Stable controller reconfiguration through terminal connections — A practical example

When new sensor or actuator hardware becomes available for use in a control system, it is possible to achieve better control performance after a redesign. However, rather than decommissioning the entire plant to introduce the new sensor or actuator equipment, and redesigning the entire control system from scratch again, it is often desirable to retain the existing control system in place and phase the new parts in gradually. This paper presents a method for introducing new control components in a smooth manner, providing stability guarantees during the transition phase, and retaining the original control structure intact. The method is illustrated on an example of an actual industrial control system: a livestock stable climate control system, where a new temperature measurement becomes available.