Abstract

This paper tests different control strategies based on classic proportional integral derivative (PID) and advanced dynamic matrix control (DMC) algorithms for an intermittently stirred, forcefully aerated solid-state fermentation bioreactor. The study was done using a distributed parameter model to reproduce the main operating features of this type of bioreactor. There is predicted to be a remarkable improvement in the bioreactor productivity when control strategies are implemented. For this type of bioreactor, the temperature and water content of the substrate bed can be controlled by saturating the air at the air inlet but manipulating its temperature, coupled with a strategy of water replenishment when the water content of the bed falls below a threshold. Dynamic matrix control is superior to PID control; however, a specific convolution matrix for different stages of the fermentation is necessary due to the changing behavior of the system. This work shows the benefit of mathematical modeling, since the many different operating conditions investigated via simulations would not have been economically feasible to undertake experimentally with a large-scale bioreactor. The results obtained provide an excellent starting point for such large-scale experimental work. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.