Control of crystallization processes based on population balances

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This dissertation utilizes population balance models to design control strategies for crystallization processes, which are essential in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for producing solid materials. The focus is on crystallization from solution, a method often employed because chemical reactions occur in the liquid phase while the products are typically solid. Crystallization also serves for purification and separation. The process begins with a supersaturated solution, achieved through cooling or solvent evaporation, allowing solute molecules to integrate into the crystal lattice, leading to crystal growth and the formation of new crystals. Supersaturation is the driving force behind these transformations, with crystal size being a critical property. Crystal size distribution (CSD) is vital in industrial crystallizers, as it affects the dynamics of crystallization plants and significantly impacts product quality and downstream processability, influencing filterability, flowability, and dissolution rates. Industrial crystallization can be conducted in continuous or batch modes, each presenting unique control challenges, which this dissertation addresses. The work is divided into two main parts, corresponding to these distinct control problems, demonstrating that advanced control synthesis methods can effectively be applied to crystallization processes through population balance models.