Fault detection and isolation using nonlinear observers for emulsion copolimerization processes

In this work the design and implementation of a fault detection and isolation system for a process of copolymerization in emulsion are presented. The proposed approach used to design the residual generators is based on decoupling techniques using differential geometry and high gain nonlinear observers; every residue is dedicated to the detection and the location of a particular fault. The faults considered in this work are additive, presented in the actuators of the process and they represent a malfunction in the feeding flow pumps of the monomer towards the interior of the reactor. The observers used to generate residuals are one of the main advantages of the proposed method, these are easy to implement and have a simple calibration, which make their on-line application suitable. The effectiveness of this method was validated by simulation for the process of copolymerization in emulsion between butyl acrylate and styrene.