Advanced process control

In control theory Advanced process control (APC) refers to a broad range of techniques and technologies implemented within industrial process control systems. Advanced process controls are usually deployed optionally and in addition to basic process controls. Basic process controls are designed and built with the process itself, to facilitate basic operation, control and automation requirements. Advanced process controls are typically added subsequently, often over the course of many years, to address particular performance or economic improvement opportunities in the process.

Process control (basic and advanced) normally implies the process industries, which includes chemicals, petrochemicals, oil and mineral refining, food processing, pharmaceuticals, power generation, etc. These industries are characterized by continuous processes and fluid processing, as opposed to discrete parts manufacturing, such as automobile and electronics manufacturing. The term process automation is essentially synonymous with process control.

Process controls (basic as well as advanced) are implemented within the process control system, which usually means a distributed control system (DCS), programmable logic controller (PLC), and/or a supervisory control computer. DCSs and PLCs are typically industrially hardened and fault-tolerant. Supervisory control computers are often not hardened or fault-tolerant, but they bring a higher level of computational capability to the control system, to host valuable, but not critical, advanced control applications. Advanced controls may reside in either the DCS or the supervisory computer, depending on the application. Basic controls reside in the DCS and its subsystems, including PLCs.

Types of Advanced Process Control

Following is a list of the best known types of advanced process control:

Related Technologies

The following technologies are related to APC and in some contexts can be considered part of APC, but are generally separate technologies having their own (or in need of their own) Wiki articles.

APC Business and Professionals

Those responsible for the design, implementation and maintenance of APC applications are often referred to as APC Engineers or Control Application Engineers. Usually their education is dependent upon the field of specialization. For example, in the process industries many APC Engineers have a chemical engineering background, combining process control and chemical processing expertise.

Most large operating facilities, such as oil refineries, employ a number of control system specialists and professionals, ranging from field instrumentation, regulatory control system (DCS and PLC), advanced process control, and control system network and security. Depending on facility size and circumstances, these personnel may have responsibilities across multiple areas, or be dedicated to each area. There are also many process control service companies that can be hired for support and services in each area.

Terminology

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