Constrained model predictive control implementation in an industrial drying process

In this paper a dynamic model of a drying process, specifically established for model predictive control (MPC) strategy, is derived. An MPC controller is implemented at the real plant and the performance of classical PID feedback control and MPC is compared. This paper especially addresses the following issues: 1. Modelling of a continuous convective through-air-drying process for viscose staple fibres with nonlinear drying kinetics. Stationary and dynamical validation of the model in different operating points are shown. 2. MPC strategies with constraints in both manipulated and controlled variables are applied. Utilising the linearised model classical approaches of MPC in state space formulation are tested in simulation. 3. Results from the implementation at the real drying process are shown. The control algorithm includes constraints and successfully compensates a measurable disturbance with dead time.