Simultaneous BOP selection and controller design for the FCC process

The objective of Backed-off Operating Point (BOP) selection is to determine controller target setpoints that are close to the Optimal Steady-State Operating Point (OSSOP), while being a sufficient distance from constraints, to accommodate the impact of disturbances on plant dynamics. In this work we use the Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process to compare two BOP selection methods recently presented in the literature. The general conclusion is that the simultaneous BOP selection and controller design approach reduced profit loss (from the OSSOP) by over 30% compared to a fixed controller strategy.