An extension of IMC to boundary-distributed parameter systems

We consider the application of a finite order controller to the boundary control of a real life double pipe heat exchanger. The internal model control (IMC) structure has been successfully applied in many industrial control problems, because of its well-known tracking and regulation performances and robustness. It has been used for many types of linear and nonlinear systems but only in finite dimension domain. Here we extend its application to an infinite dimensional system. The resulting control problem is then posed as an all infinite dimensional control problem, and we apply as much as possible the existing robust control theory in this contest. First, the IMC structure is recalled, we present a particular form that we use, and give the basic hypotheses. Next, the pilot process is presented, a knowledge model is stated and the boundary control system is given using Fattorini's approach.