UNIVERSITI

TEKNOLOGI
PETRONAS

COURSE ECB4233/EDB4233 - PLANT PROCESS CONTROL

SYSTEMS
DATE 27 APRIL 2018 (FRIDAY)
TIME 09.00 AM - 12.00 NOON (3 HOURS)

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. Answer ALL questions in the Answer Booklet.

2. Begin EACH answer on a new page in the Answer Booklet.
3. Indicate clearly answers that are cancelled, if any.

4. Where applicable, show clearly steps taken in arriving at the solutions and
indicate ALL assumptions, if any.
5. DO NOT open this Question Booklet until instructed.

Note
i. There are FIFTEEN (15) pages in this Question Booklet including the
cover page and Appendices.
ii. DOUBLE-SIDED Question Booklet.

Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

 EDB 4233

1. FIGURE Q1a shows the Piping Instrument Diagram (PID) of a Benzene

production.
Fuel Gas
12" Sch 10 cs
4"Sch40C$

UTILITY CONNECTIONS
1. COOLING WATER
2. C. W. REruRN
3. 265 PS!A STEAM
4. CONDENSATE
5. SAMPLE POflT
6. CHEMICAL SEWER
4"SchiCS 7. VENT TO FlARE
e n 8. CLEAR SEWER
9. VENT TO ATMOSPHERE

@ E-104 1
c:::4 Insulated Pipe
CS - carbon steel
:··---~-------@
l ® '

1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- LY

FIGURE Q1a

a. Discuss the effect of a recycle structure as shown in FIGURE Q1a.

[3 marks]

b. Select and elaborate a control loop which shall satisfy product quality as
its control objectives. Sketch the control loop and describe the operation.
[4 marks]

c, Design and justify the controller and control valve action for T-101.
[3 marks]

2
 EDB 4233

d. FIGURE Q1d shows a distillation column reboiler system. The outlet

temperature needs to be controlled tightly. However, the steam supply
to the reboiler is subjected to pressure disturbances. As a control
engineer, you are required to carry out the following tasks.

Steam

Distillation
column

To steam
trap

FIGUREQ1d

i. Propose and justify a suitable Control Variable (CV) to control the

reboiler system.
[5 marks]

ii. Design a feedback loop for the reboiler. Please identify the key
elements using block diagram to include set-point and disturbance
as input.
[5 marks]

3
 EDB 4233

2. a. A control engineer has conducted an experiment to model a first-order

tank level system using empirical modeling and the result is shown in
FIGURE Q2a.
i. Analyze TWO (2) important characteristics of the result which
validate the process reaction curve.
[4 marks]

ii. Propose THREE (3) improvements for his experiment. Justify each
of your suggestions.
[6 marks]

30 60
c u
(])
0.. 0)
0 u
(])

Q) 20 40 Q)
..0
(lJ
·;:::
(lJ
>
.......
:::::1
+-'
5. 10
Input
20 B
:::::1
c 0

0 0

0 10 25
Time (min)

FIGUREQ2a

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 EDB 4233

b. i. The model for a packed-bed reactor system is given as

Y(s) 0.1 08e -445

---
X(s) 54s + 1
Determine the tuning constants for a feedback PID controller
applied to the system using the Ciancone tuning correlations
shown in APPENDIX Ill for the following response:
• Astep set-point change.
• A step disturbance change.
[6 marks}

ii. Compare TWO (2) major differences between process control and
safety control, and conclude how these differences highlight the
need for separation between the two types of control.
[4 marks}

5
 EDB 4233

3. a. Analyse the values of TWO (2) performance measures from the control
performance data shown in FIGURE Q3a.
[6 marks]

35~----~-------L------~----~L-----~------~
0 20 40 60 80 100 120

- 35~----~~--~~------~~~~------~----~
ID
..0
(13

I!: v~·-~-----1
·;:::

·c:
(IJ

2:
20L-----~-------L------~---~L-----~-----~
0 20 40 60 80 wo 120
Time (min)

