Title: Synthesis of state estimator-based control algorithms to apply on a distillation column

Authors: Amiya K. Jana, Amar Nath Samanta

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721 302, India. ' Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721 302, India

Abstract: This work concerns the development of different discrete-time multivariable non-linear globally linearising control (GLC) algorithms for a binary distillation column (BDC). The proposed algorithms make the closed-loop system linear in an input/output (I/O) sense. The GLC control strategy is constructed with a transformer, also known as I/O linearising state feedback law, which accounts for process non-linearities; an estimator, which estimates the required unmeasured states and a quadratic dynamic matrix controller (QDMC) that is employed as an external controller around the globally linearised system. Three different GLC structures in conjunction with QDMC have been designed based on the availability of state information of the example distillation process. The proposed controllers have been compared in terms of set point tracking and disturbance rejection performance via numerical simulations. The study also includes the effects of parametric uncertainties on the controller responses.

Keywords: globally linearising control; GLC; quadratic dynamic matrix controller; QDMC; state estimators; binary distillation column; BDC.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2009.024737

International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2009 Vol.6 No.4, pp.301 - 312

Published online: 29 Apr 2009 *

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