Interactive supervision of batch distillation with advanced control capabilities

Abstract

Industrial interest in batch distillation has increased significantly in recent years as more batch processing is being used for low-volume and high-value fine chemicals, but only a few studies of such a process has been reported in the literature concerned with advanced control. This work presents an interactive software that can be used for both simulation and control studies of a batch distillation column. The package uses a rigorous model and a suitable numerical integrator to integrate the stiff DAE system; the phase equilibria can be calculated using several thermodynamic models according to the nature of the system. Three control strategies were investigated to properly regulate the batch distillation process, namely, PID, predictive and adaptive control. Simulation results for closed loop operation are shown as well as a discussion about the recovery of more than one component in the batch column. The software shown here can be easily used to evaluate changes in all the process conditions, as well as in the controller settings, in order to minimise difficulties in the operation of such process.