L&A presented two case-study papers at the AIChE Spring 2023 meeting in the “Process Control and Optimization” tracks.  The papers covered the application of the DELTUM controller on a56a Upstream Tank Battery Pressure Management using PLC based MPC and an 91b Heater Pass Balancing using MPC on a Redundant DCS Node 1 .  Both presentations were well attended with great audience questions for the presenters about controller implementation and performance.  Common technical highlights from both presentations include:

      1. Rapid implementation of multivariable control without a step-test.
      2. Edge-level implementation of the controller program in redundant hardware with high-frequency controller execution.
      3. High level of operator acceptance with essentially no need for controller maintenance.

Additionally, the Heater Pass Balancing presentation called out the “tool gap” concept, and the Bad-Actor-Loop metric as a way to measure and manage advanced control that is akin to the operator alarms/hour metric.