This chapter proposes three closed-loop control topologies based on model predictive control (MPC) for a small-scale pasteurization plant. The topologies are designed taking into account the role of the predictive controller within the loop: (i) as supervisor control for the computation of the references for regulatory controllers, (ii) as unique controller within the closed loop, and (iii) acting simultaneously as supervisor and regulatory controllers together with other regulatory controllers. All control designs have been applied in real time to a test bench station then experimental results are both presented and discussed. The main advantages and drawbacks for each topology are presented for the regulation of the temperature of the output product while the energy consumption of the overall system is minimised.

This work has been partially supported by the projects ECOCIS (Ref. DPI2013-48243-C2-1-R) and EFFINET (Ref. FP7-ICT-2011-8-31855).

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