Seminar on

Controller design of Four Tank

System

NIKHIL N
M.E. Control & Instrumentation
College of Engineering Guindy
 MODELLING

Schematic of Four Tank Process(MIMO)

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• The mathematical modelling is done by consideration of mass balance
equation and Bernoulli’s law yields
=
Mass flow into the system –
Rate of Accumulation
Mass flow out of the system
of Mass in system
dV = (qin − qout)dt
• We divide the equation with dt and assume V=Ah
A = –
Where A is the cross section area of the tank and h its water level.
• For the outflow of water
=a
Where a is the cross section area of the outlet hole and
g = 981cm/s2.

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 • The flow q generated by a pump is considered proportional to the
applied pump voltage u:
q=ku
Where k is a constant
• This flow rate is divided according to
• qL=γku; qU=(1- γ)ku; γ ϵ [0,1]

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 Final equations

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 JACOBIAN CONVERSION

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 Here we have B matrix as

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 STATE SPACE MODEL

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 TRANSFER FUNCTION MODEL

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 MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL

Chess ….. ?

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 MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL
• It is a regulatory control that uses a explicit dynamic
model of the response of process variables to
calculate control “moves”
• Control moves are intended to force the process
variables to follow a pre-specified trajectory from the
current operating point to the target.

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• Optimal controller based on minimizing the error from trajectory
• Corrections for unmeasured disturbances, model errors are included

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 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF MPC

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 Optimization formulation
• Cost Function
 Cost function is also known as control objective. is scalar criterion that
helps in measuring the process behaviour over a certain prediction
horizon, L.

Where L is defined as prediction horizon

These are positive semi-definite
weighing matrices
 The control objective is considered as a Quadratic Programming (QP)
problem, and matrix equivalent is given by

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 Constraints
• In MPC implementation, there is good motivation in the sense that
constraints like the input amplitude constraints and input rate of
change constraints are treated more efficiently than in the
conventional PID controller.
• The input amplitude constraint is a lower and upper bound on the
actuator (pump). The constraints are to a large extent seen as a means
for limiting the resources (i.e. water flow) from the pumps in the case
of input constraint.
• the output constraints are set to limit the amount of water retained in
the tanks, as it is set by constraining the tanks height. The minimum is
zero 0[cm] and maximum is 20[cm] for the four tanks.
• The amplitude constraints on the input signal to practical control
systems is formulated as follows;

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• The amplitude constraints on the input signal to practical control
systems is formulated as follows;

• The system output constraint is also defined mathematically as follows;

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 Prediction Model

• This is a model that is constructed from the process model and it is

used in describing the relationship existing between the future outputs
and the future control inputs to be computed. Hence, making the PM a
part of the optimization problem. The Prediction Model is the best tool
for forecasting the behaviour of the system in L sampling times ahead
into the future. L is the prediction horizon chosen.
• The MPC is quit advantageous, as cross coupling in multiple input and
multiple output(MIMO) systems are been taken into consideration in
an optimal way. The MPC method can also be used in computing
future optimal controls, . Hence, providing a methodology for
computing control suggestions that may be valuable for process
operators.

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 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MPC
• The performance of an MPC controller depends on the accuracy of the
model. Although, it is possible to specify for the MPC controller to
incorporate integral action such that it can compensate for the
differences between the real plant and the model of the plant. The
creation or implementation of the MPC controller is based on a state-
space model of the plant.
STEPS
 Selection of design and tuning
parameters
 Sampling period and model
horizon
 Control horizon
 Prediction horizon
 Weighting matrices, Q and R
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 Sampling period and model horizon
• Sampling period t and the model horizon N , are parameters that
should be chosen such that Nt = . Where is denoted the settling time
for the open-loop response.
• This parameter selection ensures the model to reflect the complete
effect of a change in an input variable over the time it needs to attain
steady state.
• It is very typical that 30 N 120

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 Control Horizon
• This is the number of samples within the prediction horizon of which
the MPC controller could affect the control action.
• If the control horizon increases, there would be increased requirement
for the computational effort.
• It is sometimes denoted as M , and conventionally selected within 5 M
20.

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 Prediction horizon
• This is the number of samples into the future during which the MPC
controller would predict the plant output.
• It is denoted as P and selected by P = N +M there by making the
complete effect of the most recent input move to be accounted for.
• For implementation in LabVIEW program, it is denoted as Np. The
desired prediction and control horizon as defined in this task is shown
as below

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 Weighting matrices, Q and R
• The weighting matrix Q as in the definition of the cost function, allows
output variables being weighted according to their relative
importance.
• A diagonal Q matrix will allow the output variables to be weighted
individually while the most important variables will have the largest
weights.
• For example, if the levels in the four tank laboratory process is
considered more important than the temperature in the tank, then the
tank level in that case will be assigned a larger weighting factor.
• R is a weighting matrix that allows input variables to be weighted
according to their importance.

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• It is a diagonal matrix whose elements are referred to as move
suppression factors.
• Convenient tuning is achieved as a result of increasing the values of
the elements and in turn makes the MPC controller to be conservative
by the reducing the input moves.

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 Reference trajectory
• The future output behaviour in an MPC application are specified in a
number of different ways like, the set-point , reference trajectory, high
and low limits.
• But the reference trajectory has a tuning factor that is used in
adjusting the desired speed of response for each output.
• The reference trajectory can be specified by the concept of
performance ratio.
 Performance ratio: Is the ratio of the desired closed-loop settling time to
that of open-loop settling time

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 Creation of the MPC
• The MPC controller calculates a sequence of future control actions in
such a way that a cost function is minimized.
• The weighting matrices in the cost function is been specified in such a
way that they help in adjusting the priorities of the control action, rate
of change in the control action and the outputs of the plant.
• The requirement for setpoint specification to the MPC controller
operates by comparing the plant input and the output values to
setpoint profiles.
• The setpoint profiles contain the predicted values of the control action
and plant output setpoints at certain time instants, the profiles are
been sent to the MPC controller that calculates the error by
comparing the predicted plant inputs and outputs to the setpoint
profiles.

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• control action and plant output setpoints at certain time instants, the
profiles are been sent to the MPC controller that calculates the error
by comparing the predicted plant inputs and outputs to the setpoint
profiles. The MPC controller will then try to reduce the error by
minimizing a cost function which takes this error into account.

• The results of the minimum phase and non-minimum phase of the

process as well as with the corresponding controller actions are shown
in Figures

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 RESULTS

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 Referances
• Developing Advanced Control strategies for a 4-Tank Laboratory
process by Ademu Victor Okpanachi
• Model predictive control by Prof. Alberto Bemporad, University of
Trento
• www.apmonitor.com
• www.wikiepedia.com

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 THANK YOU……………

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