Design and implementation of a fuzzy temperature control for a craft beer production microplant using PLC

Abstract

In this study, a fuzzy-based PLC temperature control system was designed and implemented on a craft beer production plant. At present, the temperature-related controls of small-scale plants in Colombia are based on On/Off models, which are not very stable in the preparation of craft beer, which generates significant changes in flavor, scent and texture. Therefore, it is intended to incorporate into the craft beer industry, solutions that guarantee repeatability, minimize costs and potentiate production, for this, a three-stage fuzzy control model is carried out: design, implementation and start up; This is how a study of the plant´s dynamics is carried out, the response is determined from the data, a fuzzy controller is designed by using Matlab software, and a graphical interface in LabView for data capture and storage. The controller demonstrates stability in relation to the temperature variable, which provides repeatability and significant energy savings. Finally, it is concluded that the controller proved to be robust against major disturbances and stable at different temperatures, being a useful tool for efficiently controlling the variable.