Temperature-temperature cascade control of binary batch distillation columns

In this paper it is addressed the joint operation and control design for binary batch distillation columns, based on temperature measurements. The combination of nonlinear constructive control theory with passivation and observability notions and existing batch distillation concepts yields: (a) a simple methodology for temperature sensor locations, (b) the on-line generation of temperature policies that ensure constant distillate purity, and (c) a temperature-to-temperature cascade tracking controller to force the prescribed constant distillate product purity policy. The methodology is tested with representative binary systems.