Economic performance optimization by direct optimizing control applied to reactive distillation processes

In this work, the application of model-based optimizing control applied to reactive distillation processes is presented. The theory of state estimation and of optimizing control are covered and the requirements for the mathematical definition and software realization for such applications are discussed. The main part of the work is dedicated to the application of optimizing control to a complex chemical process, reactive distillation. The main case study was a two-step transesterification reaction realized in a reactive distillation column. For this process the details of the setup of the column hardware in pilot-plant scale are shown and the results of the many experiments are presented.