A relative performance monitor for process controllers

• Published in: International journal of adaptive control and signal processing Vol. 17; no. 7-9; pp. 685 - 708
• Main Authors: Li, Q., Whiteley, J.R., Rhinehart, R.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.09.2003
• Subjects: Acceptability; Adaptive control; Computer simulation; control-loop performance; controller performance; Controllers; Disturbances; Mathematical models; Monitors; performance assessment; process monitoring; Signal processing
• ISSN: 0890-6327; 1099-1115
• DOI: 10.1002/acs.772

A monitor is developed to automatically detect poor control performance. It provides a measure (relative performance index—RPI) of a control‐loop performance relative to a reference model of acceptable control. The reference model simulates the controlled variable output of a user‐defined, acceptably tuned control loop. The inputs to the reference model are the setpoints (same as the true plant) and the disturbances (estimated from the measurements). The monitor uses routine plant operation data only. Pending ability to obtain temporally accurate process models, and the validity of process measurements, simulations and experiments show that the monitor can detect the poor control performance caused by improper controller parameter values or changes in plant characteristics, and can distinguish it from poor performance caused by external disturbances. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.