A Model Predictive Control strategy for the control of SMB plants based on the wave theory

In this work a new approach to the control of a simulated moving bed (SMB) plant is presented. The approach is based on the combination of Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) and the wave theory. The latter will provide the theoretical framework in which the control law will be designed while NMPC will be employed for determining the appropriate parameters of the controller. On the other hand, SMB plants are distributed parameter systems (DPS) with nonlinearity arising from the expression of the adsorption isotherms. Classical numerical methods (finite differences, finite elements, ...) for the solution of DPS are computationally too demanding for NMPC purposes. In this paper reduced order models derived using the proper orthogonal decomposition technique will be employed to overcome such limitation.