A method and device for regulating a process within a system, in particular a combustion process in a power station

A method for controlling a process in a system, particularly a combustion process in a power plant, a waste incineration plant or a cement plant, the process to be controlled comprising pre-processing of a raw material, processing the pre-processed raw material and acquisition of the result of the processing of the pre-processed raw material, the method comprising the following steps:

• capturing input variables of the pre-processing of raw material over a first predetermined period;
• capturing output variables of the pre-processing of raw material 4 over a second predetermined period, which correspond to the input variables of the processing of the pre-processed raw material;
• and
• capturing output variables of the processing of the pre-processed raw material 6 over a third predetermined period, which correspond to the result of the processing of the pre-processed raw material, wherein the process in the system is controlled by:
• adapting the pre-processing of the raw material by means of carrying out actuating actions regarding the pre-processing of the raw material;
• and/or
• by adapting the processing of the pre-processed raw material by carrying out actuating actions regarding the processing of the pre-processed raw material, wherein the method further comprises the following steps:
• creating a first process model, which describes the effects of adapting the pre-processing of raw material on the output variables of the processing of the pre-processed raw material;
• creating a second process model, which describes the effects of adapting the processing of the pre-processed raw material on the output variables of the processing of the pre-processed raw material;
• and
• creating of a third process model, which describes the effects of adapting the pre-processing of raw material and adapting the processing of pre-processed raw material on the output variables of the processing of pre-processed raw material, wherein:
• the first process model, the second process model and the third process model are each created for at least two different time scales;
• the process in the system is controlled by adapting the pre-processing of the raw material and/or adapting the processing of the pre-processed raw material taking into account control objectives for the result of the processing of the pre-processed raw material according to the predictions of at least one of the created process models, preferably the process model which currently provides the best predictions for the process in the system.