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Control Architectures:

Feed Forward, Feedback,


Ratio, and Cascade
By Peter Woolf (pwoolf@umich.edu)
University of Michigan
Michigan
Chemical Process
Creative commons

Connecting Controllers
In control programming we
make statements like:
& Actuators

Adjust v3 to maintain LC1


at LC1 set

We could implement this


as the following PID
controller:
v3 = v3offset + K c (LC1 LC1set ) +

1
I

(LC1 LC1set )dt + D

d(LC1 LC1set )
dt

But there are other controls possible:


Maintain LC1 by controlling v3 (Feedback control)

Anticipate changes in LC1 by measuring FC1 and FC2 and


preemptively adjust v3 (Feed forward control)
Feed in a defined ratio of A and B (Ratio control)
Connect LC1 to FC1 to adjust v1 (Cascade control)

Feedback Control
Philosophy:
Adjust for errors as
they take place.
Example: Maintain LC1 by controlling v3
v3 = v 3offset + K c (LC1 LC1set ) +

Advantages
Simple to design
No process model
required

1
I

(LC1 LC1set )dt + D

d(LC1 LC1set )
dt

Disadvantages
Only corrects for
errors after they
happen
Generally only takes
input from one sensor

Feed Forward
Control
Philosophy:
Anticipate and correct
for errors before they
happen
Example: Maintain LC1 by measuring FC1 and FC2 and
preemptively adjust v3
v3 = k valves (FC1+ FC2) (assuming a linear valve)

Advantages

Corrects for deviations


before they happen!
In ideal cases can produce
perfect control

Disadvantages
Requires infinitely
accurate models
Requires infinitely
accurate measurements

Ratio Control
Philosophy:
Connect two flows to
maintain a constant
ratio
Example: Feed in a defined ratio of A and B where A is the wild
stream.
v2 = k ratio kvalve FC1
Advantages
Links two streams to
producea defined ratio
Simple--does not
require a complex
model

Disadvantages
Never measures FC2,
thus assumes the flows
are matched
Assumes pressure
from B is constant

Cascade
Control
Philosophy:
Sensors can control the set
points of other sensors to
integrate information
Example: Connect LC1 to FC1 to adjust v1

1
v1 = v1offset + K c1 (FC1set FC1) +
I1

d(FC1set FC1)
(FC1

FC1)dt
+

set
D1
dt

FC1set = FC1offset + K c 2 (LC1set LC1) +

1
I 2

(LC1

set

LC1)dt + D 2

d(LC1set LC1)
dt

Logic: The inner loop is something that changes


quickly, here possibly due to pressure changes
from the A storage.
Outer loop changes slowly, and influences the
inner loop by controlling the set point of FC1.

Inner loop
(slave)
Outer loop
(master)

Cascade Control
Example: Connect LC1 to FC1 to adjust v1
v1 = v1offset + K c1 (FC1set FC1) +

1
I1

(FC1set FC1)dt + D1
1
I 2

d(FC1set FC1)
dt
d(LC1set LC1)
dt

Inner loop
(slave)

Outer loop
(master)
Logic: The inner loop is something that changes quickly, here
possibly due to pressure changes from the A storage.
Outer loop changes slowly, and influences the inner loop by
controlling the set point of FC1.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Controller responds
Controller is more complex
quickly to high
Tuning cascade controllers is
frequency changes
more difficult as the set point
Controller integrates
changes + more parameters
multiple sensor
readings together

FC1set = FC1offset + K c 2 (LC1set LC1) +

(LC1

set

LC1)dt + D 2

Mixed Architectures
Most real systems have
combinations of feedback,
feed forward, ratio, and
cascade control.
Example #1:
Control LC1 using FC1 cascaded to v1 and feedback control on v3.
v1 = v1offset + K c1 (FC1set FC1) +

