Fractional order model reference boiler control for a isotope separation column

The use of fractional operators in automatic control theory is in fact an old concept but also represents a new research field due to the development of effective computational tools. Adaptive controllers and fractional order controllers have been introduced in to order improve the performances and the robustness of the control system. In this study the model reference adaptive control is extended by introducing a fractional order adaptive control law for the boiler supply electrical power of a 13C cryogenic isotope separation column. Numerical simulations are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed fractional adaptive scheme.