Control of unconventional processes

New modelling and control problems have arisen as chemical engineering has broadened its scope into areas such as materials processing and biotechnology. In addition, a move towards flexible manufacturing of specialty chemicals has generated more interest in batch operations, which is the normal manufacturing scheme in the new technology arenas. Advances in modelling, control and measurement techniques will be required to reach high levels of manufacturing productivity. This paper reviews some of the challenges faced in control of unconventional or nontraditional chemical processes. A number of vignettes exemplifying these challenges are presented in the areas of batch chemical processing, materials processing and microelectronics manufacturing.