Optimal Control of Batch and Semibatch Reactors

The Pontryagin Maximum Principle is a recognised tool for optimal control problems. The main drawback of this approach is that it requires solving a two-point boundary value problem (TBVP) that may be rather involved. This contribution discusses how qualitative methods can considerably reduce the complexity of the resulting TBVP. The obtained results are used for optimal control of batch and semi-batch reactors