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Need For Process Control

This document provides an overview of process control for chemical engineering processes. It discusses that process control applies principles of mathematics and engineering science to regulate dynamic operations of chemical processes. It explains that control systems are necessary for chemical plants because plant operations are variable while customers require consistent product quality. The two main functions of control systems are setpoint tracking to shift between operating points and disturbance rejection to maintain operating points despite fluctuating conditions. The document also outlines the course organization and differences between chemical process control compared to other fields. It discusses control objectives and hierarchies.

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MOHAMED MANSUR S
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126 views4 pages

Need For Process Control

This document provides an overview of process control for chemical engineering processes. It discusses that process control applies principles of mathematics and engineering science to regulate dynamic operations of chemical processes. It explains that control systems are necessary for chemical plants because plant operations are variable while customers require consistent product quality. The two main functions of control systems are setpoint tracking to shift between operating points and disturbance rejection to maintain operating points despite fluctuating conditions. The document also outlines the course organization and differences between chemical process control compared to other fields. It discusses control objectives and hierarchies.

Uploaded by

MOHAMED MANSUR S
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Process Control

Process Control is the study of automatic control principles applied to chemical


processes. It applies principles of mathematics and engineering science to the
regulation of the dynamic operation of process systems. To be successful, you need
strong applied mathematics skills and process understanding (most of which is just
common sense).
The skills and tasks you've been exploring in the first three years of ChE classes
are predominantly analytical. They are used for diagnosis and understanding of
processes and problems. This year, your design classes will work
on synthesis skills for devising new processes. In Process Control, we will use
some analytical tools (old and new) and synthetic skills to understand the dynamic
(time dependent) behavior of processes and ways to regulate plant operation.
Since the primary function of control systems is to compensate for dynamic
changes in process systems, we need to understand the dynamics of processes -how their behavior changes with time -- if we are to develop workable solutions.
We address this need through dynamic modeling of the chemical processes.
Mathematically, this means we will be dealing with differential equations.
Why is Control Necessary?
Process plants do not operate at steady state, no matter what you have been
assuming in other classes.
Consider what might happen to a distillation column operating in a plant:
market price of feedstocks and products vary, so sources and suppliers
change; the 50% feed you are using today may be 45% tomorrow.
ambient temperature changes continuously; this changes cooling water
temperatures, which change condenser duties, which changes in column
operating pressure and overhead flows.
steam system supply pressure varies as sources and users are switched on
and off; this causes the reboiler temperature and load to vary, changing the
flows at the base of the column.
Meanwhile, the people who buy your products want to get exactly the same
material all of the time, and often require statistical proof of minimal variance.
Since plant behavior is variable, but your customers won't accept variation, control
systems are needed. A good control system keeps a plant running at predictable,
regulated conditions.

Putting all this together, the two main functions of control systems are:
1. setpoint tracking -- the ability to shift from one desired operating point to
another (like you driving your car)
2. disturbance rejection -- the ability to maintain an operating point despite
fluctuating conditions and external forces (like your thermostat)
More specifically, control systems
allow basic operation by managing throughput and inventory
ensure safety by preventing dangerous conditions
guide transitions between operating states (startup, shutdown, setpoint
tracking)
maintain product quality by rejecting outside forces which act on the process
implement optimizing strategies devised by management or supervisory
computers
Disturbances can never be completely eliminated; however, a good control system
can greatly attenuate their consequences and reduce the variability of process
parameters. If we can reduce variability, we need smaller margins of error and
contingency allowances, and so can operate much closer to optimum conditions,
reducing waste and saving money.
Course Organization
Control courses can be difficult for an instructor to organize. There are often
multiple ways of approaching concepts, each with its own "dialect" of terminology
and equation. Topics often wrap back around, so books and instructors sometimes
have a tendency to use terms and ideas before they are fully defined. I'm guilty of
this myself -- so PLEASE do not hesitate to ask questions when you spot things
that feel out of place.
Chemical Process Control
The same basic control methods, principles, and tools apply whether the "process"
is chemical, electrical, or mechanical. Control theory has been developed by ChEs,
EEs, and MEs, so the terminology reflects concepts from all three disciplines (as
well as mathematical systems and optimization theory).

Differences in the application are what separate ChE control from other
practitioners. Chemical process systems are distinguished by:
longer time constants (minutes for a HX, hours for many columns)
long transportation lags or "dead time" (minutes)
nonlinearities (reaction kinetics)
distributed parameters (coupled material and energy balances)
Safety Systems
No feedback control loop, no matter how well-designed and tuned, can guarantee
safe operation. Consequently, a regulatory process control system cannot be trusted
as the primary safety system. Almost all chemical plants have a second, parallel
control system to handle safety alarms and shutdown. While we will always
consider the safety aspects of control systems, we will not study the design of these
alarm/shutdown systems.
Control Objectives
The objectives of a control system fit into a hierarchy -- that is, some objectives are
given priority over others. One way of ordering the hierarchy is by the purpose of
the control system components:
1. Safety
2. Environmental Protection
3. Equipment Protection
4. Smooth Plant Operation
5. Product Quality
6. Profit Optimizatio
7. Monitoring and Diagnosis
According to this structure, control loops responsible for safety-related tasks will
always have priority over all other tasks; loops for product quality will have
priority over loops whose primary task is optimization; and so forth. Most of the
techniques we study in this course will apply directly to the operating and quality
objectives.

Be aware that a loop can serve more than one purpose and that its place in the
hierarchy is not always cut-and-dried.
One of the themes of our study this semester will be the tradeoffs between plant
design and plant operation. Control systems are part of the day to day operation of
a plant. This suggests another way of ordering the hierarchy of control objectives:
"achievability". After all, until your plant is operating, controls aren't needed at all.
This sort of hierarchy tends to group loops by function as much as it does by
objective:
1. Production Rate & Inventory Controls
2. Safety/Environmental Controls
3. Equipment and Operating Constraint Controls
4. Product Quality Controls
5.

Optimization

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