This paper discusses the development of model predictive control algorithm which accounts for the input and state constraints applied to the parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs) system describing the axial dispersion chemical reactor. Spatially varying terms arising from the nonlinear PDEs model are accounted for in model development. Finite-dimensional modal representation capturing the dominant dynamics of the PDEs system is derived for controller design through Galerkin's method and modal decomposition technique. Tustin's discretization and Cayley transform are used to obtain infinite-dimensional discrete-time dynamic modal representations which are used in subsequent constrained controller design. The proposed discrete-time constrained model predictive control synthesis is constructed in a way that the objective function is only based on the low-order modal representation of the PDEs system, while higher-order modes are utilized only in the constraints of the PDEs state. Finally, the MPC formulations are successfully applied, via simulation results, to the PDEs system with input and state constraints. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.