Method for controlling a continuous granulation and drying process as well as installation and system therefor

A method for controlling an installation for producing a formulation from a feedstock, wherein the producing comprises a processing of the feedstock with a granulator and drying of an intermediate product, produced from the feedstock with the granulator, by means of a dryer, the method comprising:

• based on a model:
• (a) using a data processor for determining control parameters of the installation, which are or represent manipulated variables for controlling actuators of the installation, the model considering preset target formulation parameters, which represent desired properties of the formulation produced or to be produced, or
• (b) using the data processor for forecasting actual formulation parameters, which represent actual properties of the formulation produced or to be produced, the model taking into account preset or presettable control parameters, which are or represent manipulated variables for controlling actuators of the installation,
• wherein the determining and forecasting, by the model, uses state parameters of the installation, which each represent a state of the installation that influences the production, and taking into account, by the model, feedstock parameters, which represent an attribute of the feedstock, and
• at least one of:
• coupling the dryer to the granulator in such a way that the intermediate product is automatically conveyed without interruption from the granulator into the dryer, and using the model to take into account the continuously running combination of granulation with the granulator and subsequent drying with the dryer, or
• determining, by a static part of the model, a base value for the respective control parameter or forecasted actual formulation parameter, and optimizing, by a dynamic part of the model, the base value by means of a forecast.

A computer-readable storage medium, comprising commands which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method for controlling an installation for producing a formulation from a feedstock, wherein the producing comprises a processing of the feedstock with a granulator and a drying of an intermediate product, produced from the feedstock with the granulator, by means of a dryer, the method comprising:

• based on a model:
• (a) determining control parameters of the installation, which are or represent manipulated variables for controlling actuators of the installation, the model taking into account preset target formulation parameters, which represent desired properties of the formulation produced or to be produced, or
• (b) forecasting actual formulation parameters, which represent actual properties of the formulation produced or to be produced, the model taking into account preset or presettable control parameters, which are or represent manipulated variables for controlling actuators of the installation,
• determining and processing, by the model, state parameters of the installation, which each represent a state of the installation which influences the production, and taking into account, by the model, feedstock parameters, which represent an attribute of the feedstock, and
• at least one of:
• coupling the dryer to the granulator in such a way that the intermediate product is automatically conveyed without interruption from the granulator into the dryer, and the model taking into account the continuously running combination of granulation with the granulator and subsequent drying with the dryer, or
• determining, by a static part of the model, a base value for the respective control parameter or forecasted actual formulation parameter, and optimizing, by a dynamic part of the model, the base value by means of a forecast.

An installation for producing a formulation from a feedstock, wherein the producing comprises a processing of the feedstock with a granulator and a drying of an intermediate product, produced with the granulator, by means of a dryer, the installation comprising:

• sensors for detecting state parameters of the installation, which each represent a state of the installation which influences production,
• actuators of the installation for acting directly or indirectly on the feedstock,
• a control device for controlling the actuators with control parameters, which are or represent manipulated variables for controlling the actuators, and
• a model, on the basis of which the control parameters are determinable and/or actual formulation parameters are forecastable,
• wherein target formulation parameters are preset or presettable for the control device, which represent the desired properties of the formulation produced or to be produced,
• wherein the granulator is coupled to the dryer in such a way that the intermediate product is automatically conveyed without interruption from the granulator into the dryer, wherein the model is configured to take into account the combination of granulation with the granulator and the continuous subsequent drying with the dryer, and the installation is configured such that the control device determines the control parameters and/or forecasts actual formulation parameters with the model based on the state parameters of the installation;
• and/or
• wherein the model comprises a static part, wherein the control device is configured to determine a base value with the static part for the respective control parameter or actual formulation parameter with the state parameters, and wherein the model comprises a dynamic part, wherein the control device is configured to optimize the base value with the dynamic part by means of a forecast.