Optimal process control using neural networks

Infinite time optimal controllers have been designed for a dispersion type tubular reactor model by using the framework of adaptive critic optimal control design. For the reactor control problem, which is governed by two coupled nonlinear partial differential equations, an optimal controller synthesis is presented through two sets of neural networks. One set of neural networks captures the relationship between the states and the control, whereas the other set of networks captures the relationship between the states and the costates. This innovative approach embeds the solutions to the optimal control problem for a large number of initial conditions in the domain of interest. Although the main aim of this paper is to solve a process control problem, the methodology presented here can be viewed as a practical computational tool for many problems associated with nonlinear distributed parameter systems. Numerical results demonstrate the viability of the proposed method.