Field Applications of Advanced Process Control, Real-Time Optimization, Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems

In recent decades, the impact of automation and control systems engineering has grown exponentially in many sectors. Cross-fertilization procedures between different areas contribute to extending the application areas of automation and control systems. These systems are located at different levels of the automation hierarchy and assume a key role in plant operation and on the higher levels, e.g., decision-making. Automation and control systems enhance profits when effectively installed on real plants: these systems are not necessary to effectively command the plants, but, in some cases, decision support features could already represent a significant improvement.

Many techniques can be considered regarding the field application of automation and control systems. Advanced Process Control, Real-Time Optimization, Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems represent some of the current and future technologies that can realize significant results on field applications, mainly due to their capability to manage complex processes and guarantee optimal trade-offs between conflicting objectives, and their flexibility. Projects that include the actual process implementation and are designed as lasting control applications -- and not as temporary tests - require strong theoretical and practical efforts. The field application of a system designed and tested through virtual environment simulations requires significant reliability and robustness features to bridge the gap between simulations and field application.

This Research Topic aims to collect outstanding contributions in automation and control systems engineering research. The contributions must be associated with the field application of Advanced Process Control, Real-Time Optimization, Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems. The Research Topic will take into consideration not only research works which describe the field application up to the commissioning, but could also include research works interested in proposing methodologies to bridge the gap between simulations and field application. The Research Topic is intended to represent a milestone in the resume of state-of-the-art best practices and emerging technologies. Both original research and review papers are welcome.

Some examples of specific themes include, but are not limited to:

- Advanced Process Control
- Real-Time Optimization
- Decision Support Systems
- Expert Systems
- Discrete Event Systems
- Model Predictive Control
- Artificial Intelligence
- Big Data
- Machine Learning
- Fault Detection/Isolation/Diagnosis
- Monitoring
- Predictive Maintenance
- Technology Readiness Level
- Project Management
- Project Maintenance
- Performance degradation of a system
- Industrial Metaverse
- Digital Twin
- Industry 4.0