Introduction to Aspen Process Controller Builder for APC Engineers

Course Id:  APC105   |   Duration:  5.00 day(s)   |   CEUs Awarded:  3.5   |   Level:  Introductory

Course Objective

In this course you will acquire the skills and knowledge required to participate on or lead a team charged with the development, deployment, and maintenance of Advanced Process Control applications. You will learn how to use an Aspen DMCplus Model to identify a controller model before implementing the controller online, and gain increased effectiveness in basic troubleshooting of Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controllers.

This course is a combination of APC120: Introduction to aspenONE Advanced Process Control - Operating and Maintaining Controllers Online, and APC125: Introduction to Aspen Process Controller Builder - Modeling and Building Controllers for Industrial Processes.

Course Overview

  •  Understand various Online tools associated with Aspen DMC3 Builder
  •  Learn how to implement variable transformations and custom built controller calculations
  •  Become familiarized with the APC infrastructure
  •  Learn how to interact with the online controller to operate a plant
  •  Learn the characteristics of  Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 models and controllers
  •  Understand, design and deploy an Aspen Advanced Process Control (APC) Application
  •  Learn the characteristics of a Linear, Dynamic, Empirical Model
  •  Learn how to use Aspen DMC3 Builder to identify a process model
  •  Be able to decide when to use FIR or SubSpace Modeling
  •  Understand the importance of Collinearity Analysis
  •  Learn to use the Aspen DMC3 Builder software to develop control models, build control applications, and perform off-line tuning and simulation of control applications   
  •  Learn the role of CV Ranks and Equal Concerns in the computation of the Steady State Targets
  •  Learn to use MV/CV Costs to cause the steady state optimization to seek the most profitable operating point
  •  See why multiple moves are calculated each control cycle
  •  Learn how to use MV move suppression and CV Concerns to tradeoff move minimization versus CV error minimization
  •  Learn how to implement variable transformations and custom built controller calculations

Benefits

  •  Acquire the skills and knowledge required to participate on or lead a team charged with the development and deployment of an Advanced Process Control application
  •  Acquire the skills and knowledge required to use and maintain Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controllers
  •  Know how to use Aspen DMCplus Model to identify a controller model before implementing the controller online
  •  Increased effectiveness in basic troubleshooting of Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controllers
  •  Increased awareness of the operating characteristics and capabilities of Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controllers
  •  Increased awareness of the operating characteristics and capabilities of Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controllers

Audience

  •  Engineers who are maintaining existing Aspen DMCplus controllers
  •  Description of the theoretical concepts that form the basis of the Aspen DMCplus family of products
  •  Engineers who are designing or implementing new Aspen DMCplus controllers
  •  Operating supervisors and console operators who are involved in Aspen DMCplus control projects

Approach

  •  Introduction to basic concepts behind multivariable control
  •  Demonstrations of the ways in which the online tools are used
  •  Hands on workshops that allow operating and troubleshooting a typical Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controller

Prerequisites

Background in chemical process engineering and/or process operations Some familiarity with Microsoft® Windows operating systems

Subsequent Courses

This course serves as a prerequisite for many of the more advanced courses.

  •  APC170 Introduction to Aspen Inferential Qualities - Developing and Deploying Inferential Soft Sensors for Industrial Processes
  •  APC210 Aspen Watch Performance Monitor: Real Time Monitoring and Maintaining Controllers Online
  •  APC240 Aspen DMCplus: APC Project Step Testing and Commissioning Using a Virtual Plant
  •  APC250 Aspen DMC3: APC Calibrate and Aspen Adaptive Modeling

Class Schedule

Class Agenda

APC105: Introduction to Aspen Process Controller Builder for APC Engineers

Basic Concepts

  •  Differentiate between Real Time Optimization and Advanced Control
  •  Understand the use cases for APC
  •  Learn about various AspenTech APC solutions
  •  Workshop: Democol Manual Operation

Control Terminology
  •  Review the definition of independent and dependent variables
  •  Review the definitions of a Unit Response Curve, Time to Steady State and Steady State Gain
  •  Review the defining characteristics of  Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 Models and Controllers
  •  Define a subcontroller

Production Control Web Server (PCWS)
  •  Learn how to use PCWS to interact with the controller
  •  Workshop: Democol Operation with Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controller

APC Infrastructure
  •  Learn about the APC Infrastructure

Models of Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 controllers
  •  Introduction to the concept of plant test and different plant step test method
  •  Learn about Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 modeling procedures
  •  Workshop: Model Review

Aspen DMCplus Engine
  •  Learn about the three modules in an Aspen DMCplus and Aspen DMC3 Engine
  •  Learn which tuning parameters are used in each of the modules
  •  Workshop: Democol tuning

