Control of Ethylene Dichloride Cracking Furnace Using an Analytical Model Predictive Control Strategy for a Coupled Partial Differential Equation/Ordinary Differential Equation System

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.6b00916
• Publication Date: 2016-09-02T08:55:19Z
• Authors: Atthasit Tawai; Chanin Panjapornpon; Peerapan Dittanet
• Keywords: 0209 industrial biotechnology; 02 engineering and technology; 7. Clean energy

A nonlinear optimization-based control system with analytical model predictive control (AMPC) structure is formulated in cascade with an off-line pseudo-steady-state calculator for an ethylene dichloride (EDC) cracking furnace process described by a coupled partial differential equation/ordinary differential equation model. The objective of the proposed control system is to control the EDC cracking rate at the desired set points by manipulating the fuel gas flow rate with constraints to avoid extensive coke formation. To handle the complex behaviors that are affected by radiating walls interacting with spatial dynamics of the reactor coil, the set point calculator is employed to provide an optimal target for the constrained optimization-based controller in calculating the control actions. Simulation results show that the proposed control system is successful to regulate the controlled output at the desired set points. Control performance tests with servo and regulatory problems demonstrate that the develo...