Application of an Adaptive Linearizing Inferential Controller to a PHB Process

ABSTRACT

Experimental results of the control of the ammonia concentration during the growth phase of a PHB producing process in a fedbatch reactor are presented. The control design is based on the mass balance dynamical equations and does not require any knowledge of the process kinetics. It results in an adaptive linearizing controller where the specific growth rate is estimated on-line. Moreover the value of the controlled variable, the ammonia concentration is given by a software sensor via an asymptotic observer based on the on-line measurement of the optical density.