This study presents a novel autonomous reconfiguration strategy to
achieve full cycle optimal control of the heat exchanger networks. The
proposed method aims to select the optimal control structure online to
solve the problem of slow time-varying process transition caused by the
inevitable fouling accumulation. Specifically, an auxiliary variable is
introduced to increase the degree of control freedom, and a flexible
control structure is studied to provide appropriate pairings dynamically
between variables. Subsequently, the nonparametric Relative Energy Gain
Array is considered as the switching mechanism to determine switching
instants of control loops. Furthermore, the online optimization of
switching regions ensures the optimal control performance. Finally, one
typical experiment for the heat exchanger network in crude distillation
unit was conducted and the results illustrated the effectiveness of the
proposed control method. Compared with the conventional control system,
the available service time was extended by nearly 18 months.