Integrated quality and tracking control of a batch PMMA reactor using a QBMPC technique

QBMPC is a recently developed technique for combined quality and tracking c ontrol of batch processes where prediction-based real-time control and batc h-wise integral control are conducted simultaneously. The most important ad vantage of QBMPC is that both quality and tracking variables converge to th e optima dictated by the objective function despite model uncertainty and r un-wise repeating disturbances. In this paper, with the purpose to enhance the quality control aspect, the QBMPC algorithm has been newly formulated b ased on a time-varying state space model. The new algorithm has been applie d to a batch reactor model for methylmethacrylate (MMA) polymerization wher e the weight-average molecular weight and polydispersity index of the end p roduct, and monomer conversion are considered important quality variables t o control. Key steps for the controller design are described and the result ing control performance is demonstrated. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.