Design and Implementation of Adaptive NMPC in industrial applications: case study

This paper deals with the design and implementation of adaptive nonlinear predictive control (NMPC). The resulting control system is deployed on a softPLC embedded target in real-time via the REXYGEN control system. The paper describes functional prototype using softPLC hosting the NMPC algorithm applied for a nonlinear system consisting of three coupled tanks. The NMPC algorithm is solved via the receding horizon control method (RHC), formulated as a nonlinear programming problem (NLP) and numerically computed using the SOLNP solver. The adaptivity is provided by online identification via moving horizon estimation (MHE), keeping the model updated to avoid a model-plant mismatch. The methodology described in this paper can be easily transferred to a wider group of industrial nonlinear processes. Such created control unit can run in a standalone mode or can be connected to some exiting control system providing a necessary computational power and thus upgrading the quality of control significantly.