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Time Optimal Control of a Binary Distillation Column
Author(s) -
Luus Rein
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
developments in chemical engineering and mineral processing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1932-2143
pISSN - 0969-1855
DOI - 10.1002/apj.5500100103
Subject(s) - optimal control , bang–bang control , column (typography) , fractionating column , binary number , control (management) , dynamic programming , control theory (sociology) , distillation , computer science , batch distillation , mathematical optimization , mathematics , chemistry , fractional distillation , chromatography , artificial intelligence , arithmetic , telecommunications , frame (networking)
Abstract Time optimal control problems involving high dimensional systems are generally very difficult to solve. Instead of using suboptimal control based on reduced system, iterative dynamic programming is used directly to establish the time optimal control policy of a binary distillation column described by 11 ordinary differential equations. The resulting optimal control policy that is bang‐bang in nature was obtained very rapidly. The minimum time of 2236 seconds obtained here is substantially better than 4120 seconds obtained by a suboptimal control policy. Simulations show that the procedure may be used for on‐line optimal control of the distillation column, since the optimal control policy can be established very fast on a personal computer.