Plant wide optimization and integrated process plants are goals that industry is planning to implement in the near future. Optimal process operation, which can decrease costs and increase yields, is potentially attainable with current computer technology. In this project the PI plans to study on-line optimization and control strategies for complex or integrated process units using dynamic process models. The use of dynamic process models ensures the utilization of current transient measurements as well as an optimum path to the steady state optimum through the feasible region. The final product will be techniques to accommodate medium term disturbances that affect the process and the derivation of the necessary changes to the set points to keep the unit or plant at optimum performance. The specific approach to be used is to decompose the problem into two phases: an identification phase (reconciliation of the process model with all available process measurements of the recent past) and an optimization phase (using the updated model to calculate the trajectory of manipulated inputs which will maximize the objective function).
