Object-oriented modelling of starch mashing for simulation-based control studies

In the production of beer, good temperature control of the starch mashing phase is very important for both the final product quality and the process efficiency. A precise tuning of the said control is, however, complicated by the highly non-linear nature of the process, and often also by the actuation scheme. Based on suitably extended literature models, this article shows how object-oriented modelling and simulation (OOMS) can be used to devise a solution to the above problem. A mashing model is first derived along the OOMS approach, and then the said model is coupled to a control representation of scalable detail, including a quasi replica of the control code. Doing so allows one to easily create and maintain hybrid overall models that are suitable for system studies on the design and assessment of both the control strategy and the process instrumentation, with particular reference to the use of on–off actuation in conjunction with modulating control.