Model Predictive Control of Continuous Ingot Solidification

The paper is devoted to problems of development of the mathematical model used for model predictive control (MPC) algorithms of control in the continuous casting processes. The description of processes of the heat transfer is based on the nonlinear partial differential equations. The position of the boundary between liquid and solid phase is given by the temperatures equality conditions and the Stefan conditions for the two-dimensional case. The boundary conditions for the wide faces of the ingot in the secondary cooling zone take into account the convective and radiative heat exchange components. The model allows of the ingot temperature field estimation and prediction, to investigate the sensitivity of various operated parameters of process to changes of operating parameters, to make an operative estimation of the ingot thermal condition and to find the values of such control parameters that keep the solidification regime optimal for metal quality.