Bioprocess Intensification of a Continuous-Flow Enzymatic Bioreactor via Productivity Dynamic Optimization under Modeling Uncertainty

Abstract

In this contribution, a class of observer-based optimal feedback control is designed. The proposed feedback control is based on the Euler–Lagrange theoretical framework, and it is motivated by the productivity intensification from the chemical reactors, which is optimally increased. A Lagrangian is computed by employing the corresponding mass balance equation of a specifically selected biochemical compound. The resulting optimal controller is coupled with a novel uncertainty estimator with bounded feedback to derive an accurate estimation of the unknown terms and functions, mostly related to the reaction rate. Via Lyapunov analysis, it was shown that the proposed observer is asymptotically stable. The estimation of the unknown terms and functions is used by the proposed controller. The proposed methodology is applied to a generic model of an enzymatic biochemical continuous reactor with complex oscillatory dynamic behavior described by mass balance equations, so, in general, the proposed controller may be applied to any continuous stirred tank bioreactor; that is, the controller is independent of the specific kinetic functions. Numerical simulations show a satisfactory performance of the proposed control strategy.

Keywords

• optimal feedback control
• productivity intensification
• enzymatic biochemical bioreactor
• continuous stirred tank reactor