A TEST-BASED METHODOLOGY FOR PARAMETER ESTIMATION FOR A PILOT PLANT DISTILLATION COLUMN

A methodology for parameter estimation of unmeasurable parameters in a distillation process is presented. In this process the basic mass and energy balances are known, thus most of the unknowns are related to hydrodynamic equations, and with heat transfer parameters (condenser heat transfer coefficient, Weir coefficient, vapor pressure drop coefficient, Murphree efficiency, ratio of liquid-vapor in plate). As a result, instead of a black-box or a white-box, the model can be perceived as a spotted-box. This methodology consist of selective tests which are devised to isolate the effect of the unknown parameters. This is exemplified in a pilot distillation column of a two-input, two-output implementation for model predictive control.