Model predictive control of fermentation in biofuel production

Abstract

System and method for managing batch fermentation in biofuel production. An optimizer executes a nonlinear multivariate predictive model of a batch fermentation process in accordance with an end of batch objective specifying a target end of batch biofuel concentration to determine an optimal batch trajectory over a temporal control horizon specifying a biofuel and/or sugar concentration trajectory over the batch fermentation process. A nonlinear control model for the batch fermentation process that includes the temporal control horizon driven by biofuel concentration during the batch fermentation process is executed per the determined optimal batch trajectory using received process information as input, thereby generating model output including target values for manipulated variables for the batch fermentation process, including batch fermentation temperature. The batch fermentation process is controlled per the target values to produce biofuel in accordance with the determined optimal batch trajectory, to substantially optimize the end of batch biofuel yield.