Maximizing Controller Performance

• Reducing Energy Consumption by Monitoring Controller Performance

This paper illustrates three examples of energy reduction through the use of controller performance monitoring.
Each example shows the baseline conditions, the identification of saving opportunities, corrective actions, and the
resulting energy savings. Surprisingly, most plants have significant opportunity to improve controller performance.
In North America, a typical process plant has 20% to 30% of control loops running in manual, largely due to control
performance issues. As many as 40% of control loops are oscillating, which leads to considerable energy losses.
Over the past five years, the use of control performance monitoring has become the prevalent method to identify
and resolve control performance problems. This paper illustrates some specific techniques, such as oscillation
detection, interaction analysis, and automated process modeling, which lead to improvements in energy
consumption, as well as production and quality increases.

George Buckbee, Expertune

• Demystifying PID Controller Tuning for Desired Performance and Robust Stability

While the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control algorithm is fundamentally very simple, tuning PID
controllers can be an intimidating and confusing challenge. Manufacturers use different forms of the PID algorithm
with different terminology. These different forms are fundamentally the same. However, the intuitive feel for tuning
one form of the PID algorithm may not be applicable for other forms. Based upon the fundamental theory of the
PID algorithm, this work provides an explanation of these various forms to build an intuitive understanding.

While there are many methods for tuning PID controllers, this work focuses upon the Internal Model Control (IMC)
tuning correlation because it allows users to specify both the desired performance and the necessary level of
robust stability by adjusting a single parameter, the closed-loop time constant. Specify a larger closed-loop time
constant for a more robustly stable controller that produces a slower, more conservative response with a longer
rise time. Specify a smaller closed-loop time constant for a less robustly stable controller that produces a faster,
more aggressive response with a shorter rise time. Thus, performance and robust stability are related.

Performance characteristics (e.g. rise time, settling time, peak-overshoot ratio) are relatively well understood.
Robust stability is less well understood. The PID controller is tuned based upon a model of the plant. The
inaccuracy of this model in describing the real plant is referred to as plant-model mismatch. This work uses both
visual robustness plots and a novel quantitative robust stability factor metric (RSF) to provide a clear, intuitive
indication of robust stability. Both RSF and the related robustness plot indicate the amount of plant-model
mismatch that may be tolerated without the system becoming unstable in closed loop. This understanding of
robust stability is reinforced through visual examples of how closed-loop performance changes with various levels
of plant-model mismatch.

One critique of the IMC tuning correlation is its sluggish performance when the process time constant is much
greater than the process dead time. The Skogestad IMC (SIMC) tuning correlation addresses this concern and
gives the user greater ability to specify acceptable levels of both performance and robust stability. This work
extends the application of the RSF metric to the SIMC tuning correlation and for non-self-regulating (integrating)
processes.

Industrial examples and simulation studies are used to provide visual examples of the effect of various values of
the closed-loop time constant on performance. In some applications, a quick return to set point is desirable and
overshoot is acceptable. In other applications, overshoot is not acceptable and a slower response is preferred.
These examples demonstrate how the closed-loop time constant facilitates the application of the IMC and SIMC
tuning correlations in both of these scenarios.

Jeffrey Arbogast, American Air Liquide

• Is your control Loop better than my loop? Performance monitoring at five similar TiO2 plants

DuPont Titanium Technologies is the world's largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide, serving customers globally
in the coatings, paper and plastics industries. The company operates plants at Delisle, Miss.; New Johnsonville,
Tenn.; Edge Moor, Del.; Altamira, Mexico; and Kuan Yin, Taiwan; all of which use the chloride manufacturing
process. Because of similarity of unit operations, there was business value in comparing performance of critical to
process safety, quality, variable cost, and plant uptime control loops at the five plant sites and to leverage good
performance. A unique approach was used to standardize `apple to apple' critical control loops monitoring using
business technology teams, and DuPont's own Performance SurveyorTM Controller Performance Monitoring suite.
The presentation will describe the learnings and, results of `healthy' competition between the business sites and
institutionalization by operations function.
 Arshad Jamil, DuPont

Process Optimization

• Simulation of Model Predictive Control for a Coal Fired Power Plant

The following discusses a control study preformed to compare Model Predictive Control (MPC) to the more
conventional Advanced Regulatory Control (ARC – PID/FF) as applied to a dynamic simulation of a coal fired multi
boiler / single turbine power plant. Boiler-turbine coordinated control was chosen because it is a challenging
problem for ARC given the difficult process dynamics (deadtime, nonminimum phase), multivariable nature and
constraint seeking control requirements. The paper also discusses the value of using this kind of simulation study
to prove control concepts and demonstrate operational and economic benefits. In addition, this approach facilitates
the training of plant staff (engineers, maintenance and operators) on the MPC Human Machine Interface and MPC
operation.

