Carbon black process control system

In a process for producing carbon blacks in a carbon black reactor, a method of controlling the production of carbon black comprising the following steps:

• a) determining the input variables utilizes in the production of carbon black and the corresponding output variables indicative of the properties of the carbon black product to be controlled in the carbon black production process;
• b) generating a predicting algorithm for predicting at least one output variable based on at least one input variable, said at least one input variable being selected from the group including the fuel flow rate, the feedstock flow rate, the oxidant flow rate, the oxidant humidity, the oxidant preheat temperature, the first stage fuel quality, the feedstock quality, and the concentration of potassium in the feedstock;
• c) pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock with hot combustion gases in the carbon black reactor to produce carbon black;
• d) measuring at time spaced measuring intervals at least one of said input variables while the carbon black reactor is operating;
• e) employing said predicting algorithm to predict at time spaced predicting intervals at least one of said output interval and generating a first signal indicative of said predicted output variable;
• f) determining at spaced averaging intervals an average value of said at least one predicted output variable over said averaging interval and generating a second signal indicative of the average value of said at least one predicted output variable;
• g) selecting a goal value of said at least one predicted output variable, and comparing said second signal to a third signal indicative of said goal value;
• h) adjusting while the reactor is operating at least one of said input variables pursuant to an adjusting algorithm if there is a difference between said second and third signals, at least one of said input variables adjusted being selected from the group including the feedstock flow rate, the fuel flow rate, the oxidant flow rate, the oxidant preheat temperature, the oxidant humidity, and the concentration of potassium in the feedstock, to achieve said goal value of said at least one output variable and thereby obtain a substantially consistent quality of carbon black;
• i) repeating steps d through h
• j) sampling at time spaced intervals the carbon black produced while the carbon black reactor is operating;
• k) measuring said at least one output variable predicted by said predicting algorithm from the sample of carbon black while the carbon black reactor is operating;
• l) adjusting said predicting algorithm based on a comparison between said measured value of said at least one output variable and said predicted value of said output variable, in order to more correctly predict said at least one output variable;
• and
• m) repeating steps d through l.