Differential-geometric methods for control of distillation column

Abstract

For the geometric nonlinear control approach, the controller synthesis is elaborated directly from the nonlinear dynamic state space description of the process. This work concerns the application of the main concepts and formalisms of the geometric nonlinear control theory to typical multi variable (MIMO) chemical engineering process as illustrative case studies: the continuous nonlinear control of the distillation column. The synthesis and the project issues of the nonlinear controller are focused separately. The controller project has practical importance for industrial controller applications. This work applies the metodologies to approach the following issues for the MIMO applications of the geometric nonlinear control: (a) to detune the internal nonlinear decoupling controller; (b) to define the external controllers as linear pole-placement controllers with Hurwitz coefficients; (c) to include the integral action with anti-reset windup on this external controllers and (d) to define the dynamics of the external setpoints.