Control of a hydrolyzer in an oleochemical plant using neural network based controllers

Oleochemicals refer to chemicals from natural oils and fats of both plant and animal origins. However, they also include those derivatives derived from the subsequent modification of carboxylic acid group of fatty acids by chemical or biological means, and other compounds obtained from further reactions of these derivatives. Prior to 1980, about 90% of the raw materials for oleochemical industry were tallow and coconut oil. However, since 1980, palm and palm kernel oils have become important raw materials complementing tallow and coconut oils due to the fact that fatty acids composition of palm and palm kernel oil are closely similar to tallow and coconut oil, respectively [1] and has found numerous applications in various food and non-food based areas in the world [2]. In fact production of palm oil and palm kenel oil has increased by about 300% in the last 15 years and Malaysia is at the moment the world’s biggest producer of them.