Course: Process Control, NMBU
Dec 2017 - April 2018
Feedforward Control
By Finn Aakre Haugen, PhD, TechTeach
(finnhaugen@hotmail.com)
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 1
Why?
• Faster disturbance compensation
and/or
• Faster setpoint tracking (important only
with time-varying setpoint)
How?
• Connecting disturbance measurement
signal directly to the actuator (the control
signal)
What is needed?
• Measurement of disturbance(s)
and
• Process knowledge
in the form of some mathematical model
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 2
Control system with both feedforward and
feedback:
Controller
Feedforward
controller Sensor for
function disturbance
dm d Disturbance
Ff Sd
Natural
uff Technical coupling
coupling
yr e PID ufb u y
Process
controller
Sp
Feedback
Sensor for
process output
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 3
Example 1:
Feedforward control in a temperature control system
(We will run a simulator of this example.)
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 4
Example 1 cont.:
How to derive the feedforward controller:
(1) Process modelling: Energy balance:
(2) The feedforward controller is obtained by
solving for the control variable, and
substituting the process variable by its setpoint:
Can it be implemented?
Find out by inspecting the right-hand side!
All terms must have known values.
Which sensors are needed?
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 5
Example 1 cont.:
Simulator:
Feedforward control in temperature control system
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 6
Example 2: Feedforward in level control system
Simulator
Let's derive the feedforward controller (it is quite easy).
7
Skala: LTLine brukerforum, 9.1.18: Minikurs i regtek. F. Haugen.
8
Experimental
feedforward
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 8
9
Structure of control system:
dm Disturbance
Feedforward Sd
control function: d
Sensor for
Experimental Table disturbance
relation between
lookup
dm and uf
uff
yr e PID ufb u y
Process
controller
Sp
Feedback
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 9
10
Relation between disturbance measurement and
steady-state control signal (with PID controller):
Feedback control signal to be used as
feedforward control signal, uff
u6
u5
u4
u3
Piecewise linear
u2 interpolation
u1
d1 d2 d3 d4 d5 d6 d
Measured disturbance
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 10
Example: Temperature control
11
Temperature Air pipe
PWM
sensor 2
indicator
Pulse Width
Modulator
(PWM)
AC/DC
converter
Electrical heater
Pt100/
milliampere
transducer
Temperature
sensor 1
Fan
Air PC with
LabVIEW
Mains cable
(220/110 V)
On/Off USB cable
switch
Fan speed
3 x Voltage AI (Temp 1, Temp 2, Fan adjustment
indication)
1 x Voltage AO (Heating) NI USB-6008
for analog I/O
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 11
Without feedforward (only feedback): 12
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 12
With feedforward (and feedback) 13
Improvement?
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 13
Example 2: Feedforward from inlet temperatur (Tp_inn)
in temp. control of heat ex.
Simulator
F. Haugen. Process Control. NMBU. 2018. 14