FIGUREQ3a

6
 EDB 4233

b. Using the final value theorem, evaluate the value of the controlled
variable as t ~ oo for the feedback system shown in FIGURE Q3b with
a step set-point, SP(s). Let the transfer functions be
5
GJs) = 0.5 Gc(s) = Kc = 10 SP(s) =-
s

02 1
G (s) = · G (s) = Gd(s) = 1.
P 1.5s + 1 v 1.5s + 1

[6 marks]

E(s) G"a(s)

+ E(s) AHts) Cf-ts)

"P( '•
.01.5)
'~-
G.(s) G"I''(s) G/s) -0·

ev (.s)
J 711.' ..
G~(s)

FIGURE Q3b

7
 EDB 4233

c. FIGURE Q3c shows a stirred-tank heat exchanger system. A tight outlet

temperature control for this system is crucial. Assume that the feed
temperature is a significant disturbance. You are required to improve
the control performance of the system.

Feed
_..,.__.e-r···
0 .. um···n•••n·····•mn•mn••····~

I
T2 1----t I
I
I
Heating oil I
--- J

........lll.. ----. ••••• •• ··••• ...................... : ...... ..

FIGURE Q3c

i. Evaluate all cascade design criteria and select a suitable

cascade variable to be introduced in the system.
[4 marks]

ii. Evaluate the feasibility of implementing cascade controller and

propose an alternative solution.
[4 marks]

8
 EDB 4233

4. a. A multi-loop control scheme for a distillation column is to be used to

control product composition xd (top component) and xb (bottom

component). The manipulated variables are the reflux flow rate, R and
the steam flow rate, S. Experimental data for steady-state condition is
given in TABLE Q4.
TABLE Q4
Run R (lb/min) S (lb/min) xd xb
'
1 125 22 0.97 0.04
2 150 22 0.95 0.05
3 175 22 0.93 0.06
4 150 20 0.94 0.06
5 150 24 0.96 0.04

i. Calculate the steady-state gains.

[4 marks)

ii. Evaluate the Relative Gain Array (RGA) to determine the

recommended pairing between controlled and manipulated
variables.
[4 marks)

iii. Assess the appropriateness of the pairing from dynamic

consideration.
[2 marks)

9
 EDB 4233

b. FIGURE Q4b shows a circulating cooling system. Process fluid from the
reactor is pumped through an external heat exchanger and back into
the reactor. Cooling water (CW) flows to the shell side of the heat
exchanger. The feed .temperature has been identified as a significant
disturbance to the system.

Feed

FV3
Product
exchanger

FIGUREQ4b

i. Propose TWO (2) implementation issues of your improvement plan

using feedforward control strategy.
[4 marks]

ii. Design the proposed feedforward control scheme.

[4 marks]

iii. Evaluate why it is not possible to have a perfect feedforward control

system.
[2 marks]

10
 EDB 4233

5. a. Consider the dynamic model of a fired heater as given where T(s) is the
outlet temperature of the process fluid, A(s) is the oxygen reading in the
flue gas, p(s)is fuel pressure and v(s) is the stack damper opening. The
model is represented by the following transfer function;

0.6 -0.04
~T(s)J. = 2
2400s + 85s + 1 2
r
3000s +90s+ 1 p(s)]

lA(s)
-1.1
70s+1
0.3
70s+1
l v(s)

i. Determine whether the system is controllable.

[2 marks]

ii. Based on the gain matrix, K, choose the minimum singular value, CY
that is best for the above application.

Notes: CY = ~Ai[KTK], and A.i[KTK] = Detln- Kr K J

[4 marks]

iii. Evaluate the application of singular value for the fired heater.
[4 marks]

11
 EDB 4233

b. A transfer function for a distillation column is shown in FIGURE Q5b.

