Self-tuning control of a fixed-bed chemical reactor system

Abstract

This paper describes simulation of a self-tuning regulator (STR) applied to a fixed-bed chemical reactor system. The purpose is to illustrate how an STR based on least squares parameter estimation and pole-placement design behaves when applied to a realistic system. The control problem is not trivial because the reactor has non-minimum phase characteristics. It is shown that the reactor can be controlled well even if the model used in the STR is much simpler than the controlled process. The results of the simulations are supported by analysis.