Non-Linear Control of a Neutralisation Process

Abstract

The paper describes a digital simulation study of the application of a non-linear controller to the regulation of a single stage neutralisation process. In the controller, the proportional gain increases with amplitude of controller error signal. The performance of the non-linear controller is compared with that of a conventional linear controller and with the performance obtained by employing a linear controller with a linearisation network designed to compensate for the non-linear characteristic of the neutralisation curve. Although the performance of the non-linear controller is inferior to that obtained by employing a perfect linearisation network, its performance is still considerably superior to that obtained by using a conventional linear controller when operating at a symmetrical point on the neutralisation curve. In contrast to the linearisation network technique, the non-linear controller contains only one extra parameter and can be readily tuned on-line without prior knowledge of the neutralisation curve. Hence, it can be considered as an attractive alternative for the control of neutralisation processes.