Abstract Model Predictive Control (MPC) is used mainly for

specific handling of constraints. This paper presents about the

design of dynamic linear controller for a binary distillation
column. The design is based on MPC, which is based on
prediction of control variable. We have used Ogunnaike and ray
33 process and Doukas and Luyben 44 for the distillation
column. We have implemented manipulated and controlled
variable for 33 process using MPC. We have also analyzed the
manipulated and controlled variables for 44 process using
MPC.
Keywords- MIMO; Distillate purity and impurity; Composition
control; Model predictive control; Constrained; Unconstrained;
Control horizon
I. INTRODUCTION
Distillation is most commonly used separation technology
in the petroleum and chemical industries for purification of
final products. It is not only use for separation but also used
for enhancing mass transfer and transferring heat energy. A
general distillation column consists of a vertical column,
where plates or trays are used to increase the component
separations. Reboiler and condenser are used as heat duties.
Condenser is used to condense distillate vapor and reboiler is
used to provide heat for the necessary vaporization from the
bottom of the column. Condensed vapor is collected in reflux
drum and require amount of it is used as a reflux. Normally
distillation control is based on constant pressure assumption.
But due to pressure fluctuation, it is difficult to maintain the
stability of system and maintain the purity. The L-V (Liquid-
Vapor) structure [1] is known as the energy balance structure
and can be considered as the standard control structure for a
dual composition control distillation.






Rakesh Kumar Mishra, Electronics and Communication Engineering Department,
National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, 769008, INDIA and phone:
9861047706 email :( rakeshbbu@gmail.com).
Sagar C. Bandpatte Chemical Engineering Department, National Institute of
Technology, Rourkela, 769008, INDIA (e-mail: sagarbandpatte@gmail.com).
Brajesh Kumar Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, National
Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, 769008, INDIA, email:
(brajesh.nitrkl@gmail.com).
Rohit Khalkho and Girish Gautam, Electronics and Communication Engineering
Department, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, INDIA (e-mail :
rohitkhalkho70@gmail.com, girish.nitrkl@gmail.com).





In this control configuration the vapor flow rate V and the
liquid flow rate L are the control inputs. The main objective is
to maintain the product concentration i.e., XB (bottom) and
XD (distillate) due to disturbance F (feed flow) and XF (feed
concentration). Fig-1 presents the distillation column [1].















Fig-1 Distillation Column
II. MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL














Fig.2: Block Diagram of MPC


Design of Model Predictive Control for MIMO
Distillation Process
Sagar C. Bandpatte, Rakesh Kumar Mishra, Brajesh Kumar, Rohit Khalkho and Girish Gautam
PREDICTION
MODEL
SET POINT
CALCULATION
CONTROL
CALCULATION
PROCESS

SET POINTS
(TARGETS)
INPUTS
PROCESS
OUTPUTS
RESIDUALS
PREDICTED
OUTPUTS
INPUTS MODEL
OUTPUTS
Reflux(liquid)
Cooling watei
Conuensei
Beat
Exchangei
Bistillate (liquid)
Boilup (vapor)
Reboilei
Beat Exchangei
Bottom (liquid)
Steam
Column
Shell
Feeu (liquid)
Liquiu flow
vapoui flow
International conference on Communication and Signal Processing, April 3-5, 2013, India
978-1-4673-4866-9/13/$31.00 2013 IEEE
111



Model predict the future output by considering the
difference between actual and predicted output and provide
the feedback signal to prediction block which is called as
residue[2]. MPC is used for generally multivariable control
problem and calculation basis is depend upon current
measurement and predicted measurement.[4] Set point is
generally called as target. In short, model predict the future
output called controlled variable(CV) by considering rate of
change in input known as manipulated input (MV) and
measured disturbance (DV). MPC has many silent features
given as model predicts static and dynamic behavior of input,
output and disturbance variable. In MPC Input and outputs
Constraints are systematically considered. Prediction of future
output provides an early warning of happening disturbance.
Fig-2 shows the block diagram of MPC [2].

