Forced periodic control of an exothermic CSTR with multiple input oscillations

Interaction among various oscillating inputs may result in significant modifications in the behavior of a system under forced periodic control. Forced oscillations in the input flow rate and input concentrations of an exothermic continuous stirred tank reactor enable the stabilized operation of the CSTR in the unstable steady state region. Reactor temperature oscillations under forced periodic control are similar to the oscillations resulting from proportional‐integral feedback or nonlinear (push‐pull) feedback control, and under some operating conditions the oscillation amplitude is significantly lower. Theoretical and experimental studies illustrate the effects of forcing frequency and phase shift on reactor behavior.