Cooperative Distributed Model Predictive Control (MPC) is receiving significant attention as a major next generation MPC technology and potential key component in unlocking the potential of the Industrial Internet of Things. Cooperative Distributed Control enables a distributed network of cooperating controllers to collaborate towards a common objective without use of a centralised coordinator or optimiser. In addition to presenting a simple, modular route to plant-wide control and optimisation, the exciting potential is as a general approach to distributed MPC application within an IIoT framework. The webinar, led by Dr. Patrick Thorpe, covers the following key topics:
- The role of open, secure, and interoperable system architectures in the future of process automation
- How control agents can operate in a cooperative manner to achieve a shared objective function;
- How the optimization of a Cooperative Distributed Control solution can encompass plant capacitance, recycle streams and mixed fast and slow process dynamics;
- How Cooperative Distributed Control can work based on existing control standards and infrastructure.
- Applicability of Cooperative Distributed Control in specific sectors and use cases including Ethylene Process Example, smart grids/micro grids, and gas distribution network.
Patrick Thorpe has a career that spans more than 25 years working in industrial process control with a focus on regulatory and model predictive control. Having trained as an application engineer with Exxon Chemical, Patrick has gone on to be the founder of Spiro Control; a UK SME specialising in advanced analytics and control solutions. His experience also includes holding a leading role in product development at Predictive Control, working as an advisor with Aspen Technology, and co-founding the specialist APC company Aptitude (now part of IPCOS). Patrick holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Loughborough University. Particularly relevant to this webinar is Patrick’s long held interest in developing tools and algorithms to support the control engineer as well as propagating the benefits of advanced control to a wider range of industries.