Feedback Temperature Controller Design to a Semi-batch Hydrogenation Industrial Reactor - Part A: Modeling, Experimental Validation and Current Control System Evaluation

Abstract

Hydrogenation reaction normally is carried out in reactors that operate in batch or semi-batch, offering a high challenge for the implementation of efficient control systems for these processes. Therefore, the main aim of this paper was to model, simulate, validate and evaluate a real PI feedback controller applied to the control of temperature of a semi-batch industrial hydrogenation reactor. The mathematical model was considered very satisfactory since the average deviation between simulated reactor temperature and pressure and its real values were very low (0.173% and 3.74% for reactor temperature and pressure, respectively). The inlet pressures of the refrigerant and hydrogen were the main disturbs that affected the process, and the current PI controller was not able to control all the disturbances that occurred in these variables. Therefore, the development of a new control system is necessary, and will be modeled, simulated and discussed in part B of this paper.