A nonlinear exponential observer for a batch distillation

In this contribution, a state observer, namely nonlinear exponential observer (NEO) is proposed for a batch distillation process. This estimation scheme mainly computes the imprecisely known parameter (augmented state) based on the available measurement. For the representative distillation unit, the state predictor is formulated on the basis of only a component material balance equation around the condenser-reflux drum system. It clearly indicates the existence of a process/model mismatch and the effect of this discrepancy is efficiently taken care of by the corrector part of the NEO estimator. Several simulation experiments have been executed to show the observer error convergence ability. The less computational requirements and simple design make the closed-loop observer attractive for online use.