Optimal Fractional Order IMC-Based Series Cascade Control Strategy with Dead-Time Compensator for Unstable Processes

Abstract

In industrial unstable processes, disturbance rejection is more challenging task than setpoint tracking. So, cascade control structure is widely used in many chemical processes to reject disturbances. In this work, an advanced dead-time compensator-based series cascade control structure (SCCS) is suggested for unstable processes. The suggested SCCS has three controllers (named as primary, secondary and stabilizing controllers). Both primary and secondary controllers are designed using fractional order-based internal model control (IMC) approach. The stabilizing proportional–derivative controller is designed using maximum sensitivity considerations and Routh–Hurwitz stability criteria. Optimal values of the closed-loop time constants and fractional orders of IMC filters are obtained using constrained artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm. This ABC algorithm uses a multi-objective function involving minimization of integral of absolute error, integral of time weighted absolute error and integral of squared error. Simulation studies are conducted using some benchmark plant models used in literature for illustrating the advantages of the proposed strategy compared to the state of the art. Moreover, robust stability of the proposed design is analysed and quantitative performance measures are also computed.