Chemical Process Control

 OBE attainment

◦ PO (Program Outcome)
 PO1: Apply knowledge of mathematics, sciences, engineering
fundamentals and engineering specialization to solve complex
engineering problems
 PO2: Ability to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems,
including complex engineering problems, using the principles of
mathematics, basic and applied science and engineering
fundamentals.
 PO3: Conduct investigations of complex problems via literature
review, design of experiments, analysis and interpretation of data as
well as synthesis of information to provide valid conclusions.

◦ CO (course Outcome)
◦ CO1- Select suitable control elements for a particular control system
◦ CO2 -Design control system for a given process.
◦ CO3 -Demonstrate the process dynamic response for any given system
 Manual Control
◦ Before process automation, people, rather than
machines, performed many of the process
control tasks. Control operations that involve
human action to make an adjustment are
called manual control systems.

 Automatic Control◦
◦ Control operations in which no human
intervention is required, are called automatic
control systems
 What if….

….you drive your car with

your eyes shut?
 IMPORTANCE OF PROCESS CONTROL

 SAFETY
 PRODUCT QUALITY
 PRODUCTION RATES
 REDUCE ENERGY
 Why we need to control a process?
◦ Because processes are dynamic – changes
always occurred

 What does a control system do?

◦ Maintain certain variables within some limit
e.g temperature in a room

*dynamic
time-dependent behavior of a process.
 There are many applications where part
or all of a process has to be controlled.
e.g.
 temperature
 pressure
 flow
 level
 composition
 others
 Automatic Control
◦ Maintaining the process variables
(temperature, pressures, flows, compositions)
at some desired operating value.

◦ Systems that control the variables without

requiring intervention from the operator.
 System

input
output
SYSTEM
VARIABLES

 Controlled variables – the variable that must be

maintained at the desired value (set point)

 Manipulated variables – the variable that need to be

regulated in order to maintain the controlled variable at the
set point

 Disturbances – variables that tend to drive the controlled

variable away from the set point

 c. Uncontrolled variables. Variables in the process that

are not controlled.
 An Everyday Example of
Process Control
Control Objective (Setpoint):
Maintain the temperature in the room (27oC)

Controlled variable:
Temperature in the room

Manipulated variable:
Speed of the fan

Disturbance:
Weather
An Everyday Example of Process
Control
Driving a Car
Control Objective (Setpoint):
Maintain car in proper lane.

Controlled variable-
Location of car on the road
Manipulated variable-
Orientation of the front wheels
Disturbance-
Curve in road
 Exercise
Select one control objective from a simple process and
determine the controlled variable, manipulated variable and
disturbances of the process.
HEAT EXCHANGER

Steam in

Fluid in Fluid out

Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired

Steam out
HEAT EXCHANGER

Steam in
(Manipulated variables)
(Controlled variables)
Fluid in Fluid out
Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired
(Load disturbances )

Steam out

(Uncontrolled variables)
THREE BASIC COMPONENT OF
CONTROL SYSTEM
 Measurement (M)
◦ measure the variable to be controlled.
 sensor-transmitter combination

 Decision (D)
◦ Controller decides what to do to maintain the
variables at its desired value
 feedback controller

 Action (A)
◦ System must take an action based on controller’s
decision
 control valve (final control element)
 Another important term

◦ Set point (SP)-desired value of the control variable.

◦ Open loop system - The behavior with no

controllers in the system

◦ Closed loop system– the controller is connected to

the process, comparing the set point to the
controlled variable and determining and taking
corrective action
 Action
SP Decide
Steam in
TC

TT Measure
Fluid in Fluid out
Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired

Steam out

Measured = T desired (sensor transmitter)

Control = Steam in
Action = valve (final control element)
 SP

Steam in
TC
(Manipulated variables)

TT
Fluid in Fluid out
Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired

(Load disturbances ) (Controlled variables)

Steam out
(Uncontrolled variables)
 Question
- How to ensure that T remains at or near the
set point? w ,T
1 1

M
Q

w, T