Real-Time Fuzzy Predictive Control of a Column Flotation Process

The process under study has four manipulating variables: feed flow rate, washing water, air and rejected flow rates. Column flotation process is an example of a complex, nonlinear and multivariable system. Fuzzy modeling is a well-known modeling technique, which has been applied to complex and nonlinear processes. Fuzzy multivariable modeling with fuzzy model predictive control is used in this paper to control a laboratory setup of a flotation column. Moreover, the control strategy is tested in real-time. Results show that the applied methods led to a good control performance of all the controlled variables.