Phillip Schnelle Jr; DuPont, and Paul Fruehauf ; Fruehauf Engineering Services, Inc.

• Process Economic Optimization. The Ultimate Goal of Process Control

Advanced process control has given us ever greater power and control over unit operations, but that does not
directly result in improved economic performace. By attempting to optimize individual unit operations we often
cause economic suboptimization. The key to improved process profitability is to build upon APC with Model
Predictive Control and Economic Optimization. This talk explains, educates and provides real world examples of
how Model Predictive Control coupled with Economic Goal Seeking dramatically improves process efficiency and
overall economic performance.

Dave March, Rockwell Automation

• Real Time Optimization of Air Separation Plants

Air separation is an important chemical engineering process, which provides pure air
gases to many applications such as refining, metallurgy, glass, food and beverage,
semiconductor, and medical use. In a cryogenic air separation unit (ASU), air is separated
into oxygen, nitrogen and argon of high purity through distillation of liquefied air in a
very low temperature. This is a very energy intensive process. For example, Air Liquide
Group runs about 400 ASUs worldwide, and its electricity consumption is about one
thousandth of the total world electricity consumption in recent years. So improving the
efficiency of cryogenic air separation plants is important in improving an industrial gas
company’s profit and competitiveness and reducing energy consumption and carbon
footprint.

Real time optimization (RTO) is an important technique to achieve such a goal. A real
time optimizer takes market dynamics such as changes in electricity price and client
demands into account in real time, and calculates the most profitable mode of operating
the plant by using the plant model with energy consumption equations and process
constraint equations. Then the calculated optimal set points are downloaded to the plant
control system to ramp the plant.

Air Liquide is conducting an RTO pilot in one of its air separation plants. In this paper,
the important aspects of this application will be discussed including the general IT
structure and functions of its different software components, important steps in
completing such a project, and major challenges and corresponding solutions in
mathematical optimization.

Tong Li, Thierry Roba and Marc Bastid; Air Liquide Group

Keynote Presentation

• Realizing the Benefits of Automation and How to Get There with Qualified Control System Integrators

Sensors, data, cyber security, PLCs, dashboards, energy efficiency, asset lifecycle management, MES, networks,
databases, collaboration, supply chains, productivity: Wow! Automation is very encompassing and means so
many things to so many people. An end-user has many choices to make on what to do in automating their plant
and of course, how to implement automation with a system integrator is an even bigger and more complex choice.

This presentation will cover the benefits of automation, how to select a system integrator, and how to implement
good automation projects with qualified integrators. Examples of why an SI was chosen and project examples of
why certification helped will be included.
 Robert Lowe, Executive Director, Control System Integrators Association (CSIA)

Control System Upgrades

• Transitioning the Corbalis Water Treatment Plant’s Control System

Transitioning the control system for an operating water treatment plant is always a source of concern for utility
operations and managers. When you are the largest water treatment plant in Virginia and providing water to
1.5 million customers, your concerns are even greater. Shutting off the water supply to a community of this size is
not an option!

Fairfax Water’s Corbalis Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Virginia has recently completed an expansion project
that increased the plant’s capacity from 150 million gallons per day (mgd) to 225 mgd. In addition to the process
upgrades, the existing distributed control system (DCS) from the early 1990s was completely removed and
replaced with a modern, state-of-the-art process control system (PCS). This paper will focus on the approach and
procedures taken to transition the plant’s existing DCS system to the new PCS without significant process
downtime during the upgrade.

Early in the construction phase, it became evident that the project would succeed only through a collaborative
approach between the engineer and owner. The contractor established an aggressive transition schedule that
needed support to meet the project deadline. Based on contractor-developed maintenance of plant operations
(MOPO) plans, the engineer then developed a programming schedule to support the contractor’s phased approach
to the transition. Working closely with the owner, a collaborative approach for implementation was developed,
which allowed for open communication and participation between the engineer’s development team and Fairfax
Water staff. Other benefits of this collaborative approach included early buy-in from plant staff, improved system
understanding, and informal training on the PCS system throughout the testing and start-up phase.

The transition sequence began by taking a single DCS process area off line to transition the existing system over
to the new PCS. During this transition, the operations group was required to control the entire plant using two
separate systems until all systems were successfully switched over to the new PCS. To help mitigate concerns by
operations, the engineer conducted informal training sessions with operations staff to prepare them for the new
system. Those sessions proved to be successful, since operations embraced the new system early, and took
ownership immediately after each process area was transitioned to the new PCS.

