Improved loop control
January 2001
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Honeywell Hi-Spec Solutions is offering Profit Loop - a single-input/single-output (SISO) model predictive loop control application that can be applied to base-level regulatory control loops. Profit Loop is ideally suited to difficult control problems in a wide variety of process control applications throughout industry including the chemical, petrochemical and speciality chemical industries, mineral processing and the pulp and paper industry. In specialised applications or as a simple PID replacement, the product improves control performance and reduces loop maintenance.
Based on Honeywell's field-proven control and optimisation technology, this comprehensive software package provides all the tools needed to design, implement and maintain SISO applications in a process plant. Profit Loop is especially suited to handling difficult control problems, including noisy signals, long delays, nonlinear level control and inverse response dynamics, which standard regulatory control algorithms (like PID) are not optimally suited to solve. The technology can also be used to replace existing PID control loops to take advantage of innovative features like single-knob tuning, range control and embedded-loop optimisation capabilities.
Profit Loop uses a model of the process dynamics to predict the effect of past, present and future control moves on the process variable. Because Profit Loop can anticipate future changes, it knows exactly how much to move the process to meet desired control objectives. Thus, Profit Loop controllers do not overcorrect the process, leading to improved control performance, increased robustness and less oscillatory control.
Profit Loop also supports higher-level control and optimisation applications by providing a solid base-level control foundation that is easy to maintain. It supports cascade, backup cascade and control override features that can be used to further enhance the performance of a plant's existing regulatory control strategies.
The product is a generalised model predictive loop control and optimisation software package that can be applied to a wide variety of problems across industries. A full set of offline identification tools is provided for the expert. For the novice, process models can be approximated and entered online. It is a Smith Predictor, gap control and optimiser - all in one - and is appropriate for the control of discrete analysers, tank levels and processes featuring long delays.
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