Automation of a sugar plant diffusion station with a subsystem for resolving conflict modes.

Introduction. The aim of the present study was to improve of the automated control system of the sugar plant diffusion station, which does not respond adequately to violations of the technological regime when changing the quality indicators of raw beet materials and the rhythm of work. Materials and methods. The paper considers the data of the diffusion station and the lab for testing of raw materials of the Zhdanivkyi Sugar Plan, Vinnytsia region, Ukraine. To improve the automation system, it is proposed to include a subsystem for resolving conflict modes, and the method of bimatrix non-antagonistic game is used. Results and discussion. Uncontrolled parameters worsen the quality of raw beet materials and chips, disrupt the movement of chips in the scalding unit and column, and affect machine loading. Contradictions arise: an increase in productivity reduces storage losses, but leads to an increase in sugar losses with the cake because higher throughput reduces the time for optimal extraction. Changes in the condition of the raw beet materials decreases the processing quality and plant productivity. For the studied sugar plant, changing chip thickness from 6 to 9.5 m/100 grams of beet caused the voltage on the column motors to vary from 135 to 375 V, leading to changes in plant productivity from 2033 to 2358 t/day and sugar losses from 0.39 to 0.65% by weight of processed beets. An approach to the automation of a diffusion station was proposed. This approach involves supplementing existing systems with a subsystem for resolving conflict modes of operation. The subsystem uses information from the automatic control system, operator inspections, and laboratory data. By applying game theory, it controls the performance of the diffusion station. This algorithm minimizes the total loss of sugar during the storage and processing of beet. It also forms control actions to adjust technological parameters. The methodology involves presenting the problem as a non-antagonistic bimatrix game. In this game, one party aims to increase plant productivity during processing. The other party focuses on reducing losses during processing. The set of strategies involves changing the thickness of the chips. The payoff functions for the parties are productivity and sugar losses during processing. Conclusion. The use of game theory to optimize the productivity of a sugar plant takes into account sugar losses during beet storage, processing sequence, temperature, beet quality, and changes in sugar losses at different plant productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]