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Lab Activity - Introduction To Process Control

The document provides examples of continuous, batch, and semi-batch chemical processes and the parameters controlled in each. It discusses three important types of process variables - flow, pressure, and temperature - and defines each. It also describes the control objective, controlled variable, manipulated variable, and disturbance variable for a simple blending process and derives the design equation. Finally, it discusses four control methods and strategies for the blending process.

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Seanne Cruz
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42 views

Lab Activity - Introduction To Process Control

The document provides examples of continuous, batch, and semi-batch chemical processes and the parameters controlled in each. It discusses three important types of process variables - flow, pressure, and temperature - and defines each. It also describes the control objective, controlled variable, manipulated variable, and disturbance variable for a simple blending process and derives the design equation. Finally, it discusses four control methods and strategies for the blending process.

Uploaded by

Seanne Cruz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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I The foundation of process control is process understanding.

Provide examples of chemical


processes and the corresponding parameter to be controlled in each of the chemical process that
can be continuous (4), batch (1) and semi-batch (2) processes.
An Continuous Process
s
1.) Tubular Heat Exchanger – Exit temperature of the process liquid is
controlled by manipulating cooling water flow rate.
2.) Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor – Reactor temperature is controlled
by manipulating the flow rate of coolant in a jacket or cooling coil.
3.) Thermal Cracking Furnace – Furnace temperature and amount of
excess air in the flue gas can be controlled by manipulating fuel flow rate
and the fuel/air ratio.
4.) Multicomponent Distillation Column – Distillate composition can be
controlled by adjusting the reflux or distillate flow rate. Tray temperature
near the top of the column can also be controlled.

Batch and Semi-Batch Reactor

1.) Batch Digester in a Pulp Mill – End point of the chemical reaction is
indicated by the kappa number, it is controlled to a desired value by
adjusting the digester temp, pressure and/or cycle time.
2.) Plasma Etcher in a Semi Conductor Processing – The temperature,
pressure and flow rates of etching gases are controlled by adjusting
electrical heaters and control valves.
3.) Kidney Dialysis Unit – Temperature in the unit is controlled by adjusting
the flow rate.
II The specification of three (3) important types of process variables is a critical step in developing a
control system. What are these three important types of process variables and define each of
them.
An The three important types of process variables are:
s • Flow
• Pressure
• Temperature

Flow- Any fluids or liquids flowing from one place to another place is called flow
and it is defined as volume per unit of time at specified temperature and
pressure. Conditions is generally measured by positive-displacement or rate
meters.
A valve in the flow channel controls the flow through the pipeline. The greater
the valve opening the greater the water flow inside the pipe. Here we are
controlling the flow the fluid passing through the pipeline, so the process variable
is flow.

Pressure - is a term used to describe the amount of force applied to a specific


unit area.

If you open the block valve, air is released to the atmosphere, so the pressure
inside the receiver decreases. If you close the control valve, you keep the air
inside the receiver and the pressure increases. The process variable that we are
controlling is called pressure

Temperature - is a measurement of how hot or how cold an object is. Below


figure shows a temperature control unit.
Water in the vessel is heated by the heat exchanger. Measuring the
temperature, the steam flow to the exchanger is controlled. Temperature
changes when the amount of steam is changed. The process variable is called
Temperature.

The process variable is level. You can change the level by closing or opening
the control valve. If you close the valve, the level increases. If you open the
valve, the level decreases.

III Some important issues in control system design is the determination of the control objective and
specification of the three (3) important types of process variables. For a simple blending
process,determine/specify each of the following:

a. control objective

b. controlled variable

c. manipulated variable

d. disturbance variable

e. design equation and show systematically how it is derived

f. four (4) methods and its corresponding control strategy applied


An a. control objective
s The control objective is to blend the two inlet streams to produce an outlet stream that
has the desired composition. Stream 1 is a mixture of two chemical species, A and B.
We assume that its mass flow rate w1 is constant, but the mass fraction of A, x1, varies
with time. Stream 2 consists of pure A and thus x 2= 1. The mass flow rate of Stream 2,
w2, can be manipulated using a control valve. The mass fraction of A in the exit stream is
denoted by x and the desired value (set point) by x sp.
b. controlled variable
The controlled variable is x.

c. manipulated variable
The manipulated variable is w2.

d. disturbance variable
The disturbance variable is x1.

e. design equation and show systematically how it is derived


Design Equation:

Overall balance:

Component A balance:

f. four (4) methods and its corresponding control strategy applied


Method I. Measure x and adjust Wz. It is reasonable to measure controlled variable x
and then adjust w2 accordingly. For example, if x is too high, w 2 should be reduced; if x is
too low, w2 should be increased. This control strategy could be implemented by a
person (manual control). However, it would normally be more convenient and
economical to automate this simple task (automatic control). Where Kc is a constant
called the controller gain. The symbols, w 2(t) and x(t), indicate that w2 and x change with
time. Equation 1-4 is an example of proportional control, because the change in the flow
rate, w2(t) – w2, is proportional to the deviation from the set point, X sp - x(t) Consequently,
a large deviation from set point produces a large corrective action, while a small
deviation results in a small corrective action. Note that we require K c to be positive
because w2 must increase when x decreases, and vice versa. However, in other control
applications, negative values of K c are appropriate. The outlet concentration is measured
and transmitted to the controller as an electrical signal. The controller executes the
control law and sends the calculated value of w 2 to the control valve as an electrical
signal. The control valve opens or closes accordingly.
Method 2. Measure x1, adjust w2. As an alternative to Method 1, we could measure
disturbance variable x1 and adjust w2 accordingly. Thus, if x1 > x1, we would
decrease Wz so that Wz < Wz. If x1 < X1, we would increase w2• A control law based on
Method 2 can be derived from Eq. 1-3 by replacing :X 1 with x1(t) and w2
with w2(t).
Method 3. Measure x 1 and x, adjust w2. This approach is a combination of Methods 1
and 2.
Method 4. Use a larger tank. If a larger tank is used, fluctuations in x1 will tend to be
damped out as a result of the larger volume of liquid. However, increasing tank size is an
expensive solution due to the increased capital cost.
IV Provide a process control diagram for the stirred-tank mixing system under feedback control
(Method 1). Explain how the diagram flows by identifying the equipment used to implement the
control strategy.
An
s

 All of the reagents are pumped into the reactor by the same pump. The flow
rate through the pump is adjusted constantly by a negative feedback
mechanism; when level of the iodide solution is low, the computer detects the
insufficiency and increases the flow rate of all the reactants.

V The blending control system is quite simple, because there is only one controlled variable and one
manipulated variable. For most practical applications, there are multiple controlled variables and
multiple manipulated variables. Give an example of a chemical process five (5) controlled
variables and five (5) manipulated variables. Provide a process control diagram for this chemical
process. Identify the five (5) controlled variables and five (5) manipulated variables.
An Distillation is an example of a chemical process that has five (5) controlled variables and five (5)
s manipulated variables as shown in the process flow diagram below.
The five controlled variables are the following:
1. the product composition of the distillate (XD)
2. the product composition of the bottoms (X B)
3. the column pressure (P)
4. the liquid level in the reflux drum (hD)
5. the liquid level in the column base (hB)
The five manipulated variables are the following:
1. the product flow rate of the distillate (D)
2. the product flow rate of the bottoms (B)
3. the reflux flow (R)
4. the heat for the condenser (QB)
5. the heat for the reboiler (QD)

End of Assignment No 1

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