Internal Model Control

IMC INTRODUCTION
The main advantage to IMC is that it provides a transparent
framework for control-system design and tuning.
This is pleasing because we can use standard equipment
and algorithms to implement an "advanced" control
concept.
The IMC design procedure is exactly that of the open-loop
"control" design procedure developed.
Thus a factorization of the process model was performed so
that the resulting controller would be stable.
If the controller is stable and the process is stable, then the
overall controlled system is stable.
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Contd..
In process control applications, model based control systems are often used
to track set points and reject low disturbances.
The internal model control (IMC) philosophy relies on the internal model
principle which states that if any control system contains within it, implicitly
or explicitly, some representation of the process to be controlled then a
perfect control is easily achieved.
In particular, if the control scheme has been developed based on the exact
model of the process then perfect control is theoretically possible.

Development of the IMC Structure

We now consider a process model that receives the same manipulated
variable signal as the actual process. We can now subtract the difference between
the process output (actually measured) and the process model output (model
predicted) to determine the model error. This is shown in Figure 1. We must also
realize that disturbances can enter the system, as shown in Figure 3.

1. Process model in parallel with the actual process.

2. Calculating model error.

3. Incorporating the process disturbance.

Notice that Figure 2 shows the calculation of model uncertainty (which

includes unmeasured disturbances). This information can now be used by
the controller, to compensate for the model uncertainty. This creates a
feedback system, as shown in Figure 4.
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4. Feedback structure derived from the open-loop structure

Figure 4 is also known as the IMC structure, which is discussed
in depth in the next sections.
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 Although the IMC design procedure is identical

to the open-loop "control" design procedure,
the implementation of IMC results in a
feedback system.
Thus, IMC is able to compensate for
disturbances and model uncertainty, while
open-loop "control" is not.
Note that the internal model controller must be
detuned to assure stability if there is model
uncertainty.
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IMC Structure

The IMC structure is shown in Figure 5. The distinguishing characteristic of this structure is
the process model, which is in parallel with the actual process (plant). Note that (~) is
generally used to represent signals associated with the model. Other literature sources
may use a subscript (such as m) to represent the model. Figure 6 illustrates that both the
controller and model exist as computer computations; it is convenient to treat them
separately for design and analysis.

5. The internal model control structure.

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6. The IMC strategy. The dotted line indicates the

calculations performed by the model-based controller

A list of transfer function variables shown in the IMC block

diagram are given below.
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Recapitulating, the reasons for feedback control include

the following:
Unmeasured disturbances
Model uncertainty
Faster response than the open-loop system (with a static
controller)
Closed-loop stability of open-loop unstable system
The primary disadvantage of IMC is that it does not
guarantee stability of open-loop unstable systems.

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