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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Optimization and control of a continuous polymerization reactor

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Author(s):
Alvarez, L. A. [1] ; Odloak, D. [1]
Total Authors: 2
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Polytech Sch, Dept Chem Engn, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 1
Document type: Journal article
Source: Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering; v. 29, n. 4, p. 807-820, OCT-DEC 2012.
Web of Science Citations: 9
Abstract

This work studies the optimization and control of a styrene polymerization reactor. The proposed strategy deals with the case where, because of market conditions and equipment deterioration, the optimal operating point of the continuous reactor is modified significantly along the operation time and the control system has to search for this optimum point, besides keeping the reactor system stable at any possible point. The approach considered here consists of three layers: the Real Time Optimization (RTO), the Model Predictive Control (MPC) and a Target Calculation (TC) that coordinates the communication between the two other layers and guarantees the stability of the whole structure. The proposed algorithm is simulated with the phenomenological model of a styrene polymerization reactor, which has been widely used as a benchmark for process control. The complete optimization structure for the styrene process including disturbances rejection is developed. The simulation results show the robustness of the proposed strategy and the capability to deal with disturbances while the economic objective is optimized. (AU)