Application of a Bilinear Long-Range Predictive Control Method in a Distillation Process

Abstract Long-range predictive controllers for discrete-time MIMO bilinear processes are derived based on a new bilinear model with integral action. Using this model a multi-step-ahead optimal predictor is derived. Two alternative solution methods - rigorous and shortcut - of the minimization problem of a long-range objective function are established and used to calculate control inputs. Several simulation results show that the proposed control methods have robustness to the limited a priori knowledge of the process. Dynamic simulation on dual composition control of a binary distillation process showed satisfactory servo and regulatory performances of the proposed algorithms.