FEEDBACK CONTROL FOR OPTIMAL PROCESS OPERATION

Starting from the statement that the purpose of process control is to achieve optimal process operations and that optimal tracking of setpoints is in most cases only a means to this end, different approaches how to realize optimal process operation by feedback control are reviewed. The emphasis is on direct optimizing control by optimizing an economic cost criterion online on a finite horizon where the usual control specifications in terms of e.g. product purities enter as constraints and not as setpoints. The potential of this approach is demonstrated by its application to a complex process which combines reaction with chromatographic separation. Issues for further research are outlined in the final section.