Chemical Engineering Page 1 of 4

COURSE: ENCH4DC H1 LECTURER: Prof. M. Mulholland DATE

TOPIC: PROCESS DYNAMICS AND CONTROL : TEST 1 28-March-14

NAME: SOLUTION MARK: ______ / 40 (72 minutes)

1 In the Smirnoff Spin plant, alcohol and water (a) Model

are continuously mixed in a stirred vessel of A-balance: V dC A  FA   FA  FW  C A
fixed volume: dt
dC
W-balance: V W  FW   FA  FW  CW
FA FW dt 2

(b) Linearisation and state-space model

d C A
V  FA   FA  FW  C A   FA  FW  C A
dt
CA d C A  F  FW  1  C A   CA 
  A  C A    FA    FW
dt  V   V  V  2
CW d CW
V  FW   FA  FW  CW   FA  FW  CW
dt
(a) Write down modelling equations relating
d CW  F  FW  1  CW   CW 
the volumetric concentrations CA and CW to   A  CW    FW    FA
the volumetric in-flows FA and FW. dt  V   V  V  2
  FA  FW  
(b) Linearise your model equations, and    0   C 
d  C A   V 
express your result in the state-space form      A

dt  CW    A
F  F 
W  
 CW 
dx
 Ax  Bu  0    
dt   V 
 1  C A   CA  
(c) What kind of Morari Resiliency Index do   V    V    F 
   
you think this system will have? Why?  
A

  CW  1  CW    FW 

    
  V   V  2
(c) MRI
The MRI will be zero because one cannot achieve arbitrary
setpoints for both CA and CW , because CW = 1-CA. Note that B
will have dependent rows, and thus KP=-A-1B will be singular. 2

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 Chemical Engineering Page 2 of 4

COURSE: ENCH4DC H1 LECTURER: Prof. M. Mulholland DATE

TOPIC: PROCESS DYNAMICS AND CONTROL : TEST 1 28-March-14

2 A refinery distillation column, processing oil PV at 90% open:

with an SG of 0.8, uses a fin-fan condenser PV 1
with the typical layout shown below. F  f  x  CV
SG
PV
36  0.9  8 
0.8
PV
 5  PV  20 psi 1
fin-fan condenser 0.8
25 m
Find existing line PL by balance:
PP  5000  362  60.86 psi
R D 5m
PL  PP  PV  PSTATIC
 60.86  20  (25  5)
 20.86 psi
The characteristic curve of the reflux pump can 2
be represented by:
Evaluate line friction constant:
F 2   PP   5000
2

PL
with pump flow F in [US gal min-1] and pump F k
SG
PP in [psi].
SG 0.8
kF  36  7.05
The reflux valve R, having a CV factor of 8, is PL 20.86
2
running 90% open with a reflux flow of 36 US
gal min-1. Valve 100% open
PP  PL  PV  PSTATIC
Calculate the maximum reflux flow that could
be achieved. (Just obtain a numerical equation F2 F2
5000  F 2  SG  SG  (25  5)
 f  x  CV 
2 2
involving only F, but do not solve it). k 2

Hints:(i) Consider the control valve to have a F2 F2

5000  F 2  0.8  0.8  20 
1 8
2
linear characteristic. 7.052
(ii)Take the pressure exerted by 1 m of 2
this oil as 1 psi. ...solve the quadratic for F2 to get F

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 Chemical Engineering Page 3 of 4

COURSE: ENCH4DC H1 LECTURER: Prof. M. Mulholland DATE

TOPIC: PROCESS DYNAMICS AND CONTROL : TEST 1 28-March-14

3 The evaporator below is being used to (a) Dynamic matrix

concentrate a sugar solution to achieve the
desired brix of 30 (A:concentration) at the F/B(10 , 10 , 10)/10 = ( 1.00 , 1.00 , 1.00)
desired production rate of 40 t h-1 ( F).. This is F/S(-2, -4.5 , -5)/10 = (-0.20 , -0.45 , -0.50)
to be achieved by manipulating the steam valve A/B(-4 , -9 , -10)/10 = (-0.40 , -0.90 , -1.00)
S and the exit valve B. (The LC independently A/S(3.5 , 7.5 , 8)/10 = ( 0.35 , 0.75 , 0.80)
takes care of the level by manipulating the feed
sugar solution).  1 .2 0 0 0 0 
water  .4 .35 0 0 0 0 
vapour  
 1 .45 1 .2 0 0 
B 
 .9 .75 .4 .35 0 0 
sp LC (concentration)
 1 .5 1 .45 1 .2 
sugar
flow brix
 
solution F A  1 .8 .9 .75 .4 .35 
steam 5
concentrated
S solution (b) Response
B x  xSS  Bm
  F     40    1 .2 0 0 0 0  0  
         
  A 1    30    .4 .35 0 0 0 0    20 1 
Step tests, in which S and B were separately   F     40    1 .45 1 .2 0 0    10  
stepped up 10% from their normal settings,           
gave the following matrix of responses:   A 2    30    .9 .75 .4 .35 0 0    0 2 
      
  F     40    1 .5 1 .45 1 .2    0  
  
  A    30   1 .8 .9 .75 .4 .35    0  
50 46
S (+10%) →F   3       3 
48 44
46 42 3
44 40
F 42 38
F 36
40
38
B (+10%) →F 34   F     40     4     36  
36 32              
  A 1    30     7     37 1 
34 30
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 0 30 60 90 120 150 180
[s] [s]
  F     40     9  10     41 
              
36 42
40
34
32
B (+10%) →A 38   A 2    30     15  4     41 2 
30 36
       
  F     40     10  10     40  
28 34
A A 32
  A     30     16  9     37  
26
24 30
S (+10%) →A
22
20
28
26
  3            3 
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 2
[s] [s]

(a) Write out the dynamic matrix of this system

using 3 time-points (1-minute intervals)

(b) Starting at steady-state (F,A)=(40,30),

evaluate the system response (3 points) to an
initial step of S by +20%, followed 1 minute
later by a step in B by +10% [Use your
dynamic matrix from (a) for this calculation].

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 Chemical Engineering Page 4 of 4

COURSE: ENCH4DC H1 LECTURER: Prof. M. Mulholland DATE

TOPIC: PROCESS DYNAMICS AND CONTROL : TEST 1 28-March-14

4 Consider the depropaniser column adjacent.

You are to add instrumenation and a control
scheme to achieve the following:

(a) column pressure control by the ‘flooded SP

condenser” technique. LC
{1} R
F × FC SP LMIN
(decr opening to
incr level)
(b) column pressure minimisation using a CW
valve position controller [Note from (a) that R
the CW flow is fixed,ie.cannot be altered] {2} D
FT
(c) reflux ratioed to column feed rate {1}
F
PT PC LS SP
(d) propane composition in the bottoms to be SP 95%
steam VPC open
controlled using “pressure-compensated
temperature” near the bottom of the column, T
TT TPC=T- P (P-PSTD)
by manipulation of the steam valve {2}
SP
LS TC TPC
(e) bottom level is controlled using the PC

bottoms valve, but pinches the steam at low LC SP LMIN

level {2} LT (decr opening to incr level)

LC SP L
(f) low level in the condenser pinches the condensate
distillate valve {2}
B

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