Experimental Modeling and Identification of Chemical Reactors Based on Radiotracer Technology

Abstract

Derivation of mathematical model of industrial processes is complicated especially for nonlinear systems. The mathematical description is too important for building simulation model of the systems especially when the application of control strategies is needed. In this paper, the modeling of dynamic system is identified using practical measurements based on radiotracer technology are carried out. Thus, The Flow Rig System (FRS) is used for laboratory work and the clinker-grinding mill in cement process for practical work. The experiment setup consists of FRS with two tanks of 1-meter cube for each. A 99Tc radiotracer with activity 1 mCi is injected at the inlet of the FRS. For practical measurements 30 mCi of Au-198 in liquid form has been injected into the inlet of the mill reactor of cement process. The scintillation detectors and data acquisition systems are used to measure and record the radiotracer signals for both experimental and practical work. The measured signals at the outlets is the residence time distribution (RTD) for the FRS and mill. An algorithm for modeling and identification for the laboratory data is proposed. This algorithm is applied and verified using the data that obtained from practical work of cement process. The simulation of the identified models that obtained from experimental and real practical work indicates that the proposed models are fitted with the measured data. Moreover, the identified models reflect the mathematical description for the industrial process and the control methodology can applied easily. The results also indicate that radiotracer technology can be applied for the description and modeling of widespread of industrial systems.

Keywords: Radiotracer technology, nuclear radiation measurement, application Process modelling and identification, Chemical reactors, Cement industry