Integrated environment for real-time control and simulation

Powerful methods for designing digital control systems are based on simulation tools. Most of them aid the control system engineer with a complete tool for the analysis and synthesis aspects of control systems. However, only few computer-aided control design systems provide the direct transition from the system design stage to its implementation. The aim of this paper is to present an integrated environment, which fills a gap between two essential phases of control engineering: (1) control system analysis and simulation, (2) real-time implementation of control algorithms. What makes the approach especially effective is the general assumption that the integrated environment creates an open architecture process automation system. It uses a standard hardware platform, a standard operating system and commercial Computer Aided Control Design Systems as engineering tools. This contribution focuses on personal computers (PCs) which, along with a related real-time extension of the DOS operating system, can provide low cost solutions to the process control of small plants or laboratory installations. Two case studies demonstrate that commercial CACDS tools can support real-time control, and allow the accommodation in the integrated environment of a growing list of advanced control algorithms. The following problems illustrate the efficiency of the integrated approach: control of the liquid level in storage tanks and non-linear identification.