pH value is a challenging quantity to measure, model and control. In fact, pH value is a mere one-dimensional projection of a multi-dimensional quantity called chemical state and measuring, modelling and controlling the chemical state is much more challenging.
This thesis contributes to all aspects of pH processes. A new method for measuring the pH value under difficult conditions (pressure and flow variations in thick pulp) is presented. Classical physico-chemical modelling of chemical systems is extended with a concept of population principle which is a new formulation of the "reaction invariant - reaction variant" structure. Self-organising fuzzy controller (SOC) is modified to suit pH-processes better (high frequency noise and oscillations are damped more efficiently).
All the methods described above were tested with practical applications that include a pilot neutralisation process, an industrial ammonia scrubber and a paper machine wet end. The new methods showed such a significant improvement that they were installed permanently on the industrial applications.reviewe
