1. Introduction. - 1. 1 The control of solar collector fields. - 1. 2 Trends in process control. - 1. 3 Modelling and Identification. - 1. 4 Adaptive Control. - 1. 5 Model-based Predictive Control (MPC). - 1. 6 Robust control frequency domain control and optimal control. - 1. 7 Artificial Intelligence Techniques. - 2. Description and dynamic models of the plant. - 2. 1 Plant description. - 2. 2 Objective of the control system. - 2. 3 Data acquisition system. - 2. 4 Dynamic simulation models of the field. - 2. 5 Analysis of the dynamic response of the plant. - 2. 6 Linear plant models. - 3. Basic control schema. - 3. 1 Feedforward control. - 3. 2 Fixed Ziegler-Nichols rule based PID controllers. - 3. 3 Backup controller. - 3. 4 Fine-tuned PID controller. - 4. Basic structures of adaptive control. - 4. 1 Parameter estimation algorithm. - 4. 2 Supervisory levels. - 4. 3 Adaptive Ziegler-Nichols rule based PID controllers. - 4. 4 Pole-placement adaptive PI controller. - 4. 5 Simulation analysis of PID controllers. - 4. 6 Plant results with adaptive PI controllers. - 5. Model-based predictive control strategies. - 5. 1 Generalized predictive control (GPC). - 5. 2 Constrained generalized predictive control. - 5. 3 Adaptive generalized predictive control. - 5. 4 Robust adaptive model predictive control with bounded uncertainties. - 5. 5 Gain scheduling generalized predictive control. - 5. 6 GPC scheme with nonlinear prediction of the free response. - 6. Frequency domain control and robust optimal control. - 6. 1 Adaptive frequency domain internal model control. - 6. 2 Linear Quadratic Gaussian Optimal Control (LQG). - 7. Heuristic fuzzy logic control. - 7. 1 Fuzzy logic inference scheme. - 7. 2 Incremental fuzzy PI control (IFPIC). - 7. 3 Fuzzy logic controller (FLC). - 8. Summary and concluding remarks. - 8. 1 Performance indexes. - 8. 2 Fixed PID controller. -8. 3 Adaptive GPC controller. - 8. 4 Robust adaptive GPC controller. - 8. 5 Gain scheduling GPC controller. - 8. 6 Nonlinear GPC controller. - 8. 7 Frequency domain adaptive IMC controller. - 8. 8 Robust LQG/LTR controller. - 8. 9 Heuristic incremental fuzzy PI controller (IFPIC). - 8. 10 Heuristic fuzzy logic controller (FLC). - 8. 11 Conclusions. - References. Language: English