Overview

Model Predictive Control (MPC) has been a successful technology for real-time control and optimisation in oil refining and petrochemicals since the mid-80s. The uptake of MPC in fields outside refining and petrochemicals has been slower but is increasing.

This webinar outlines the challenges in applying MPC in minerals, with a case study. The application of MPC in minerals processing faces some challenges that have slowed its acceptance. These include noisy and unreliable measurements, lack of analysers and actuator failures. The models are not as accurate, but the benefits can be very large.

This webinar is aimed at process and process control engineers interested in the application of existing techniques to new fields.   

Speaker

Dr Kevin Brooks, Director/Visiting Professor, APC Smart/University of the Witwatersrand

Kevin obtained his BSc (Chemical Engineering) in 1980 and his PhD in 1986, both from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa. He worked for Honeywell Hi-Spec Solutions in dynamic simulation and advanced process control (APC) and optimisation and served as Global APC discipline lead. Kevin then joined BluESP, Aspentech’s Southern African partner. He performed projects in ethylene, fuel gas optimisation and the control and optimisation of hydro and pyro-metallurgical processes. After a period with Hatch, he started his consultancy, APC SMART, aimed at providing services, mentoring and training in the APC field.

Kevin has been involved in the South African Council for Automation and Control (SACAC) since 2007, as was president of the body between 2013 and 2014 when SACAC hosted the International Federation of Automatic Control’s world congress in Cape Town. He is the industry vice-chair for the technical committee on MMM for the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC). Kevin has over 20 publications and was appointed Visiting Adjunct Professor at Wits in July 2019. Together with colleagues at Wits, he has formed the Data Analytics Numerics and Control Engineering (DANCE) research group, which currently has more than ten graduate students.

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Process Management and Control Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Time

10:00–11:00 GMT.

Software

The presentation will be delivered via GoToWebinar®. Check system requirements.

You are advised to join the webinar at least ten minutes before the scheduled start time, to allow for your computer to connect.

Webinar archive

This webinar is free of charge and open to all to attend, but if you wish to access the slides and a recording to replay on demand then you will need to be a member of the Process Management and Control Special Interest Group.