Automatically generated embedded model predictive control: Moving an industrial PC‐based MPC to an embedded platform

Summary An embedded model predictive controller (eMPC) based on the linear MPC module in Statoil Estimation and Prediction Tool for Identification and Control has been developed, and it is intended to facilitate the MPC application on embedded hardware. The control design approach illustrates a viable way of migrating from an industrial PC-based MPC technology to an embedded platform. This work also provides the transformations and the real-time considerations necessary to achieve a functional high-performance predictive controller on a low-cost embedded hardware, with limited computational resources. The eMPC was implemented for rapid prototyping on the Ethernut 5 open-source hardware, and its performance was tested for a simulated process. The concept was tested using a real MPC application developed for a prototype of a new industrial process that requires an advanced embedded multivariable, constraint handling control solution. The results confirm the viability of the embedded MPC design approach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[1]  Manfred Morari,et al.  Multi-Parametric Toolbox 3.0 , 2013, 2013 European Control Conference (ECC).

[2]  L.G. Bleris,et al.  A co-processor FPGA platform for the implementation of real-time model predictive control , 2006, 2006 American Control Conference.

[3]  Stig Strand,et al.  MPC in Statoil – Advantages with In-House Technology , 2004 .

[4]  Minghua He,et al.  Model predictive control on a chip , 2005, 2005 International Conference on Control and Automation.

[5]  Haibin Yu,et al.  Modeling and Optimization of Cement Raw Materials Blending Process , 2012 .

[6]  Manfred Morari,et al.  Embedded Online Optimization for Model Predictive Control at Megahertz Rates , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control.

[7]  Tor Arne Johansen,et al.  Using hash tables to manage the time-storage complexity in a point location problem: Application to explicit model predictive control , 2011, Autom..

[8]  Manfred Morari,et al.  Efficient interior point methods for multistage problems arising in receding horizon control , 2012, 2012 IEEE 51st IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC).

[9]  Tor Arne Johansen,et al.  Embedded Model Predictive Control on a PLC using a primal-dual first-order method for a subsea separation process , 2014, 22nd Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation.

[10]  Manfred Morari,et al.  Model predictive control: Theory and practice - A survey , 1989, Autom..

[11]  Lars Imsland,et al.  Efficient implementation of solvers for linear model predictive control on embedded devices , 2014, 2014 IEEE Conference on Control Applications (CCA).

[12]  Stephen P. Boyd,et al.  Fast Model Predictive Control Using Online Optimization , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology.

[13]  Alberto Bemporad,et al.  An Accelerated Dual Gradient-Projection Algorithm for Embedded Linear Model Predictive Control , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control.

[14]  Pantelis Sopasakis,et al.  A global piecewise smooth Newton method for fast large-scale model predictive control , 2011, Autom..

[15]  Eva Miklovičová,et al.  Real-time model predictive control , 2011 .

[16]  Efstratios N. Pistikopoulos,et al.  MPC on a chip - Recent advances on the application of multi-parametric model-based control , 2008, Comput. Chem. Eng..

[17]  Jan M. Maciejowski,et al.  Predictive control : with constraints , 2002 .

[18]  Manfred Morari,et al.  Embedded Predictive Control on an FPGA using the Fast Gradient Method , 2013, 2013 European Control Conference (ECC).

[19]  Alberto Bemporad,et al.  The explicit linear quadratic regulator for constrained systems , 2003, Autom..

[20]  Hans Joachim Ferreau,et al.  An online active set strategy to overcome the limitations of explicit MPC , 2008 .

[21]  Michal Kvasnica,et al.  Automatic code generation for real-time implementation of Model Predictive Control , 2010, 2010 IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Aided Control System Design.

[22]  P. Goulart,et al.  A New Hot-start Interior-point Method for Model Predictive Control* , 2011 .

[23]  Stefan Richter,et al.  Computational complexity certification of gradient methods for real-time model predictive control , 2012 .

[24]  Jan Van Impe,et al.  Towards Online Model Predictive Control on a Programmable Logic Controller: Practical Considerations , 2012 .

[25]  Manfred Morari,et al.  Real-time suboptimal model predictive control using a combination of explicit MPC and online optimization , 2008, 2008 47th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control.

[26]  Brett Ninness,et al.  Fast Linear Model Predictive Control Via Custom Integrated Circuit Architecture , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology.

[27]  M. Diehl,et al.  A Parallel Active-Set Strategy to Solve Sparse Parametric Quadratic Programs arising in MPC , 2012 .

[28]  Manfred Morari,et al.  Fast Predictive Control: Real-time Computation and Certification , 2012 .

[29]  Alberto Bemporad,et al.  Fixed-point dual gradient projection for embedded model predictive control , 2013, 2013 European Control Conference (ECC).

[30]  Stephen P. Boyd,et al.  CVXGEN: a code generator for embedded convex optimization , 2011, Optimization and Engineering.