Optimal control, also known as dynamic optimization, involve determining
operating policies so as to maximize or minimize a performance index. In
Biodiesel production, the optimal control problems can be formulated using
various performance indices, namely, maximum concentration, minimum time, and
maximum profit where the operating policy is the temperature profile.
Therefore, this work presents the formulations of different optimal control
problems and analyzes their solutions. Moreover, optimal control problems
involve the solution of partial or second order differential equation depending
on the method used, resulting in difficult tasks to solve due to their
mathematical representation. This difficulty becomes more challenging when
uncertainty in any parameter is considered. It has been shown that the
application of maximum principle in optimal control problems provides the same
results but its formulation avoids the solution of second order or partial
differential equations. In this work, we use the maximum principle to solve the
problems in the deterministic case. Further, we consider uncertainty in the
feed composition and their effects on the optimal control solution.