Control of the Malt Mashing and Boiling Process in Craft Beer Production: Hardware-in-The-Loop-Technique

Abstract

This work presents the design of control algorithms based on mathematical models algebra and PID, for the level and temperature control of a craft beer mashing and brewing plant, which will be designed in an immersive and interactive industrial virtual environment in the Unity 3D graphic engine. The controllers are implemented through the Hardware-in-the-Loop technique in order to allow the implementation of advanced control algorithms in an efficient and safe way. The virtual environment considers 3D models that provide a high level of realism to the process and the possibility of interaction with the user, also avoids the risk of damage to the system or loss of real control elements. For the virtualization of the industrial process, the mathematical model of the plant is considered and finally, the experimental results obtained in the implementation of the controllers through the Hardware-in-the-Loop technique are presented by means of a performance analysis of the same within the industrial process.