A. Fundamental of MPC
















Fig. 3: Basic Concept of MPC
The manipulated input u, actual output y and predictive
output y^ are shown in fig-3. Here K denotes output at
current sampling time. [5] MPC provide M output for M
values of input {u (k+i-1), i = {1, 2, 3,.,P}}. Input set
contain mainly current value u (k) and M-1future inputs to
predict the set of output {y^(k+i), I = {1,2,,P}} so as to
reach the set point in optimum manner. The number of
prediction P and number of control moves M are referred as
prediction horizon and control horizon respectively. Receding
horizon approach is a distinguishing feature of MPC.
Although MPC find out M control moves at each sampling
time but only first move is taken into consideration. This
procedure is repeated at each sampling time. [3]
III. MPC FOR DISTILLATION COLUMN

Below table1 shows the dynamic matrix control strategy
which is helpful for tuning MPC.







Table: 1
DMC tuning strategy [5]



A. 33 Process Distillation Column



(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+ +

+ +
+
+
+ +
+
+
+
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+ +
+
+ +

+
=
(
(
(

3
2
1
6 . 2 6 . 0
44 . 3 5 . 10
12
3
2
1
6 . 2 4 . 9 2 . 9
5 . 0 3 5 . 6
5 . 3 6 . 2
3
2
1
) 1 76 . 7 (
32 . 0
) 1 01 . 7 (
61 . 11
) 1 94 . 8 )( 1 29 . 7 (
) 1 62 . 19 ( 0032 . 0
) 1 9 . 6 (
53 . 0
) 1 63 . 14 )( 1 85 . 7 (
) 1 32 . 25 ( 011 . 0
) 1 2 . 6 (
1 . 0
) 1 29 . 7 )( 1 94 . 8 (
) 1 62 . 19 ( 0032 . 0
) 1 9 . 10 (
2 . 46
) 1 15 . 3 (
68 . 34
) 1 09 . 7 (
012 . 0
) 1 6 (
8 . 2
) 1 26 . 3 (
11 . 1
) 1 06 . 9 (
0049 . 0
) 1 64 . 8 (
61 . 0
) 1 7 . 6 (
66 . 0
d
d
d
S
e
S
e
S S
e S
S
e
S S
e S
S
e
u
u
u
S S
e S
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
Y
Y
Y
S S
S S
S S
S S S
S S S
S S S






MIMO model
FOPDT model
e
k
S
rs
rs rs
s s u
s Y

+
=
1 ) (
) (
(r=1,2R;s=1,2..S)
T= )) 5 . 0 , 1 (. (
rs rs
Max Min r=1,2..R,s=1,2..S)
P=N=
) 1 5 ( + +
T T
Max
rs rs

( r=1,2..R,s=1,2..S)
M=Max
) 1 ( + +
T T
rs rs

(r=1,2..R,s=1,2..S)

( )

=
(
(

+
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
R
r
rs rs rs rs
r
M
T T
P
T T
M
R
Q
1
2
2 1 2
2
3
1 1 1 500



s=123,S
Prediction horizon,P
Past Future
Set point(target)
Control horizon,M
k-1 k k+1 k+2 k+M-1 k+P
Sampling instant
y

u
u
Past output
Predicted future
Past control action
Future control action

112



Above equation given by (Ogunnaike and ray) [8] to
separate ethanol and water, where Y
1
is overhead ethanol mole
fraction, Y
2
side stream ethanol mole fraction and Y
3
is 19 tray
temperature (
0
C) (corresponding to bottoms composition). The
inputs are u
1
reflux flow rate (m
3
/s), u
2
side stream product
flow rate (m
3
/s), u
3
reboiler stream (kPa). The disturbance is d
1

feed flow rate (m
3
/s) and d
2
feed temperature (
0
C).[4]
When used DMC tuning strategy from table 1 then M=30,
P=90, T= 0.71

Fig 4: Manipulated Variables Plot without Default

Fig 4 shows the manipulated variable response taking M
control horizon, P predictive horizon, T sample time
according to given table. We find that there is more ringing
present in controller output, that affect on output response.





