Simulation and optimal control of the Williams-Otto process using Pyomo

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how Pyomo can be used for dynamic simulation and optimization of the Williams-Otto process, including waste minimization, yield maximization, and setpoint tracking.

Contribution

It showcases the application of Pyomo for simulating and solving dynamic process control problems using collocation and IPOPT, with practical examples.

Findings

Pyomo effectively simulates Williams-Otto dynamics using collocation.

Optimization approaches improve waste and yield outcomes.

Comparison of feedback and open-loop control methods.

Abstract

We illustrate the advantages the high-level open-source software package Pyomo has in rapidly setting up and solving dynamic simulation and optimization problems. In order to do so, we use the example of the Williams-Otto process. We show how to simulate the process dynamics using the collocation method and the IPOPT solver provided by Pyomo. We also discuss waste minimization and yield maximization as two examplary process optimization problems. And finally, we present and compare two approaches to setpoint tracking: one based on proportional-integral feedback control and one based on optimal open-loop control.