Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Faculty of Engineering & Green Technology

Academic Year 2014/2015
Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)
Petrochemical Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Process Control and Instrumentation
(UGPA2083)
Year 2, Trimester 3, February 2015
Week 8
Assignment 1

Midterm Exam
(Paper II)
Answer 1
Date

: 2 March 2015

Time: 8:00 am 10:00 am.

Venue : EDK 2
Type of Exam : Individual and closed book
Total Number of Questions: 5

Q1. (a) A process for the isothermal production of C from A and B (A + B

C) is as shown in
Figure 1. The Two reagents are fed to a continuous-stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), R-100, where
complete conversion of B is assumed. The reactor effluent stream, consisting of C and un-reacted
A, is separated in a distillation column, T-100, where the more volatile A is withdrawn in the
distillate and recycled, and product C is withdrawn in the bottoms stream. Note that the 8
available control valves in Figure 1 are identified. Your task is to design a conceptual process
control system with instrumentation to ensure that the process provides stable production at a
desire level while meeting quality specifications.

A+ B

V-2

V-4

V-1

R-100

A
A

VB, FA,
FC

T-100

V-3

V-5

P-B1/B2

P-A1/A2

V-8

V-6

B
V-7

C
x
P-C1/C2

Figure 1: A process flow diagram production of C from A and B.

(14 marks)

(a) Provides stable production

(b) Sketch the process control loops and instruments on a typical configuration of the pump (P-A1/A2).

P A1

P A2

(6 marks)
[Total : 20 marks]

Q2. (a)

A blending tank system is as shown in Figure 2 with liquid height h, inlet volumetric flow rate
q and outlet mass flow rate w , w . It is given that the tank cross sectional area A =
1
2
3
0.1 m2 and the streams q , w and w are of same liquid with density = 900 kg/m3.
1

It is also given that w

= 2h and w

= 5h. (w1 = q1

q1 (volumetric flow)

W3 = 5h
(mass flow)

W2 = 2h
(mass flow)

(Cross sectional area, A = 0.1 m2)

Figure 2: A blending tank system.

(i)

Provide the overall mass balance.bbb

dm
dt

(ii)

dh
dt

= 900 q1 - (2h + 5h) = 900 q1 - 7h

Write an appropriate dynamic model for the tank level

900 ( 0.1 )

dh
dt

dh
dt

= 900 q1 - 7h
dh
dt

(iii)

m = V = Ah

= w1 - (w2 + w3),

= 10 q1 -

Derive transfer function of

H ' ( s)
Q' ( s)

7
90 h
k
in standard format ( s+1

assuming h(0) = 0.

dh
dt

]=

7
90 h ]

[10 q1 -

sH(s) - h(0) = 10 Q(s) -

7
90 H(s)
7
90 H(s) = 10 Q(s),

sH(s) +

H '( s)
Q ' (s)

&

(iv)

H '(s)
Q '( s)

1
4 s+1

H(s) ( s +

900
7
90
s +1
7

k
s+1

where k =

2
4 s+1

900
7
90
s +1
7

), determine the values for h(t) at t = 0 and t =

900
7
90
s +1
7

, H(s) =

2
4 s+1

Let

1800
7
90
( s+1)
7

A=

1800
7
( 4 s+1 )

A =

900
7

90
7

Q'1 ( s ) =

If

10
7
s+
90

7
90 ) = 10 Q(s)

81,000
217

s=-

1
4 s+1

7
90

)=

A
90
( s+1)
7

B=

1800
7
( 4 s+1 )

3,600
B =
31

B
4 s+1

s=-

1
4

1800
7
90
( s+1)
7

H(s) =

h(t) =

81,000
90
217 ( s+1)
7

3,600
31(4 s+1)

7
81,000
3,600
7 90 t

e
( 217
31
90

h( =

900
( 0)
31

900
31

t
4

(0) = 0 ,

=0,

( 4
=

900 90 t
e
31

h( 0 =

900
(1)
31

900
31
900
31

t
4

(1)

(b)

A current to pressure transducer is used to convert a 4 20 mA electronic signal into a 3 15

PSI pneumatic signal. This particular transducer is configured for reverse action instead of direct,
meaning that its pressure output at 4 mA should be 15 PSI and its pressure output at 20 mA should
be 3 PSI. Calculate the necessary current signal value to produce an output pressure of 12.7 PSI.

Controller
I/P transducer
(15 to PSI reverse action)

Current = ?

12.7 PSI

Air Supply
Figure 4: A current to pressure transducer.

Q3.

Thomas is working as a chemical process engineer in an ink manufacturing plant. The plant consists
of equipment with combination of heating and blending process as shown in Figure 3. The heating
process is to enable the pigment to fully dissolve into the solvent, where Q is the heat of solution.
Solvent
1
=
.
Normally, the weight mixing ratio of Pigment 0.08
The flow rate is based on the customer
order. A steady state, the production is 1,200 liters of ink in 8 hours continuously.
Given Information
Density solvent,

Density of pigment,

solvent

= density ink,

pigment

ink

= 1,100 kg/m3

= 2,000 kg/m3;

Tank volume, V = 200 liters; w1 = q1

Heat capacity of solvent, C1, solvent = 3,200 J/kg.oC;

C2, pigment = 2,800 J/kg.oC and
C3, ink = 3,150 J/kg.oC
Pigment at T2 = 40 oC, w2

Solvent at
T1 = 60 oC,

w1
V = 200 liters

Figure 3: A blending tank system with heater.

