Multivariable Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for a Petroleum Refinery

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed procedure to develop a mathematical modelling and simulation of a distillation column for a real feedstock from a condensate processing plant as an initial step of a project feasibility study. The mathematical model of overall dynamics is established on the dynamic continuity equations of the mass and the energy for each unit operation where the mass and the energy can accumulate. The paper provides a case study tutorial for a typical petroleum refinery engineering design. The dynamic analysis and controller for the distillation systems are extremely complicated due to their nonlinearity and multivariable. A nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) computational scheme for with soften constraints is developed to verify the applicable ability of a direct NMPC controller for a distillation column dealing with the disturbance and the model-plant mismatch as the influence of the plant feed disturbances.