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A B B A D VA N C E D D I G I TA L S E R V I C E S

Advanced Process Control Solution

Increase throughput, reduce energy and materials cost

Advanced Process Control (APC) is a

Operate close to multiple constraints limits
supervisory control solution that
and economic optimum
communicates with installed level
Co n s t
1 r ai nt 2
ai n
t one distributed control system
tr
ns (DCS) controllers. APC can be
Co
Co

implemented within the DCS as level

MPC
ns

two advanced regulatory controllers

tr
ai

or as a software solution running on

nt

Typical
3

operating region
a dedicated PC and communicating
to the DCS through an OPC server.

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01

— ABB optimization engineers, who understand your

01. Model predictive Typical situations remedied with APC
control (MPC) allows plant process, apply and configure the APC controls. This
equipment to operate at often includes use of ABB’s Predict & Control software Process is running “a safe distance” from optimum
constraint limits, leading
to increased through- solution, to perform multi-variable model predictive
Control must be optimized to adjust product quality
put, and reduced energy control (MPC). For processes featuring strong interac-
and material costs. and maximize benefits
tion among different units, MPC offers substantial
performance improvements compared with tradi- Reduced site staff does not have bandwidth to iden-
tional single-input, single-output control strategies. tify opportunities and optimize system
A feature of MPC is the ability to effectively manage
Existing PID controllers cannot effectively manage in-
multiple operational constraints (Fig. 1). Without MPC,
teractions between different feedback loops
variability within the typical operating region does
not allow the plant to operate close to constraint lim- Controls do not include proper constraints
its or economic optimums. With MPC, the variability is
Tuning PID controllers does not improve productivity,
significantly reduced, then benefits can be increased
energy usage, benefits
by increasing throughput, reducing energy and mate-
rials, etc. Savings opportunities from $300K to $2M annually

Implementation process
Scheduled periodic or continuous monitoring services
• Develop APC design
ensure APC continues to deliver the highest value over
• Assess and improve existing DCS controls
time and alerts engineers to additional model up-
• Perform plant step/bump tests to gather data and
dates and/or APC tuning that may be required.
build process models
• Configure APC software and DCS logic for supervi-
To maximize the benefit of APC, additional corrective
sory control
activities can ensure the control system and instru-
• Commission APC controller
mentation are able to take advantage of APC. This
• Monitor APC performance
may include loop performance optimization, and/or
• Update models and tune APC as needed
other process specific improvements.
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02 03

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02. This result is obtained Why choose ABB
through the use of models
ABB has worked in the field of advanced process con-
(Fig. 3) and multivariable
predictive controls that trol (APC) and optimization since the 1980s, working
allow the controller to
with innovative technologies that range from ad-
plan its moves taking into
account their effects on vanced regulatory controls to multi-variable model
process dynamics. The
predictive control to real-time optimization. Our soft-
future process behavior is
predicted and compared ware tools and services deliver the most effective and
to process operating
advanced solutions for any process problem. ABB in-
objectives and constraints
using an optimization stallations continue to deliver benefits to numerous
engine that computes
plants around the world.
future control actions
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03. Matrix of models
Example of APC delivery
between the multiple
inputs and outputs A U.S. alumina refinery power plant experienced sub-
stantial energy savings and process stability imple-
menting an APC design. An 80% reduction in pressure
standard deviation resulted from steam header con-
trol optimization, eliminating cascading boiler trips,
and reducing outages and production losses. Savings
in energy costs alone allowed the plant to recoup their
investment within six months.

Additional services from ABB

ABB provides many types of diagnostic fingerprint
service activities:
• Control Loop Optimization
• Alarm Management
• Boiler Optimization
• Batch Optimization
3BUS095453 REV A 15.11.2018

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