Robust model predictive control of an industrial partial combustion fluidized-bed catalytic cracking converter

It is presented here in the study of the application of a robust model predictive control to an industrial partial combustion fluidized-bed catalytic cracking (FCC) converter. This particular type of FCC converter shows an interesting dynamics in which most of the system outputs are integrating with respect to the manipulated inputs. Time delays are also present and the model parameters can change depending on the operating point. Then, the system model should be represented by a set of possible plants, which can stand for different operating conditions of this process system. Moreover, one needs to include a comprehensive model formulation in order to accommodate time-delays for both stable and integrating outputs. The proposed control strategy was tested through simulation for the disturbances commonly found in the FCC converter unit, taking into consideration the plant/model mismatch. Results obtained from the simulated scenarios point out a fine prospective method. The robust controller shows a good potential to be implemented in the real process.