On defining the partial control problem: Concepts and examples

Many complex processes having a large number of process variables can be controlled reasonably well by directly controlling only a small subset of process variables using an equally small number of manipulated variables. This is the central premise of this paper and is referred to as partial control. Despite its wide-spread use in controlling complex industrial processes, partial control has never been rigorously defined, presumably because of its rather vague and broad applicability. In this paper, we present a general theoretical framework for defining the partial control problem. The framework allows incorporation of a breadth of engineering-based decisions and more rigorous theoretical tools in the problem solution.