Enthalpy Predictive Functional Control of a pasteurisation plant based on a Plate heat Exchanger

Model Predictive Control (MPC) has been proven its efficiency in several industrial fields for over three decades. In this paper Predictive Functional Control (PFC) in its first order as well as its higher order forms, is applied to control the pasteurisation temperature in a Plate heat Exchanger. The originality of the paper lies in the investigation of three control approaches using several manipulated variables (temperature and flow, as well as a combination of both) tested in the presence of input disturbances and setpoint changes. All three approaches are embedded into a PFC control strategy. The paper describes the broad lines of first principles modelling of the pasteurisation plant sections used, as well as the full derivation of the analytical, higher and first order, PFC control laws, the adequacy of a given control law over another as well as a comprehensive set of simulation results.