Soft computing techniques for distillation column composition control

Abstract

Distillation columns are important unit operations in chemical process plants. Though many works has been done in this field, but this paper compares some of the artificial intelligence controllers with the conventional controllers which are used to control the composition parameter in the column. The conventional controllers used are PID and PI controllers and the soft computing techniques used are fuzzy logic controllers and neuro-fuzzy controllers. The results obtained by the soft computing techniques are finally compared as to show which controller is best. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.