depends on the conversion
achieved in the preceding passes, the gas strength (SO 2
concentration) and production rate. Furthermore, to
prevent quenching of the reaction, the inlet temperatures are maintained above some threshold values at all
times. Also, to extend the active life of the catalyst, the
bed temperatures are constrained below some
maximum levels.
Feedback. , ~
Outputlayer
~
(~
Figure 2
idden
(~
layer
Inputlayer
valve C
Xchg(I
~a%~ Interm.(~
.~i~ xchg
valve B
S02 + 02~.
Cold(,
Xchg"
rf
"o
SO3
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The control problem is to regulate the inlet temperatures of the first, second and third passes of the spent
acid recovery converter by manipulating the flow rate of
cold feed through valves A, B or C. Note that since
there are no flow rate measurements, the air loadings to
the valves are used as the manipulated variables. The
complication that arises is that there is no unique relationship between the loading to a valve and the flow
rate through that valve. However, a unique set of loadings to the valves gives rise to a reproducible flow rate
through each valve, assuming a constant total flow rate.
@,,@,@
Process identification
Various dynamic response tests were carried out in open
loop to generate data for constructing the dynamic
model of the spent acid recovery converter, The identification experiments entailed the use of pseudo random
sequences (PRS) to drive the three valves (A, B and C)
that comprised the manipulated variables. In general,
PRS signals are preferred over step testing because of
the latter's susceptibility to disturbances, even though
the duration of a PRS test is generally much longer. The
wide dynamic range of data obtained from a PRS test
can also lead to more accurate models. Finally, plant
personnel are more tolerant of PRS tests, since the
process is typically kept near the nominal operating
point.
The pulses had a duration of 5 min and each experiment lasted at least 12 h. The duration of the PRS test
had to be at least five times the dominant time constant
of the process. In this application, the longest time
constant was 40 min, which ensured that 12 h would be
sufficient to excite the process. The proper amplitudes
of the PRS were estimated from historical process data,
with a general objective of achieving at least 5-10C
change in the first pass inlet temperature. Preliminary
experiments were then used to refine the initial estimates. The experiments generally consisted of manipulating a single valve at a time. The other valves were set
at levels dictated by process conditions. A small number
of multivariable tests, where all three valves were
manipulated simultaneously, was also conducted to gain
a sense of interactions among the inputs. The tests were
run over a wide range of operating conditions to
capture process nonlinearities. However, to minimize
excursions in the output variables that could violate
standard operating conditions, operators were empowered to manually manipulate the remaining valves,
but only as a last resort. The set of variables shown in
Table 1 were used in modelling the process.
To gain insight into the extent of process excitation
during the experiments, refer to Figures 4 and 5. Figure
4 shows the test signals applied to valve A for a portion
of an experiment, whereas Figure 5 illustrates the
responses of the first, second and third pass inlet
temperatures, respectively.
The backpropagation-through-time algorithm was
used to generate the seven-input, three-output recurrent
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The controller
The general philosophy of neural model predictive
control is the same as that of any available MPC
package. The control law is essentially the optimization
of an objective function, such as is given in Equation
(1). In this work, however, ~ the prediction model, is
given by:
(k+j)=f(~,u,d)+w(k)
Output variables
Feed forward:
SO2 concentration
0 2 concentration
Blower speed
Loading of valve D
Manipulated:
Loading of valve A
Loading of valve B
Loading of valve C
100
90
!o
80
g 7o
50
10] J
. . . . . . . . . . .
200
,
400
600
'
'
800
'
'
'
1000
1200
Time (minutes)
,
1
500-~
( j = 1,2.... P)
(10)
3rdpass temp
470
490~
480-t
~"
460
460
",'
F~
..... Model O u t p u t
450
450.
",, [
ProcessMeasurement
430 :
0
'
'
'
i
200
'
'
'
i
400
'
'
'
'
'
'
600
i
500
'
/
1000
'
, ,
1200
Time (minutes)
430
.
JO0
j
20~0
Time Steps
3O0
Model
Prediction
_l
- Dynamic Neural
~_ Network Model
-t
Future
Manipulated
Variables
Nonlinear
Optimizer
To Plant
t Disturbances
fl~,+ Setpoint
MJ'~
Present
Manipulated
Variables
Figure 7
25
Controller structure
440-
set point
400
600
800
10'00
12'00
14'00
'1600
500-
Discussion
-,,..7,'=-
480-
set point
~460440-
420
200
400
600
800
10'00
,2'00
,4'00
1600
14'00
'1600
480 460-
400
600
800
10'00
Time(minutes)
12'00
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8
100
7=
80-
6~
: 60-
5.
~ 40-
4~
20-
3.
(a) ValveA
2()0
400
'
600
'
800
'
10100
12100
14100
1600
10100
12~00
1'lO0
1600
1 O0
lOO
1.
0
200
400
600'
800
60o
-#
6000 ,
40-
200
58001
(b) ValveB
2(~0
400
600
800
100
80-
5400
ol
_ 60o
5200
- -
5000
2;0
40(c) ValveC
201400 1600
Time (minutes)
200
400
600
800
Time (minutes)
Xchg(l~- =
2nd Pass.
v,~,* interm.(d}=
Xchg
valve
,~
IIIIIIIIIIIlll
Ste
Cold( b,=
'
SO2 + 02~
(~
- Temp.Controller
SOs
al.
27
was carried out, for developing the Fortran-based software package used to train the recurrent network. We
also thank Eric Bauer and Wayne Schafllein, both at
DuPont, for their valuable contributions.
Q
Iv.2!
i:r .... o
References
~alve~
interrn.(t~)Xchg
'
S03
- impulSeRelay
0.805
0.594
0.277
0.223
Summary
We have demonstrated a practical, industrial application of a multivariable nonlinear feedforward/feedback
model predictive control where the model is given by a
dynamic neural network. The plant is highly interactive
and has manipulated variables that are correlated. The
process outputs were modelled via recurrent neural
networks using the backpropagation through time
training algorithm. It was shown that identification
using recurrent structure permits prediction over a
horizon without degradation and is well suited to the
model predictive control scheme.
Closed loop results indicate that the neural-based
controller can achieve tighter regulatory control than is
possible with decentralized single loop controllers.
Acknowledgements
The authors are indebted to Hong-Te Su, a graduate
student at the University of Maryland when this work