INCA MPC

Download INCA MPC brochure (PDF) 

The process industry is facing more intense competition and increased pressure to cut costs. The imperative is to reduce cycle times, keep tied-up capital to a minimum, improve quality and optimize processes. INCA MPC is a modelbased predictive controller that allows companies to reduce fluctuations in process variables, minimize scrap and increase throughput. It enables companies  to leverage real flexibility and efficiency gains from their processes.

5 Reasons to use INCA MPC

• Multivariable controller: Takes maximum advantage of the interaction of all relevant process variables.
• Model-based: Handles complex plant dynamics, including long dead times and non-minimum phase behavior.
• Constraint handling: Explicit inclusion of plant constraints on relevant process variables.
• Hierarchical and weighted optimization: Supports complex operation and process management strategies.
• Predictive: Early correction of disturbances. Compensate for outside temperature variations or feed variations before their influence becomes felt.

The benefits are obvious

• Weighted and hierarchical optimization techniques resulting in a control philosophy where:
  • Plant safety takes priority over quality
  • Quality takes priority over energy saving and cost reductions.
• Excellent control quality.
• Multimodel handling and online adaptation. INCA MPC passes bumplessly from one model to another, enabling it to be run across several operating points with different dynamic characteristics. The INCA MPC online adaptation feature enables real-time online adaptation of the gains and dead times of the controller model.
  
• Modern modeling methods. 
• Automatic product and load changes. INCA MPC operates in "delta mode", enabling automatic and consistent product and load change-over based on a predefined trajectory for the relevant process variables. INCA MPC  brings the process from one operating point to another by regulating all process variables along their prescribed trajectories. In this way INCA MPC guarantees completely reproducible and fully consistent transitions between operating conditions.

INCA MPC at work

Figures from actual projects:

• Throughput increased by 3.5%
  
• Reduction of specific energy consumption up tp 3%
  
• Typical product and load change times cut from 60 to 45 minutes 
• Product and load changes done in automatic mode, significantly reducing operator workload 
• Greater plant flexibility: where there had been one product change per week previously now two a week is economically viable.