INTELLIGENT PROCESS-CONTROL WITH SUPERVISORY KNOWLEDGE-BASED SYSTEMS

The integration of a supervisory knowledge-based system (KBS) with a multivariable control system is examined to provide robust multivariable control of a chemical reaction process. The supervisory KBS is capable of monitoring the process to detect system faults as well as assessing control system performance. If a control system performance deficiency is detected, the KBS formulates and implements the necessary corrective controller tuning. This adaptive capability reduces the conservatism of the robust control system. The underlying mechanisms are discussed and the re-tuning ability of the KBS is illustrated by using rigorous simulations of a chemical reaction processEndnote format citatio

A MODEL OBJECT BASED SUPERVISORY EXPERT SYSTEM FOR FAULT TOLERANT CHEMICAL REACTOR CONTROL

An expert system for real-time control of chemical processes provides an environment for coordination of process fault diagnosis, assessment of process behavior, automated controller retuning and/or reconfiguration and consequently enables fault-tolerant process control. A supervisory expert system with object-based knowledge representation and heuristic (shallow) and model-based (deep) knowledge is presented. The expert system resides on a PC/386 and communicates with the control system developed in the form of control blocks residing on a PC/286. The prototype of the expert system is developed for retuning model-based controllers to improve the behavior of a packed-bed tubular CO oxidation reactor under autothermal operation. MOBECS is a supervisory expert system designed to tailor the process control system for a tubular autothermal reactor in response to process or control system faults, and changes in the process behavior. Specific functions include process fault diagnosis, control system performance monitoring and trouble-shooting, controller tuning and control system restructuring. As this work progresses, we will also address the problems of sensor placement, state estimation and process identification. Because of the high degree of coupling and interaction between process and control system entities, objects are the best knowledge representation for a process control expert system. The class—object structures of MOBECS is divided into three orthogonal trees representing the process and control system hierarchies and the topology of the system. Using this structure, knowledge is divided into general knowledge applicable to any process or control system and knowledge that is domain specific. The general knowledge is stored in the class structures and, together with generalized rules, forms a knowledge base kernel. This permits rapid prototyping of other applications of MOBECS. Properties are defined as high as possible in the class tree structure and inherited downwards. Knowledge specific to the process is stored in the objects at the leaves of the trees. Rules form the reasoning portion of the knowledge base and contain the causal relationships, meta-knowledge and performance monitoring functions. Rules that perform general monitoring and troubleshooting are applied at the class level through pattern matching. Rule sets are linked through context relationships to identify indirect relationships to the inference engine. These relationships are used with the process topology tree to reduce the search space when a fault is detected. The process monitoring and instability detection rules have been tested by simulating the inputs to the expert system. At the present time, experimental validation of the MOBECS prototype is being undertaken. Once the MOBECS prototype has been fully tested, the knowledge base will be extended to incorporate more complex fault diagnosis, state estimation, sensor placement and controller restructuring.Endnote format citatio

In vitro screening of Amazonian plants for hemolytic activity and inhibition of platelet aggregation in human blood Testes in vitro de plantas Amazônicas para atividade hemolítica e inibição da agregação plaquetária em sangue humano

In the present study, different aerial parts from twelve Amazonian plant species found in the National Institute for Amazon Research's (INPA's) Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve (in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) were collected. Separate portions of dried, ground plant materials were extracted with water (by infusion), methanol and chloroform (by continuous liquid-solid extraction) and solvents were removed first by rotary evaporation, and finally by freeze-drying which yielded a total of seventy-one freeze-dried extracts for evaluation. These extracts were evaluated initially at concentrations of 500 and 100 µg/mL for in vitro hemolytic activity and in vitro inhibition of platelet aggregation in human blood, respectively. Sixteen extracts (23 % of all extracts tested, 42 % of all plant species), representing the following plants: Chaunochiton kappleri (Olacaceae), Diclinanona calycina (Annonaceae), Paypayrola grandiflora (Violaceae), Pleurisanthes parviflora (Icacinaceae), Sarcaulus brasiliensis (Sapotaceae), exhibited significant inhibitory activity towards human platelet aggregation. A group of extracts with antiplatelet aggregation activity having no in vitro hemolytic activity has therefore been identified. Three extracts (4 %), all derived from Elaeoluma nuda (Sapotaceae), exhibited hemolytic activity. None of the plant species in this study has known use in traditional medicine. So, these data serve as a baseline or minimum of antiplatelet and hemolytic activities (and potential usefulness) of non-medicinal plants from the Amazon forest. Finally, in general, these are the first data on hemolytic and inhibitory activity on platelet aggregation for the genera which these plant species represent.<br>No presente estudo, partes aéreas obtidas de doze (12) espécies vegetais da Amazônia encontradas na Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke (localizada na cidade de Manaus, Estado do Amazonas, Brasil) do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia foram coletadas, secadas e moídas. Porções dos materiais vegetais em pó foram extraídas com água (por infusão), metanol e clorofórmio (por extração líquido-sólido contínua) e os solventes foram removidos por evaporação rotatória e finalmente liofilização, forneceram um total de setenta e one (71) extratos liofilizados. Esses extratos foram avaliados inicialmente para atividade hemolítica in vitro e atividade inibitória da agregação plaquetária em sangue humano in vitro em concentrações de 500 e 100 µg/mL, respectivamente. Dezesseis (16) extratos (23 % dos extratos testados, 42 % das espécies vegetais) representando as seguintes plantas, apresentaram inibição significativa frente a agregação de plaquetas humanas in vitro: Chaunochiton kappleri (Olacaceae), Diclinanona calycina (Annonaceae), Paypayrola grandiflora (Violaceae), Pleurisanthes parviflora (Icacinaceae), Sarcaulus brasiliensis (Sapotaceae). Como principal resultado, um grupo de extratos apresentando atividade inibitória da agregação plaquetária e em que não há atividade hemolítica in vitro foi identificado. Três (3) extratos (4 % do total de extratos testados), todos obtidos a partir de Elaeoluma nuda (Sapotaceae), apresentaram atividade hemolítica. Nenhuma das espécies vegetais nesse estudo tem uso medicinal conhecido. Assim, esses dados servem de linha base ou mínimas das atividades antiplaquetária e hemolítica (e utilidade potencial) de plantas da floresta Amazônica. Finalmente, em geral, esses dados são os primeiros disponíveis sobre ação hemolítica e inibição da agregação plaquetária dos gêneros representados por essas espécies de plantas