Improving the feed-forward compensator in predictive control for setpoint tracking

Simple predictive control (MPC) algorithms produce a feed-forward compensator that may be a suboptimal choice. This paper gives some insights into this issue and simple means of modifying the feed-forward to produce a more systematic and optimal design. In particular, it is shown that the optimum procedure depends upon the underlying loop tuning and also that there are, as yet under utilised, potential benefits with regard to constraint handling procedures, which helps to improve the computational efficiency of the online controller implementation. A laboratory test in a programmable logic controller (PLC) was carried out to demonstrate the code on real hardware and the effectiveness of the solution. (C) 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.