Image based Modeling and Control for Batch Processes

This manuscript addresses the problem of leveraging thermal images for modeling and feedback control, specifically tailored for terminal quality control of batch processes. The primary objective, common in many batch processes, is to produce products with quality variables aligning with user specifications, available for measurement only at batch termination, precluding the direct use of classical control strategies. Furthermore, in many instances, traditional online sensors such as thermocouples may not be available, but instead spectral inputs like thermal images or acoustic data may be more readily available for feedback control. The challenge is to not only use the non-traditional sensor data for building a dynamic model but also to use that model for terminal quality control. The proposed approach involves a multi-layered modeling strategy. Initially, a dimensionality reduction technique is employed to condense the high-dimensional image into a set of representative outputs. Subsequently, subspace identification (SSID) is applied to develop a Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) State Space (SS) model between the inputs and the reduced outputs. Finally, a Partial Least Squares (PLS) model is constructed linking the terminal states of a batch (identified using SSID) with the product qualities obtained for that specific batch. This model is then incorporated into a Model Predictive Control (MPC) formulation. The effectiveness of the MPC is illustrated by showcasing its capability to generate products of high quality by deploying the MPC on a bi-axial lab-scale rotational molding setup.