Use of OPC Protocol, DeltaV Distributed System and Simulink for Level Control with PI and IMC Algorithms

The paper study the possibility of using the OPC protocol to transmit data in real time between DeltaV distributed system and Simulink environment in order to develop a level control system in a real plant. The DeltaV system is configured in order to acquire the level value from the transducer, and to transmit the commands for the control valve and the pump. The control algorithms, Proportional-Integral (PI) and Internal Model Control (IMC), are implemented in Simulink. In order to facilitate the real time connection between DeltaV and Simulink, OPC protocol functions are used. The developed level control system is studied for changes of set-point and disturbance. The results obtained for the two cases (PI and IMC algorithms) are compared in terms of transient time, time delay and overshoot. All the results are obtained for the real plant.