Patent ID: 11896931
Assignee: THE AUTOMATION PARTNERSHIP (CAMBRIDGE) LIMITED
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 11:
12. A control method for automated controlling of a crossflow filtration system via a computerized control system comprising a computer-readable storage media having a plurality of control modes stored thereon, a measurement value processing unit comprising an interface for communication with a plurality of sensors of the crossflow filtration system, and a control unit configured for communication with one or more actuators of the crossflow filtration system and including an overpressure prevention unit, the control method comprising:
receiving, at the measurement value processing unit, a plurality of sensor signals from the plurality of sensors of the crossflow filtration system;
determining a plurality of process parameters defining an operation state of the crossflow filtration system based on the plurality of sensor signals;
determining, based on data indicative of a selected control mode of the plurality of control modes, a subset of the plurality of process parameters as a set of control parameters;
determining for each control parameter in the set of control parameters a corresponding set value;
determining, for each control parameter in the set of control parameters, a control deviation of the control parameter from the corresponding set value;
controlling, via the control unit, actuation of at least one of the one or more actuators of the crossflow filtration system to change the operation state of the crossflow filtration system such as to reduce the determined control deviation;
receiving, at the measurement value processing unit, at least one pressure signal indicating a pressure in a fluid stream of the crossflow filtration system, the at least one pressure signal comprising one or more of a feed pressure signal, a retentate pressure signal, or a permeate pressure signal;
determining at least one overpressure prevention condition from the at least one received pressure signal, the at least one overpressure prevention condition being determined from at least one of the feed pressure signal or a pressure difference between the permeate pressure signal and the retentate pressure signal;
determining a local maxima based at least on the at least one overpressure prevention condition;
determining a primary control parameter, the primary control parameter comprising one or more of the feed pressure signal, a pressure difference between the feed pressure signal and the retentate pressure signal, or a transmembrane pressure of the crossflow filtration system;
determining at least one secondary control parameter, the at least one secondary control parameter comprising the determined local maxima;
determining a primary set value and at least one secondary set value for the primary control parameter and the at least one secondary control parameter, respectively;
determining a primary control deviation of the primary control parameter from the primary set value;
determining a primary feed pump actuating value for controlling for a feed pump actuator to change operation of a feed pump of the crossflow filtration system such as to reduce the determined primary control deviation;
determining at least one secondary control deviation of the at least one secondary control parameter from the at least one secondary set value;
determining at least one secondary feed pump actuating value for controlling the feed pump actuator to change the operation of the feed pump of the crossflow filtration system such as to reduce the determined at least one secondary control deviation;
selecting, via the overpressure prevention unit, one of the primary feed pump actuating value or the at least one secondary feed pump actuating value that corresponds to a lower feed flow rate relative to the other of the primary feed pump actuating value or the at least one secondary feed pump actuating value; and
controlling the feed pump actuator based at least on the selected one of the primary feed pump actuating value or the at least one secondary feed pump actuating value corresponding to the lower feed flow rate.