Feedforward Control

( 前馈控制 )
Lei Xie

Institute of Industrial Control,

Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P. R. China

2013
 Contents
 Feedforward Concept
 Design of Linear Feedforward Controllers
 Design of Nonlinear Feedforward Controllers
 Design Examples of Feedforward Control
 Feedforward-Feedback Control
 Simulation Results
 Summary
 Problem Discussion
Consider the heat exchanger shown in
Steam PV
the figure, it is required to control the
outlet temperature of process fluid, T,
Tm RV
by manipulating the steam flow, RV.
Please design the relevant control RF , Ti
schemes on the diagram for the Process
T
following cases: Fluid
Case #1: both of the flow, RF, and Condensate
steam inlet pressure, PV, are stable;
Case #2: RF is stable, but PV varies frequently;
Case #3: PV is stable, but RF varies frequently;
Case #4: both of PV and RF varies frequently.
 Feedback or Feedforward
Control Examples
Tsp Steam
Steam Tsp
FF HV, RV
HV, RV TC
RF
Process
Process
Fluid
Fluid
c p, R F , T 1 T2 cp, RF , T1 T2

Condensate Condensate

Feedback Control Scheme Feedforward Control Scheme

 Feedforward Concept
ysp

Feedforward
u(t) D1(t), …, Dn(t) represent
control system some measurable
disturbances to the
controlled variable
D1(t)
Process
...

y(t)
Dn(t)

Idea: to compensate for some measurable disturbances before

they affect the controlled variable.
 Feedforward / Feedback Control

ysp Feedforward + + Feedforward ysp

∑ control system
control system
u(t)

Process
y(t)
D(t)
 Design of Linear Feedforward
Controllers
ysp
Design Objective:
u(t)
Feedforward
control system Ym ( s )
 GYD ( s )  GYC ( s )GFF ( s )GDM ( s )
D( s )
Process 0
D(t) y(t)

D (t) Disturbance Path

GYD (s)

＋
Disturbance Dm (t) Feedforward u(t) ＋
Control Path
Measurement Controller
GYC (s) ym (t)
GDM (s) GFF (s)
Extended Controlled Process
 Design of Linear Feedforward
Controllers (cont.)
D (t) Disturbance Path
GYD (s)

＋
Disturbance Dm (t) Feedforward u(t) ＋
Control Path
Measurement Controller
GYC (s) ym (t)
GDM (s) GFF (s)
Extended Controlled Process

Design Objective: Design formula for the feedforward

controller:
Ym ( s )
 GYD ( s )  GYC ( s )GFF ( s )GDM ( s ) GYD ( s )
D( s )
GFF ( s )  
0 GYC ( s )GDM ( s )
 Design of Linear Feedforward
Controllers (cont.)
Design formula for the feedforward controller:
GYD ( s)
GFF ( s )  
GYC ( s )GDM ( s )
GDM ( s )  K DM
K YD K YC
GYD ( s )  exp   D s  GYC ( s )  exp   C s 
TYD s  1 TYC s  1

TYC s  1
GFF ( s )  K FF exp   FF s 
TYD s  1
KYD
K FF   FF  max 0, D   C  ( Why ? )
K YC K DM
 Types of Feedforward Controllers
 Steady-State or Dynamic Feedforward
Controller ( 静态前馈控制与动态前馈控制 )
 Linear or nonlinear Feedforward
Controller ( 线性前馈控制与非线性前馈控制 )
TYC s  1 K YD
GFF ( s )  K FF exp   FF s  K FF 
TYD s  1 K YC K DM

Discuss the common-used feedforward controller

 Simulation Results of Linear
Feedforward Controllers
Output of Transmitter
42
Strong Dynamic
41 Feedforward Control
Dynamic Feedforward Control
40

39 Steady-State Feedforward Control

38

Weak Dynamic Feedforward Control

37
%

36

35

34
Without Feedforward Control
33

32
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Time, min

(Please see…/FFControl /ExHeaterLinearFFC.mdl)

 Nonlinear Steady-state
Feedforward Control
T2sp Steady-state Equation
RVm Steam
RVsp
Nonlinear
FC c p RF (T2  T1 )  H V RV
FFC HV, RV

T1 RF
Process
Fluid
RVsp  1 RF (T2sp  T1 ) ,
cp, RF , T1 T2 Kv
Condensate K v  HV / c p

Discuss the realization of nonlinear feedforward controller

and the effect of relevant measurements
 Nonlinear Steady-State
Feedforward Control Simulation

(Please see …/FFControl/ExHeaterStaticFFC.mdl)

 Comparison of Feedforward
and Feedback Control
Feedforward Control Feedback Control
Disturbances are measurable CV is measurable
Control MV based on Control MV based on control
disturbances ERROR
Closed-loop, Stability is the
Open-loop, No Stability Problem
most important
Only some disturbances are
All disturbances are detected
detected
Accurate model needed for both
No accurate model needed
of Control and Disturbance Paths
Not adaptable to nonlinear or Adaptable to nonlinear or time-
time-varied systems varied systems
 FFC+FBC Scheme #1 for
Heat Exchanger
T2sp
TC

＋ FFC
RVsp RV Steam
∑ × k1 ∑ FC
－
T1 RF T2

Process
Fluid
Condensate

Steady-state output and smooth switch problem ?

 FFC+FBC Scheme #2 for
Heat Exchanger
T2sp
TC

＋ FFC
RVsp RV
∑ × k1 FC
Steam
－
T1 RF T2

Process
Fluid
Condensate
 Summary
 Cases which may introduce feedforward control
(1) Primary Controlled Variable is not measurable
(2) Primary CV is measurable, but some disturbances
are too strong for feedback control systems
 Conditions to apply feedforward control
(1) Main disturbances are measurable
(2) Response speed of disturbance path is slower than
that of control path
(3) Characteristics of disturbance and control path are
almost invariable