Dynamic-Controlled Bayesian Network for Process Pattern Modeling and Optimization

Abstract

Capturing the current statistical features of a process and its dynamic evolution is important for controlling and monitoring its overall operational status. In terms of capturing the process dynamics, existing probabilistic latent-variable methods mostly consider autoregressive relationships, and thus, the causality from the control inputs to the pattern, or key hidden variable, remains unmodeled or implicit. To bridge this gap, a model structured by a newly designed dynamic-controlled Bayesian network (DCBN) is proposed in this paper for pattern modeling, especially pattern control and optimization. Significantly, the innovation and advantage of the DCBN lie in explicitly quantifying the impulse response of the pattern under control inputs. As well, the expectation−maximization algorithm is specially designed for learning the DCBN model. Finally, a new framework for pattern-based process control and optimization is presented in which online pattern filtering and control can be implemented. A case study on the combustion process from an industrial boiler illustrates the advantages of the proposed method in that it can capture the controlled dynamics of the process and achieve optimization by tracking the pattern set point or trajectory.