Design of an Advanced Optimal Fuzzy Controller For a Binary Distillation Column

The most common control philosophy followed in the chemical process industries is the SISO system using the conventional PID controller algorithms. One drawback is relying on models for both control and design work in Chemical process industries (CPI) is that many problems are very complex and accurate models are difficult, if not impossible to obtain. To overcome these problems, it will be helpful to apply techniques that use human judgment and experience rather than precise mathematical models, which in the major cases deduced from the linearization of the system and simplification hypothesis. The fuzzy logic systems are capable of handling complex, nonlinear systems using simple solutions. However, obtaining an optimal set of fuzzy membership functions is not an easy task. In this chapter a solution based on artificial intelligence is proposed to improve the control of a binary distillation column. The solution is based on the use of the advantages of both fuzzy logic and genetic algorithms. The fuzzy logic is used as a supervisory PI controller that is a simple PI controller that generally used in controlling distillation columns with parameters deduced from the fuzzy supervisor. The membership functions shape is deduced by using research algorithms based on hierarchical genetic algorithms. The results show that the Fuzzy supervisory PI controller provide an excellent tracking toward set point change.