Apparatus and method for modeling and control of cross-direction fiber orientation processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10095206-B2
Application number	US-201414497085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	May 27, 2010
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A method includes generating a model associated with cross-directional fiber orientation of a web, which includes identifying spatial frequency characteristics of a fiber orientation (FO) process. The method also includes providing the model for control of the FO process. Generating the model could include performing a spatial impulse test of the FO process, and long wavelength responses of the FO process can be identified by performing a spatial long wavelength test of the FO process or by retrieving information from a historical database. Actuator edge padding can be applied to the model in order to generate a controller model. A controller can be used to control the process based on the controller model. At least one parameter of the controller model can be dynamically adjusted during operation of the controller. The controller can change average fiber orientation angle profiles and twist profiles by only adjusting slice lip actuators in a headbox.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining a controller model for a controller that is to control a fiber orientation (FO) process, the controller model associated with cross-directional fiber orientation of a web, the controller model generated using a process model based on spatial frequency characteristics of the FO process identified in a spatial long wavelength test of the FO process, wherein the spatial frequency characteristics of the FO process are further identified in a spatial impulse test of the FO process, and wherein the process model is based on:
high spatial frequency characteristics of the FO process associated with results of the spatial impulse test; and
low spatial frequency characteristics of the FO process associated with results of the spatial long wavelength test;

controlling, by the controller, the FO process based on the controller model; and
dynamically adjusting at least one model parameter of the controller model during operation of the controller.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the FO process is associated with (i) a wire screen or mesh and (ii) a headbox having an opening from which a jet of material exits the headbox onto the wire screen or mesh; and
dynamically adjusting the at least one model parameter comprises:
performing bump tests of the FO process at one or more of: (i) different speeds of the wire screen or mesh and (ii) different jet speed/wire speed ratios; and
using a gain retune function expressed as:

g
=

g
lam

q
-

q
o

⁢

(

1
-

e

-

(

q
-

q
o

)

2

k
⁢

)

where g lam represents a laminar gain of the jet, k represents a degree of jet turbulence, q represents a difference between the jet speed and the wire speed, and q 0 represents a crossing-over point where the FO process is operated without rush and drag.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
performing the bump tests comprises performing a set of bump tests of the FO process with the different jet speed/wire speed ratios and generating a gain retune table;
using the gain retune function comprises identifying the values of q 0 and k based on the gain retune table; and
dynamically adjusting the at least one model parameter comprises retuning a process gain of the controller model using the gain retune function with the identified values of q 0 and k.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the controller model using the process model.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the process model is expressed as:

g
=

r
⁢

⁢

e

-

a
⁡

(

x
w

)

2

⁢

sin
⁡

(

π
⁢

⁢
x

w

)

+

k
r

⁢
r
⁢

⁢

e

-

a
⁡

(

x

k
w

⁢
w

)

2

⁢

sin
⁡

(

π
⁢

⁢
x

k
w

⁢
w

)

where g represents the process model, r represents a process gain, w represents a response width, a represents an attenuation, k r represents a gain ratio, and k w represents a width ratio.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the process model is expressed as:
G=G 1 +G 2 ;

where G represents the process model, G 1 and G 2 represent model components expressed as:

G
i

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc
• Honeywell Ltd

Inventors

• Chu Danlei
• Stewart Gregory E
• Gheorghe Cristian
• Backstrom Johan U

Classifications

• D21G9/0027

  controlling the forming section · CPC title

• D21F7/06

  Indicating or regulating the thickness of the layer; Signal devices · CPC title

• G05B17/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title