GAS DELIVERY METHOD AND SYSTEM INCLUDING A FLOW RATIO CONTROLLER USING A MULTIPLE ANTISYMMETRIC OPTIMAL CONTROL ARRANGEMENT

摘要

A multiple anti-symmetric optimization (MAO) control algorithm for a gas delivery system including a flow rate controller for dispensing a single mass flow rate into multiple flow lines is disclosed. In the MAO control algorithm, each flow line is provided with a valve and flow sensor actively controlled by a SISO feedback controller coupled with a linear saturator to obtain a target flow rate and set point. For optimal control performance, these SISO controllers and linear saturators are substantially the same. Each valve control command is proved to be multiple counter-rotations for the sum of all other valve control commands. Thus, the MAO control algorithm ensures that there is at least one valve at a given maximum open position at any instant, which achieves the optimal solution by the maximum total valve conductance for a given set of flow rate setpoints.