A Flatness-Based Trajectory Tracking Control for Chemical Reactor

This article utilizes the flatness property of the nonlinear model of the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) to design a Flatness-Based Trajectory-Tracking Control (FBTTC). Focusing on the Single input single output (SISO) case, first principles of mass and temperature balance of the reactor are used in the modeling and control design. The flatness-spaces modeling task is carried out assuming two cases of selected flat outputs along with a finite number of their time derivative. The reactor temperature and the concentration are selected as flat output in each case separately. For trajectory tracking control problem, both differential flatness-based control and Feedback Linearization-Based Control (FBLBC) are derived and simulated, enabling a comparison between the two methods. The chosen approach emphasizes the simplicity and high accuracy of control design using flatness property for the examined nonlinear system.