Robust and optimal control approach for exothermic reactor stabilization

Abstract

In this paper, the possibility to stabilise open-loop unstable exothermic reactors with temperature measurements is studied. Moreover, the reactors are considered to be multi-input multi-output systems with parametric uncertainties. Robust static output feedback and optimal controllers are designed for stabilization of the exothermic reactors into their open-loop unstable steady states. Stabilization of reactors is simulated using designed controllers. The possibility of using both types of controllers for energy savings is studied and measured by coolant consumption. The approach is tested with a representative example. Obtained simulations results confirm that the robust static output feedback controllers outperform optimal controllers when systems with parametric uncertainties are controlled.