Adaptive sliding mode control of petrochemical flare combustion process based on radial basis function network

Abstract

Steam-assisted combustion elevated flares are currently the most widely used type of petrochemical flares. Due to the complex and variable composition of the waste gas they handle, the combustion environment is severely affected by meteorological conditions. Key process parameters such as intake composition, flow rate, and real-time data of post-combustion residues are difficult to measure or exhibit lag in data availability. As a result, the control methods for these flares are limited, leading to poor control effectiveness. To address this issue, this paper proposes an adaptive sliding mode control method based on the radial basis function (RBF) network. Firstly, the operational characteristics of the petrochemical flare combustion process are analyzed, and a control model for the combustion process is established based on carbon dioxide detection. Secondly, an RBF neural network-based unknown function approximator is designed to identify the nonlinear part of the actual operating system. Finally, by combining the control model of the petrochemical flare combustion and designing the RBF sliding mode controller with its adaptive control law, fast and stable control of the flare combustion state is achieved. Simulation results demonstrate that the designed control strategy can achieve tracking control of the petrochemical flare combustion state, and the adaptive law also accomplishes system identification.