Feedback vs. Feedforward Control Systems
Feedback vs. Feedforward Control Systems
The combination of feedforward and feedback control in a boiler drum system enhances its effectiveness by addressing both measurable and unmeasurable disturbances. Feedforward control reduces the effects of measurable disturbances by making preemptive adjustments, while feedback control trims and compensates for inaccuracies in the process model and measurement errors, as well as unmeasured disturbances. This controlled approach aims to keep the liquid level stable despite fluctuations in steam demand .
Feedforward control is particularly beneficial for processes with large time constants and delay times because it allows for corrective actions to be implemented before any deviation occurs from the setpoint. By measuring and responding to disturbances preemptively, it can mitigate issues that would otherwise be exacerbated by the slow response time typical in such processes .
Method II is preferred over Method I for implementing ratio control systems because it avoids the nonlinearity problem associated with the divider element in Method I. Method II involves scaling the process variables appropriately, where the gain setting for the ratio station must account for the spans of the flow transmitters. This ensures a linear relationship that is easier to control, thus making the system more stable and predictable .
Feedback control systems primarily react to disturbances after they have affected the system, which can lead to slower response times and reduced disturbance rejection capability. In contrast, feedback-feedforward control systems enhance disturbance rejection by addressing them proactively through feedforward control, which counters measurable disturbances before they impact the output, and feedback adjustments for unmeasured disturbances or model inaccuracies. This combined approach offers a more robust and efficient disturbance rejection capability .
Unmeasured disturbances in control systems present significant challenges as they cannot be directly accounted for in control strategies like feedforward control. These disturbances often lead to inefficiencies and deviations from desired performance. To address them, feedback control systems are employed to compensate after deviations are detected, and combined control strategies like feedforward-feedback control are used to enhance robustness by accounting for modeling inaccuracies and providing correction for both measurable and unmeasurable disturbances .
Typical applications of ratio control in the process industries include setting relative amounts of components in blending operations, maintaining a stoichiometric ratio of reactants in a reactor, keeping a specified reflux ratio for a distillation column, and holding the fuel-air ratio to a furnace at the optimum value. Method I's main advantage is that it allows the calculation of the actual ratio R .
Measurement in feedback control systems is crucial as it provides the information needed to compare the actual output against the setpoint. Based on this comparison, corrective actions are taken to minimize the deviation. The accuracy and timeliness of these measurements heavily influence the system's ability to respond effectively to disturbances, thereby impacting overall performance .
Feedback control systems are advantageous because they automatically take corrective action regardless of the source of disturbance and require minimal process information for controller design. However, they only take corrective action after the output deviates from the setpoint and do not utilize measured disturbances effectively. This can be problematic for processes with large time constants and delays . Feedforward control systems, conversely, can take corrective action before any deviation from the setpoint by measuring and using major disturbances as inputs. They are beneficial for processes with large time constants and delays. However, they require measurable disturbances and do not offer advantages for other disturbances .
In Method I of ratio control, the inclusion of a divider element is disadvantageous because it causes the process gain to vary in a nonlinear manner, being inversely related to the disturbance flow rate. This nonlinearity complicates the control process, reducing its efficiency and effectiveness .
Scaling process variables is essential in Method II of ratio control to ensure the linearity and stability of the control loop. This involves setting the gain for the ratio station to reflect the spans of the flow transmitters for the manipulated and disturbance streams, ensuring precise and consistent response to changes. This careful scaling is accomplished by adjusting the gain setting Kd based on the desired ratio Rd and spans Su and Sd using the formula: Kd = (Rd * Sd) / Su .