Fig 5: Response of 3x3 Processes without Default

Fig 5 shows the output (controlled variable) response for
33 process. We find there is more peaks over shoot occur in
output and hence output settle at long time.
So now trying to reduce ringing with the change of
parameter to T=1.5, M=5, P=10, N=60 by default.

Fig 6: Manipulated Variables Plot with Default

Fig 7: Response of 3x3 Processes with Default
Fig 6 shows the manipulated variable response in which
ringing is removed. Fig 7 shows output response for33
processes in which no peak overshoot occurs and system is
taken less time for settle compare to above.

Disturbance Rejection For 33 Process by using default
values:



Fig 8: Disturbance Rejection Plot For 33 Process by using default values
113





Fig 8 shows the disturbance rejection by using default
values. Using default value disturbance rejection taken place
earlier in 33 process.

B Dokukas and Luyben 44 Process:

(
(
(
(
(

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+ +

+ + + + + +

+
+

+ + + +

=
(
(
(
(
(

4
3
2
1
191 . 1 48 . 0 52 . 0
42 . 0 59 . 0 68 . 0
2
72 . 8 24 . 2 71 . 0 60
33 . 27 59 . 1 75 . 7 39 . 3
4
3
2
1
54 . 15
) 1 19 . 12 (
67 . 11
) 1 90 . 6 )( 1 90 . 6 (
176 . 0
) 1 11 . 11 (
488 . 4
513 . 0
) 1 43 . 1 )( 1 43 . 1 (
38 . 2
) 1 14 . 7 )( 1 14 . 7 (
0204 . 0
) 1 38 . 2 )( 1 38 . 2 (
33 . 0
) 1 250 (
422 . 0
) 1 29 . 14 (
984 . 5
) 1 7 . 66 (
986 . 1
) 1 400 (
24 . 5
) 1 3 . 33 (
3711 . 2
) 1 36 . 11 (
811 . 9
) 1 2 . 22 )( 1 6 . 31 (
3746 . 0
) 1 74 . 21 )( 1 74 . 21 (
3 . 11
u
u
u
u
e
S
e
S S
e
S
e
e
S S
e
S S
e
S S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S
e
S S
e
S S
e
Y
Y
Y
Y
S
S S S
S
S S S
S S S S
S S S S


The above 44 process is presented by Doukas and
Luyben [9]. They studied the dynamic of a distillation column
producing a liquid side stream product. The controlled and
manipulated variables are Y
1
toluene impurity in the bottom),
Y
2
(toluene impurity in the distillate), Y
3
(benzene impurity in
the side stream), and Y
4
(xylem impurity in the side stream);
u
1
(side stream flow rat), u
2
(reflux ratio), u
3
(reboil duty), and
u
4
(side draw location).
Above process has eight FOPDTs, six SOPDTs, and two
dead times. The six SOPDT models are changed to FOPDTs
model in order to apply DMC tuning, DMC tuning find out
from table (1) is M=1087, T=0.5 and P=4370. The huge DMC
parameters are caused by the transfer function g24. MPC
controller gives an error statement using DMC tuning from
table (1).

Below MPC controller output at come at default setting
where T=0.1, M=5 P=10, N=60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
Outputs
Time
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
Manipulated Variables
Time


Y1& u1
Y2 &u2
Y3 &u3
Y4 &u4

Fig 9: Response and Manipulated variables plot with default for 44 Process.
Figure 9 shows the manipulated and control variable
response for 44 process.





IV. CONCLUSION
A model predictive control is designed and implemented
for distillation column. It is found that at certain tuning
parameter the performance of control system is better than any
classical control system. in this paper we studied Ogunnaike
and ray(33) process and Doulas and Luyben(44) process.
It is found that by using MPC a overhead ethanol mole
fraction, side stream ethanol mole fraction and 19 tray
temperature (corresponding to bottoms composition), are
easily controllable in Ogunnaike and ray (33) process
compare to conventional control. Toluene impurity in the
bottom, toluene impurity in the distillate, benzene impurity in
the side stream and xylene impurity in the side stream in the
Doukas and Luyben (44) process are also controllable by
using MPC. MPC can be implemented for multivariable
processes like crystallization process.
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nd
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2013.(reference)






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