Optimal grade transition control for polymerization reactors

Abstract

A nonlinear control system integrating an off-line optimizer and a nonlinear MPC controller is developed to perform optimal grade transition operations at the industrial polyolefin reactors. In this, paper, the details of the optimizer are given: The sequential nonlinear programming is performed in the optimizer by employing control vector parameterization method together with sensitivity analysis. The switching times (i.e. times of chaning in the input actions) can be also optimized by new formulation and a modification in trial functions. The simulation result illustrates the capability of the control system with the proposed optimizer.