Gerardo Chávez-Campos

By Adriana del Carmen Téllez-Anguiano, Mario Heras-Cervantes, Juan Anzurez-Marín, Gerardo Marx Chávez-Campos and José Antonio Gutiérrez Gnecchi

Distillation is the process most commonly used in industry to separate chemical mixtures; its applications range from cosmetic and pharmaceutical to petrochemical industries. The equipment required to perform the distillation process is known as distillation column. Since initial investment and maintenance costs for distillation columns are very high it is necessary to have an appropriate mathematical model that allows improving the comprehension of the column dynamics, especially its thermal behaviour, in order to enhance the control and safety of the process. This chapter presents a general panorama of the mathematical modelling of distillation columns, having as a specific case of study the comparison of a space-state non-linear model and a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model for a batch distillation column using a binary mixture (Ethanol-Water).

Part of the book: Distillation

By Mario Heras-Cervantes, Gerardo Marx Chávez-Campos, Héctor Javier Vergara Hernández, Adriana del Carmen Téllez-Anguiano, Juan Anzurez-Marin and Elisa Espinosa-Juárez

In this chapter, the analysis and design of a fuzzy observer based on a Takagi-Sugeno model of a batch distillation column are presented. The observer estimates the molar compositions and temperatures of the light component in the distillation column considering a binary mixture. This estimation aims to allow monitoring the physical variables in the process to improve the quality of the distillated product as well as to detect failures that could affect the system performance. The Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model is based on eight linear subsystems determined by three premise variables: the opening percentage of the reflux valve and the liquid molar composition of the light element of the binary mixture in the boiler and in the condenser. The stability analysis and the observer gains are obtained by linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The observer is validated by MATLAB® simulations using real data obtained from a distillation column to verify the observer’s convergence and analyze its response under system disturbances.

Part of the book: Distillation