ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the potential of expert system–based control software for developing some of the sophisticated control and automation techniques that are required for the process chromatography of proteins. An important distinction must be made between automation and control. Automation involves the simple replacement of manual actions with automatic ones and for chromatography usually entails switching valves, and hence the fluid stream, at preset points in the process. The majority of conventional process control programs are written in imperative languages, and this makes real-time interfacing of the program with the plant and equipment a relatively straightforward procedure. The development of an expert system for process control is a time-consuming and multidisciplinary activity. The central module houses the column, inlet filters, and much of the monitoring equipment. The feed and receiving vessels are located in the right-hand module together with the pumps and most of the valves.
