Optimal operational control for complex industrial processes

Process control should aim at not only ensuring that controlled variables to best follow their set points, but also requiring the optimal control for the operation of the whole plant to make the operational indices (e.g. quality, efficiency and consumptions during the production phase) into their targeted ranges. It also requires that operational indices for quality and efficiency should be enhanced as high as possible, whilst the indices related to consumptions are kept at their lowest possible level. Based upon a survey on the existing operational optimization and control methodologies, this paper presents a data-driven hybrid intelligent optimal operational control for complex industrial processes and a hybrid simulation system. Simulations and industrial applications to a roasting process for the hematite ore mineral processing industry are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Issues for future research on the optimal operational control for complex industrial processes are outlined in the final section.