MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL FOR PRODUCTION OF ULTRA-LOW SULFUR DIESEL IN A HYDROTREATING PROCESS

ABSTRACT There is a continual desire around the world to reduce the sulphur content of diesel fuel to ultra-low levels (below 10 ppm) due to environmental concerns and the intention of improving air quality and lowering harmful exhaust emissions of diesel engines. In this work, a hydrodesulfurization unit fed with multiple diesel streams was addressed using a phenomenological mathematical model aiming to produce Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD). A three-phase model of a trickle-bed reactor was considered. A model-based predictive control strategy (MPC) was implemented with the objective of contr...