(a)

Provide the overall mass & energy balance.

Mass balance : w1 + w2 = w3
Energy balance:

v C v

d T3
dt

dH
dT
=v C v
+Q
dt
dt

= w1 Cv1 T1 + w2 Cv2 T2 - w3 Cv3 T3 + Q

Ink at
T3 = 70 oC,

w3

(b)

Derive the general model

1,200 x

1 m3
1,000

dT
dt

for the ink production system.

x 1,100 kg/m3 = 1,320 kg/8hr = 165 kg/hr

Since w2 = 0.08 w1 ,

w3 = w1 + w2 ,

165 = w1 + 0.08 w1 = 1.08 w1

w1 = 152.78 kg/hr ,w2 = 12.22 kg/hr

v C v

(c)

d T3
dt

= w1 Cv1 T1 + w2 Cv2 T2 - w3 Cv3 T3 + Q

Calculate the production flow rate (w3) of ink (kg/hr)

w3 = w1 + w2 = 165 kg/hr
(d) At the steady state, estimate the flow rate of solvent (w1) and
the flow rate of pigment (w2) (kg/hr).
W3 = 1,200 x

1 m3
1,000

Since w2 = 0.08 w1 ,

x 1,100 kg/m3 = 1,320 kg/8hr = 165 kg/hr

w3 = w1 + w2 ,

165 = w1 + 0.08 w1 = 1.08 w1

w1 = 152.78 kg/hr ,w2 = 12.22 kg/hr
(e)

Determine the amount of Q needs to be added during steady state in order to

maintain the exit stream, w3 at 70 oC.

10

v C v

d T3
dt

At steady state,

= w1 Cv1 T1 + w2 Cv2 T2 - w3 Cv3 T3 + Q

dT3
=0
dt

11

Q = 5,680 kJ/hrQ4. A blending tank as shown in Figure 5 has

two inlet streams with mas flow rates w1, w2 and an exit stream with flow rate w3. It incorporates a valve
on the outflow line that is used to establish flow rate w3. In addition, the nominal inlet stream mass
fractions of component A are x1 = x2 = 0.5.
The process has been operating for a long time with constant flow rates and inlet concentrations.
Under these conditions, it has come to steady state with exit mass fraction x3 = 0.5 and level h = 1.75
m.

w2

w1

X2 = 0.5

X1 = 0.5

h = 1.75 m

w3 , X3 = 0.5
Figure 5: A blending tank with a valve on the outflow line
The liquid storage container is a cylindrical tank with 2.5 m tall and 2.0 m in diameter. During
normal operating procedure, it is filled up to liquid level reaches a nominal value of 1.75 m using
constant flow rates:
w1 = 120 kg/min,
w2 = 100 kg/min and
w3 = 200 kg/min.
At this point, inlet flow rate w1 is adjusted so that the level remains constant. All streams have
density of 800 kg/m3.
Using the information, w3 = Cv

h (kg/min) where Cv is constant value and h is height in meters,

answer the following questions:

(a) Provide the overall material balance.
(b) Derive the model of tank level

( dhdt )

during normal operation.

(c) Estimate the time to reach the liquid level at 1.75 meters.
d x3
(d) Derive the model of exit mass fraction ( dt .
(e) What is the value of w3 (kg/min) and the constant, Cv at the initial steady?

12

(f) Determine the liquid level (h) if the mass flow rates w1, w2 and w3 are kept constant. Will
the tank eventually overflow?

13

Model of process
Overall material balance:

dh
dt

= w1 + w2 Cv

14

dh
=0
dt

Find h = ?

Q5. (a) State the primary objectives of the process engineer when specifying instrumentation and control
schemes and give in your own word to express the basic rules of process control.

(b) Find the Laplace transformation ( L

(i)
(ii)

(c)

(i)

L{4 e5 t +6 t 3

of the following functions:

3 sin 4t + 2 cos 2t}

2t
L{e ( 3 sin 4 t4 cos 4 t ) }

(LT-book, P13, Q-6)

(LT-book, P31, Q-58e)

Find the complete time-domain solution for the differential equation using Laplace
transforms:
d2 x
dx
t
+6 + 25 x=e
2
dt
dt

dx(0)
dt

x(0) = 0 ,

= 0

(Textbook, P76, Q-3.13c)

(ii)

The differential equation

d2 y
dy
+ 6 +9 y=cos t
2
dt
dt
dy (0)
dt

has initial conditions, y(0) = 1 ,

= 2.

Find Y(s) and y(t).

(Textbook, P76, Q-3.16)

(iii)

If Y(s) =

s+1
s (s + 4 s+ 8)
2

, find y(t).

(Textbook, P76, Q-3.16)

(iv)

Evaluate

t 3 et sin t dt

(LT-book, P37, Q-129)

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