1st Edition

Optimal Control for Chemical Engineers

By Simant Ranjan Upreti Copyright 2013
    308 Pages 79 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    308 Pages 79 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Optimal Control for Chemical Engineers gives a detailed treatment of optimal control theory that enables readers to formulate and solve optimal control problems. With a strong emphasis on problem solving, the book provides all the necessary mathematical analyses and derivations of important results, including multiplier theorems and Pontryagin’s principle.

    The text begins by introducing various examples of optimal control, such as batch distillation and chemotherapy, and the basic concepts of optimal control, including functionals and differentials. It then analyzes the notion of optimality, describes the ubiquitous Lagrange multipliers, and presents the celebrated Pontryagin principle of optimal control. Building on this foundation, the author examines different types of optimal control problems as well as the required conditions for optimality. He also describes important numerical methods and computational algorithms for solving a wide range of optimal control problems, including periodic processes.

    Through its lucid development of optimal control theory and computational algorithms, this self-contained book shows readers how to solve a variety of optimal control problems.

    Introduction
    Definition
    Optimal Control versus Optimization
    Examples of Optimal Control Problems
    Structure of Optimal Control Problems

    Fundamental Concepts
    From Function to Functional
    Domain of a Functional
    Properties of Functionals
    Differential of a Functional
    Variation of an Integral Objective Functional
    Second Variation

    Optimality in Optimal Control Problems
    Necessary Condition for Optimality
    Application to Simplest Optimal Control Problem
    Solving an Optimal Control Problem
    Sufficient Conditions
    Piecewise Continuous Controls

    Lagrange Multipliers
    Motivation
    Role of Lagrange Multipliers
    Lagrange Multiplier Theorem
    Lagrange Multiplier and Objective Functional
    John Multiplier Theorem for Inequality Constraints

    Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle
    Application
    Problem Statement
    Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle
    Derivation of Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle

    Different Types of Optimal Control Problems
    Free Final Time
    Fixed Final Time
    Algebraic Constraints
    Integral Constraints
    Interior Point Constraints
    Discontinuous Controls
    Multiple Integral Problems

    Numerical Solution of Optimal Control Problems
    Gradient Method
    Penalty Function Method
    Shooting Newton-Raphson Method

    Optimal Periodic Control
    Optimality of Periodic Controls
    Solution Methods
    Pi Criterion
    Pi Criterion with Control Constraints

    Mathematical Review
    Limit of a Function
    Continuity of a Function
    Intervals and Neighborhoods
    Bounds
    Order of Magnitude
    Tayor Series and Remainder
    Autonomous Differential Equations
    Differential
    Derivative
    Newton-Raphson Method
    Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
    Mean Value Theorem
    Intermediate Value Theorem
    Implicit Function Theorem
    Bolzano-Weierstrass Theorem
    Weierstrass Theorem
    Linear or Vector Space
    Direction of a Vector
    Parallelogram Identity
    Triangle Inequality for Integrals
    CauchySchwarz Inequality
    Operator Inequality
    Conditional Statement
    Fundamental Matrix

    Index

    Bibliography and Exercises appear at the end of each chapter.

    Biography

    Simant Ranjan Upreti is a professor of chemical engineering at Ryerson University in Toronto. His research interests include the mathematical modeling, computer simulation, optimization, and optimal control of chemical engineering processes. Dr. Upreti has been involved in the application of optimal control to determine concentration-dependent diffusion of gases in heavy oils and polymers and to enhance the recovery of heavy oils.