Plantwide Control System Design: Methodology and Application to a Vinyl Acetate Process

Abstract

A new approach to the design of plantwide control systems that is based on a linear dynamic process model and output optimal control is presented. The approach also makes use of engineering judgment in eliminating and evaluating candidate architectures. The design of a plantwide architecture is split into four stages, and results from one stage are used as the input to the next. During the design process, transient responses are easily calculated, and they are used to compare candidate architectures to one another so that those with poor performance can be eliminated. The methodology is applied successfully to a model of a vinyl acetate process that has 26 manipulated variables and 43 measurements. The methodology presented is facilitated through a user-friendly software package that makes use of the best currently available algorithms for solving output optimal control problems. A detailed discussion of the various algorithms used in the package is presented.