Solutions:

Questions from the book Process Dynamics and Control, 4th Edition
Dale E. Seborg, Thomas F. Edgar, Duncan A. Mellichamp, Francis J. Doyle III
Chapter 1 Introduction to Process Control in textbook links to webcast Lecure 1 a-c

1.5 Driving an automobile safely requires considerable skill. Even if not generally
recognized, the driver needs an intuitive ability to utilize feedforward and feedback control
methods.
(a) In the process of steering a car, one objective is to keep the vehicle generally centered in
the proper traffic lane. Thus, the controlled variable is some measure of that distance. If so,
how is feedback control used to accomplish this objective? Identify the sensor(s), the
actuator, how the appropriate control action is determined, and some likely disturbances.
(b) The process of braking or accelerating an automobile is highly complex, requiring the
skillful use of both feedback and feedforward mechanisms to drive safely. For feedback
control, the driver normally uses distance to the vehicle ahead as the measured variable. This
“set point” is often recommended to be some distance related to speed, for example, one car
length separation for each 10 mph. If this recommendation is used, how does feedforward
control come into the accelerating/braking process when one is attempting to drive in traffic
at a constant speed? In other words, what other information—in addition to distance
separating the two vehicles—does the driver utilize to avoid colliding with the car ahead?

Solutions:
a) In steering a car, the driver's eyes are the sensor; the drivers hands and the steering system
of the car serve as the actuator; and the driver's brain constitutes the controller (formulates the
control action i.e., turning the steering wheel to the right when the observed position of the
car within its desired path is too far to the left and vice versa). Turns in the road, obstructions
in the road that must be steered around, etc. represent disturbances.

b) In braking and accelerating, a driver has to estimate mentally (on a practically continuous
basis) the distance separating his/her car from the one just ahead and then apply brakes, coast,
or accelerate to keep that distance close to the desired one. This process represents true
feedback control where the measured variable (distance of separation) is used to formulate an
appropriate control response and then to actuate the brakes/accelerator according to the
driver's best judgment. Feedforward control comes into the picture when the driver uses
information other than the controlled variable (separation distance) that represents any
measure of disturbance to the ongoing process; included would be observations that brake
lights on preceding vehicle(s) are illuminating, that cars are arriving at a narrowing of the
road, etc. Most good drivers also pay close attention to the rate of change of separation
distance, which should remain close to zero. Later we will see that use of this variable, the
time derivative of the controlled variable, is just another element in feedback control because
a function of the controlled variable is involved.

1.7 The distillation column shown in Fig. E1.7 is used to distill a binary mixture. Symbols x,
y, and z denote mole fractions of the more volatile component, while B, D, R, and F represent
molar flow rates. It is desired to control distillate composition y despite disturbances in feed
flow rate F. All flow rates can be measured and manipulated with the exception of F, which
can only be measured. A composition analyser provides measurements of y.
(a) Propose a feedback control method and sketch the schematic diagram.
(b) Suggest a feedforward control method and sketch the schematic diagram.

Solutions:
a) Feedback Control:
Measured variable: y
Manipulated variable: D, R, or B (schematic below shows using D as a manipulated variable)
b) Feedforward Control:
Measured variable: F
Manipulated variable: D, R, or B (schematic below shows using D as a manipulated variable)