Aspen DMCplus Controller Online Troubleshooting
  •  Learn how to troubleshoot typical problems with an Aspen DMCplus or Aspen DMC3 online controller

Aspen DMC3 New Features
  •  Introduction to new features in Aspen DMC3
  •  Workshop: Democol Troubleshooting

Modeling Terminology
  •  Differentiate between Real Time Optimization and Advanced Control
  •  Understand the defining characteristics of an Aspen DMCplus Controller

APC Project Overview
  •  Understand the requirements and the process for implementing an APC project

Dynamic Modeling of Linear Systems
  •  Comprehend the fundamentals of dynamic, empirical, linear modeling and the technology of Finite Impulse Response (FIR) Algorithm
  •  Understand the strengths and drawbacks of an FIR Model
  •  Define the parameters used in FIR model ID

Model Identification in Aspen DMC3 Builder
  •  Navigate around the Aspen DMC3 Builder interface
  •  Use the vector import tool to bring data into Aspen DMC3 Builder
  •  Review vectors for quality and perform data processing
  •  Define and run model identification cases
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Build a finite impulse response model for a simple fractionator

Model Analysis in Aspen DMC3 Builder
  •  Define and Run Predictions
  •  Use model analysis tools
  •  Assemble the master model
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Evaluate and assemble the model
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Fix collinearity issues in the model

Variable Transformations
  •  Configure built-in transforms to deal with non-linear data
  •  Configure transforms to rescale data
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Apply variable transformation

SubSpace Identification Technology
  •  Differentiate between Subspace and FIR model ID technique
  •  Comprehend the fundamentals of Subspace model ID
  •  Define the parameters involved in subspace ID
  •  Use Aspen DMC3 Builder to perform Subspace model ID
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Build a subspace model for the fractionator 

Open Loop Prediction
  •  Understand how Aspen APC applications use the dynamic model to predict the future behavior of controlled variables
  •  Analyze prediction error to assess model performance
  •  Tune predictions for ramp variables
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Configure prediction error filter options

Steady-State Feasibility Check
  •  Understand the logic behind Aspen APC Steady State Optimization
  •  List the various tuning parameters used for the CV constraint feasibility analysis
  •  Perform tuning for Limit Ranks and Steady State Equal Concern errors used in CV feasibility analysis
  •  Differentiate between Linear Program (LP) solution and a Quadratic Program (QP) solution and make decisions on when to use either option

Economic Optimization
  •  Understand the Aspen APC economic optimization strategy
  •  Tune the controller economic performance using MV Costs.
  •  Use Aspen DMC3 Builder to configure the optimizer settings
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Calculating Steady State Cost and configuring the Steady State Optimizer

Minimizing Dynamic Errors
  •  Understand the logic behind the Aspen APC Dynamic Optimization
  •  Perform dynamic tuning of the controller to make tradeoffs between move aggressiveness and error minimization
  •  Differentiate between the tuning required for ramp variables compared to a steady state variable
  •  Use Aspen DMC3 Builder to enter dynamic configuration for the controller
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Dynamic Tuning to adjust move suppressions to achieve smooth control

Calculations and Gain Scheduling
  •  Build input and output calculations to modify controller data
  •  Configure gain scheduling to modify model gains on the fly
  •  Manage model switching
  •  Workshop: Fractionator Controller - Configure custom built controller calculations

External Targets
  •  Identify and differentiate External Target from the controller Steady State Targets
  •  Differentiate between RTO and IRV Style External Targets
  •  Examine External Target Attributes
  •  Configure External Targets using Aspen DMC3 Builder

Aspen DMC3 Builder Plant Connection and Tuning Configuration
  •  Connect the controller to the plant
  •  Test connectivity with the DCS
  •  Configure SmartStep and Composite participation
  •  Workshop: DemoCol Controller - Configure plant connections

Subcontrollers
  •  Configure Subcontrollers using Aspen DMC3 Builder
  •  Differentiate between Composites and Subcontrollers

Ramp Variable Techniques
  •  Differentiate between the different types of ramp handling option available in Aspen DMC3 control engine.
  •  Understand the effect of various tuning parameter on ramp variable control
  •  Differentiate between ramp and pseudo-ramps
  •  Workshop: DemoCol Controller  -Observe the effects of changing tuning parameters on ramp behavior

New Features in Aspen APC Suite
  •  Differentiate between Aspen DMC3 and Aspen DMCplus control engine

Aspen Technology, Inc. awards Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for training classes conducted by our organization. One CEU is granted for every 10 hours of class participation.