Predictive control systems and methods for modular systems

A method for operating a modular control system for a plant comprising a plurality of interconnected subsystems, the method comprising:

• executing a control process at a main controller during a first time period, the control process comprising adjusting a plurality of manipulated variables (MVs) comprising targets for a plurality of controlled variables (CVs);
• using a plurality of subsystem predictive controllers to operate the plurality of interconnected subsystems to affect the plurality of CVs during the first time period based on the targets for the plurality of CVs provided by the main controller;
• in response to detecting an event that causes one or more CVs of the plurality of CVs to become at least partially uncontrollable, modifying the control process to compensate for the event;
• executing the modified control process at the main controller during a second time period, the modified control process comprising adjusting a subset of MVs of the plurality of MVs comprising targets for a subset of CVs of the plurality of CVs;
• using the plurality of subsystem predictive controllers to operate the plurality of interconnected subsystems to affect at least the subset of CVs during the second time period based on the targets for the subset of CVs provided by the main controller.

A predictive controller for a plant, the predictive controller comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• executing a predictive control process comprising adjusting a plurality of manipulated variables (MVs) comprising targets for equipment of the plant and providing the plurality of MVs as inputs to the equipment of the plant during a first time period;
• in response to detecting an event that causes one or more MVs of the plurality of MVs to become at least partially uncontrollable, modifying the predictive control process to compensate for the event;
• and
• executing the modified predictive control process comprising adjusting a subset of MVs of the plurality of MVs and providing the subset of MVs as inputs to the equipment of the plant during a second time period;
• wherein the equipment of the plant operate to affect a plurality of controlled variables (CVs) of the plant during the second time period based on the targets provided by the plurality of MVs.