Optimal trade-offs

ABB has created a comprehensive and advanced process control engineering tool named cpmPlus Expert Optimizer to achieve energy efficiency and environmental compliance. The tool features modern control techniques and uses available measurements to initiate automatic adjustments to plant actuators to increase efficiency at a given quality. The model predictive control (MPC) of the tool is used to perform three complementary tasks such as state estimation, process simulation, and process optimization. Model-based optimization capabilities of the optimizer are used successfully in closed-loop process control, production planning and scheduling, economic process optimization, and thermal power plant optimization. ABB's nonlinear optimization technique allows functionalities such as online production planning, a stop planning tool, and soft sensor functionality.