An Experimental Application of Time Delay Compensation Techniques to Distillation Column Control

Abstract

Two time delay compensation techniques, the Smith predictor and the “analytical predictor”, are used to control top composition of a pilot scale distillation column. In each control scheme the predictive model consists of a first order plus time delay transfer function developed empirically from open-loop data. Experimental and simulation studies are used to evaluate the predictive control schemes and to compare their performance with conventional PI control.