The increasingly competitive environment within which modern industry has to work means that processes have to be operated over a wider range of conditions in order to meet constantly changing performance targets. Add to this the fact that many industrial operations are nonlinear, and the need for on-line control algorithms for nonlinear processes becomes clear. Major progress has been booked in constrained model-based control and important issues of nonlinear process control have been solved. This text surveys the state-of-the-art in nonlinear model-based control technology, by writers who have actually created the scientific profile. A broad range of issues are covered in depth, from traditional nonlinear approaches to nonlinear model predictive control, from nonlinear process identification and state estimation to control-integrated design. Advances in the control of inverse response and unstable processes are presented. Comparisons with linear control are given, and case studies are used for illustration.

Nonlinear Process Control assembles the latest theoretical and practical research on design, analysis and application of nonlinear process control strategies. It presents detailed coverage of all three major elements of nonlinear process control: identification, controller design, and state estimation. Nonlinear Process Control reflects the contributions of eleven leading researchers in the field. It is an ideal textbook for graduate courses in process control, as well as a concise, up-to-date reference for control engineers.

The series Advances in Industrial Control aims to report and encourage technology transfer in control engineering. The rapid development of control technology has an impact on all areas of the control discipline. New theory, new controllers, actuators, sensors, new industrial processes, computer methods, new applications, new philosophies ... , new challenges. Much of this development work resides in industrial reports, feasibility study papers and the reports of advanced collaborative projects. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present an extended exposition of such new work in all aspects of industrial control for wider and rapid dissemination. The last decade has seen considerable interest in reviving the fortunes of non linear control. In contrast to the approaches of the 60S, 70S and 80S a very pragmatic agenda for non-linear control is being pursued using the model-based predictive control paradigm. This text by R. Ansari and M. Tade gives an excellent synthesis of this new direction. Two strengths emphasized by the text are: (i) four applications found in refinery processes are used to give the text a firm practical continuity; (ii) a non-linear model-based control architecture is used to give the method a coherent theoretical framework.

The ASI on Nonlinear Model Based Process Control (August 10-20, 1997~ Antalya - Turkey) convened as a continuation of a previous ASI which was held in August 1994 in Antalya on Methods of Model Based Process Control in a more general context. In 1994, the contributions and discussions convincingly showed that industrial process control would increasingly rely on nonlinear model based control systems. Therefore, the idea for organizing this ASI was motivated by the success of the first one, the enthusiasm expressed by the scientific community for continuing contact, and the growing incentive for on-line control algorithms for nonlinear processes. This is due to tighter constraints and constantly changing performance objectives that now force the processes to be operated over a wider range of conditions compared to the past, and the fact that many of industrial operations are nonlinear in nature. The ASI intended to review in depth and in a global way the state-of-the-art in nonlinear model based control. The list of lecturers consisted of 12 eminent scientists leading the principal developments in the area, as well as industrial specialists experienced in the application of these techniques. Selected out of a large number of applications, there was a high quality, active audience composed of 59 students from 20 countries. Including family members accompanying the participants, the group formed a large body of92 persons. Out of the 71 participants, 11 were from industry.

In recent years, Economic Model Predictive Control (EMPC) has received considerable attention of many research groups. The present tutorial survey summarizes state-of-the-art approaches in EMPC. In this context EMPC is to be understood as receding-horizon optimal control with a stage cost that does not simply penalize the distance to a desired equilibrium but encodes more sophisticated economic objectives. This survey provides a comprehensive overview of EMPC stability results: with and without terminal constraints, with and without dissipativity assumptions, with averaged constraints, formulations with multiple objectives and generalized terminal constraints as well as Lyapunov-based approaches.

This straightforward text makes the complicated but powerful methods of non-linear control accessible to process engineers. Not only does it cover the necessary mathematics, but it consistently refers to the widely-known finite-dimensional linear time-invariant continuous case as a basis for extension to the nonlinear situation.

Model based control has emerged as an important way to improve plant efficiency in the process industries, while meeting processing and operating policy constraints. The reader of Methods of Model Based Process Control will find state of the art reports on model based control technology presented by the world's leading scientists and experts from industry. All the important issues that a model based control system has to address are covered in depth, ranging from dynamic simulation and control-relevant identification to information integration. Specific emerging topics are also covered, such as robust control and nonlinear model predictive control. In addition to critical reviews of recent advances, the reader will find new ideas, industrial applications and views of future needs and challenges. Audience: A reference for graduate-level courses and a comprehensive guide for researchers and industrial control engineers in their exploration of the latest trends in the area.