1
I1

(FC1

FC1set = FC1offset + K c 2 (LC1set LC1) +

v3 = v 3offset + K c 3 (LC1set LC1) +

1
I 3

set

1
I 2

FC1)dt + D1

d(FC1set FC1)
dt

(LC1set LC1)dt + D 2

(LC1set LC1)dt + D 3

d(LC1set LC1)
dt

d(LC1set LC1)
dt

Inner loop
(slave)
(feedback)
Outer loop
(master)
Feedback

Mixed Architectures
Most real systems have
combinations of feedback,
feed forward, ratio, and
cascade control.
Example #2:
Maintain ratio of B using FC1 cascaded to FC2 to control v2
1
v2 = v2 offset + K c 4 (FC2 set FC2) +
I 4

FC2 set = k ratio FC1

(FC2

set

FC2)dt + D 4

Outer loop
(master)
(ratio control)

d(FC2 set FC2)


dt

Inner loop
(slave)
(feedback)

Mixed Architectures
Most real systems have
combinations of feedback,
feed forward, ratio, and
cascade control.
Advantages
Pick and choose
features to fit the
problem
Incorporate in any
number of sensors in a
rational way

Disadvantages
Controllers can be complex
(Each I controller adds an ODE,
eigenvalue, and new dimension
to the problem.)
Tuning is difficult
- Routh stability really helps
define appropriate ranges
- Optimization based tuning

Example 1
TC1

TC2set

v1

Which sensor likely responds to temperature changes in the


cooling water faster?
TC2
Which loop would be the inner loop (slave) and which the outer
loop (master)? Why? TC2 inner, TC1 outer
Write out an appropriate cascade controller for this system.
1
d(TC2 TC2 set )
Inner loop
v1 = v1offset + K c1 (TC2 TC2 set ) +
(TC2 TC2 set )dt + D1

I 1
dt
(slave)
Check signs!
TC2 set = TC1offset + K c 2 (TC1set TC1) +

1
I 2

(TC1set TC1)dt + D 2

d(TC1set TC1)
dt

Outer loop
(master)

Example 2

Control pHC1 using a single feedback PID controller.


v1 = v1offset + K c ( pHC1 pHC1set ) +

1
I

( pHC1 pHC1set )dt + D

d( pHC1 pHC1set )
dt

Control pHC1 using a single feed forward controller.

v1 = k valve k ratio FC1


Control pHC1 using a cascaded P-only ratio controller to
balance the acid waste water.
FC2 = k k FC1 v1 = v1
set
valve ratio
offset + Kc(FC2 set FC 2 )

Select a mixture of ratio, cascade, feedback, and or feed


forward control systems to control the
rectifying section of the following distillation column:

One example configuration might have AC2 cascaded to


TC2, cascaded to FC2 controlling V1, and LC1 cascaded
to FC3 controlling V2.

To help with deciding which control schemes to


use, consider the following questions:
a) What is your control objective?
b) Which loops are likely to be fast and which
slow?
c) Changes in what variables likely influence the
process compositions most directly?

Other examples:
The ratio of FC2 to FC3 is set
by AC2. For this scheme, use
a level control to set either FC2
or FC3 and determine the other
flow using the ratio controller.
The ratio of FC3 and FC1 Is
set by AC2. For this set up,
also include a level control
scheme for the accumulator.
AC2 is cascaded to TC2, which is cascaded to FC2 controlling V1. In
addition, AC1 could be a feed forward controller on FC2 and V1. (Note
here two paths control V1, so a more sophisticated logical relationship
would be needed). LC1 is cascaded to FC3, which controls V2.
AC2 is cascaded to TC2. TC2 is a ratio controller of FC2 and FC1, and this
output is combined with FC1 to form a set point for FC2. FC2 controls V1.
Also, AC1 feeds forward to FC2. LC1 is cascaded to FC3 to control V2.
(Note: there are many configurations possible, depending on the control
objective. Some, however dont make sense such as having FC3 control
V1, or cascading AC1 to LC1 to control FC3, to control V2. )

Take Home Messages


Using a combination of feedback, feed
forward, ratio, and cascade control you can
design flexible control systems
More complex control systems are harder to
tune and model, but if done right outperform
simpler architectures
When designing your control system, be
aware of the control objective and possible
conflicts

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