The product qualities were not measured directly, instead they were
inferred from the trayJemperatures. The controlled variables are tray
temperatures (°C) near the top, T4, and near the bottom, T14. The
manipulated variables are reflux flow, FR, and reboiler steam flow, Fs,
both in kg/h. XF is the disturbance in feed light key in mole fraction.

c 0.045 e -0. 5 s 0. 048 e -0. 5 s 0.004e-s

[T (s)]
4
~4(s) -
8.1s + 1 lls + 1
[F"(s)]+
F 8 (s)
8.5s + 1
XF(s)
- 0.23e-!5s 0.55e-0 ·5 s - 0.65e-s
8.1s+ 1 10s+1 9.2s + 1

Distillation
column

Feed

Reboiler

Product
..,.8
"j..-.;.....;;......&_ _

FIGURE Q5b

12
 EDB 4233

i. Discuss if any loop pairing can be eliminated based on the sign of

the relative gains (A-!i < 0).
[4 marks]

ii. Evaluate the performance of the remaining loop pairings using the
relative disturbance gain (RDG) for the feed light key disturbance.
[4 marks]

iii. Justify whether decoupling can be recommended.

[2 marks]

-END OF PAPER-

13
 EDB 4233

APPENDIX I

ZIEGLER-NICHOLS CLOSED LOOP TUNING CORRELATIONS

Controller Kc Tr
P-only Kul2
PI K,/2.2 Pu/1.2
PID Ku/1.7 Pu/2.0 Pul8

APPENDIX II

LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

Properties Theorem Time Domain s-domain

.,.,
Definition L[f(t)] = F(s) = [ f(t)e-" dt 8(t) 1

1
Linearity
theorem
L[lif(t)] = kF(s) u(t) -
s

t 1
Linearity
theorem
L[.J;(t) + / 2 (t)] = }\(s) + F2 (s) -
sz

Frequency shift L[e-a' f(t)] = F(s +a) t- -

2
sJ
theorem

Time shift l [f(t- T)] =e-sT F(s)

rz n!
-sn+l
theorem
e-at 1
Scaling theorem L[f(at)] = ±F(~) --
s+a
;;
cosmt s
Differentiation L[~] = sF(s)- f(O-) s 2 +a/
theorem

L[~[] = s F(s)- sf(O-)- f'(O-) sinmt {i)

2
Differentiation 8 z + mz
theorem
.,

Differentiation
theorem
L [ d"
dt
t] = s" F(s)- fsn-k fk-1(0-)
k=l

Integration
theorem
L[f~_f(r)dr J= F;s)
' ..

Final value j(a:J) = IimsF(s)

s->0
theorem
••••

Initial value f(O+) = IimsF(s)

s->oo
theorem

14
 EDB 4233

APPENDIX Ill

CIANCONE CORRELATIONS FOR DIMENSIONLESS TUNING CONSTANTS

(PID ALGORITHM)
.,~============~·
distudmnct•

.JO ~-.i..-.i..-.J.......J...-.k-.J.-...i.--'--+-~-J
J{)I..-..__..._..__..__..__..__..__..._...._..,J
o .to .20 .10 .410 . .so SJ .10 .ao .91> 1 o o "w ":m 30 .40 .sn m :m .so .~ ul

r'Uid~ «~ tD:m:c (~) ~deadtlmt (~)

{4) ({/)

1.0,__.---------""'"l 1.0.------------.
.91) -~
.so. .so
.10 - :m
t=m. "'m
s.+. ..so .so
.40 .40
.)0 • .30
.20 ..20
;lQ .tO
00 .ro oi....-.•.~..o-.20"'"·-.""'»-...
40.......so..___..~.60...........
10...........*>-...~.w
....· ...sHl
o .10 .:zo .JO 410 ..50 m. :ro .to .90 t o
~~,-~) "-taM !bd (~}
~)
~J

;;;·
+
-.lQ
~"'
lO .lQ

()L-~o-~..__~..._..._~~....~ .00 l.........~~.J.-,.J.-...L-..L-....1..-....1..-....1.-....!

o .m .:w .JO .40 ,jO HJ .tO .ao .90 1 .o 0 .Hl .20 .)0 .40 SO .60 .10 SO .91) U

p~ de\ld ~ (~) ~-~-(~)

(d (/}

For disturbance response: (a) control system gain, (b) integral time, (c) derivative time.
For set point response: (d) control system gain, (e) integral time, (f) derivative time.

15