This paper will focus on system transition—the initial planning and design, the construction process, and
implementation of the new PCS. It will also highlight the transition process for a live plant when switching from one
control system to another, without plant disruption or system downtime.

Joshua Gelman and Eric Silverman; CDM

• Economic Justification of Plant Modernization Using Automation

With the recent wave of corporate takeovers and plant acquisitions a new challenge is emerging for managers and
engineers to strive to make manufacturing plants safer and more productive just to stay in business -- A relatively
small investment in up-grading a plant’s automation system can deliver a quick return-on-investment as well as
ensure a safer, more productive, environmentally clean operation and the ability to compete more effectively in
today’s global manufacturing marketplace.

Alex Habib, Automation Consultant

• The Impact of PLC Program Architecture on Production Line Efficiency: Case Study of a Control System
Rewrite

As Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) become more sophisticated, developers are able to use more
sophisticated programming techniques. However, it is important for the developer to consider that the PLC
program is likely to be used as a troubleshooting tool by personnel with modest programming ability. This leads to
tradeoffs between using advanced techniques that are friendly to the developer, versus simplified techniques that
are friendly to the end-user.

This paper describes a control system rewrite of a pet food production line. Nothing was changed except software.
Based on downtime and production reports, the new system has demonstrated a 1.5% increase in production
efficiency that is directly related to the control system, and an overall
xx%1 increase in efficiency, much of which is indirectly related to the new system. The architecture of the original
system and the new system are described, and the pros and cons of each are discussed. General reasons are
given as to why the new architecture increases efficiency, as well as examples of specific improvements.

George Walters; Walters Controls and Eric Bryla; NexCtrl Inc.

Safety and Security

• Strategic Proof Testing

A safety protection system depends on periodic proof testing to assure the integrity of the system. A new safety
system design standard, ANSI ISA 84.00.01-2004 (IEC 61511 Mod.), allows proof test intervals to be calculated
and optimized according to specified risk criteria. Many designers do these calculations assuming that the proof
test is perfect. A closer examination shows that proof test effectiveness is a critical input to the calculation.

As safety system designers consider proof test effectiveness it has become clear that many conventional methods
are weak and surprisingly ineffective. It is also becoming clear that new more effective methods can be devised
that are not only more effective but easier to implement.

This paper describes the criteria for planning of proof test methods that are more effective and easier to perform. A
means to measure proof test effectiveness is described.
This FMEDA based approach not only measures proof test effectiveness but identifies specific tests to detect
specific failures. Several examples are shown with cost savings and safety improvement calculated.

William Goble, exida LLC

• Incorporating performance and prescriptive based standards for BMS

With the pending release of the ISA S84 Technical Report TR.84.00.05, Guidance on the identification of safety
instrumented functions in burner management systems, expected to be published and available early in 2010,
many are wondering how this will impact the way they design, engineer, operate and maintain their burner
management systems.

In the past NFPA standards provided prescriptive requirements on how to safely startup, shutdown and operate
most fired equipment (boilers, ovens, furnaces, process heaters etc.). However, there was not much discussion
around the performance requirements, particularly when it came to the equipment performing the safety interlocks.
For example, NFPA states for a gas fired burner, the gas pressure should be monitored for unsafe conditions (both
high and low pressure conditions). NFPA would also show physically on the gas pipe train where the
measurement point should be made (after the gas regulator, and before the main control valve), however no
statement regarding the overall safety performance of this critical interlock.

This paper will review how both NFPA 85 (Boiler and Combustion Systems Hazards code) and NFPA 86
(Standard for Ovens and Furnaces) can be improved by incorporating the ISA technical report.

Charles Fialkowski, Siemens Industry Inc.

• Safety and Security What Went Wrong? A Study of Actual Industrial Cyber Security Incidents

The topic of control system cyber security gets a lot of coverage these days in the media. Some may even say
that the topic is "over sensationalized" and gets too much coverage. The representative of the Security Incidents
Organization (SIO), a nonprofit corporation focused on industrial security incident research, will present a detailed
study of actual control system cyber security incidents. The study is based on data from the Repository of
Industrial Security Incidents (RISI), a database that is operated and maintained by SIO. The database contains
over 165 fully vetted records of actual control system security incidents that have occurred over the last 20 years.
It is the largest known collection of its kind and thus provides a factual look at the real threats and vulnerabilities
that have been exploited in the past.

John Cusimano, Security Incidents Organization