Experimental evaluation of combined model reference adaptive controller in a pH regulation process

An experimental evaluation of the combined model reference adaptive control (CMRAC) is presented in this paper. This adaptive control scheme was used to control a relatively complex process like the pH of a solution in a tank reactor at laboratory level. For comparison purposes, some very well-known control strategies were also implemented, which include PID control and standard model reference adaptive control (MRAC). Tracking and regulation capabilities of the control strategies studied were analysed and compared. Experimental results indicate that CMRAC behaves as well as the standard MRAC and a very well-tuned PID for a specific and known operating point. Advantages of the adaptive controllers are shown when the operating point changes.