PROCESS CONTROL

PC CHP 4
Example
Consider a continuous stirred tank blending system
where two input systems are blended to produce an
outlet stream that has the desired composition.
Stream 1 is a mixture of two species A and B. We
assume that its mass flow rate is constant but the
mass fraction of A (x1) varies with time. Stream 2
consists of pure A and thus x2=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 by xsp.
X1, w1 X2, w2

X, w

Control Question: Suppose that inlet concentration x1 varies with

time. How can we ensure that the outlet composition x remains at
or near its desired value.
 Method 1.
Measure x and adjust w2.
 if x is high, w2 should be reduced
 if x is low, w2 should be increased

X2, w2

X1, w1

X, w
AT
(Analyzer-Transmitter)

(Feedback Control)
Method 2
Measure x1 and adjust w2.

AT
X2, w2

X1, w1

X, w

(Feed forward Control)

Design Question: If the nominal value of x1 is x1,s
what nominal flow rate w2 is required to produce the
desired outlet concentration xsp.
With a st-st material balance,
w1+ w2 –w = 0 ( overall balance)
w1x1,s + w2x2,s – wxsp = 0 (component A balance)
w1x1,s+w2(1.0)-(w1+w2)xsp=0

xsp  x1, s
w2  w1
1  xsp
X1, w1 X2, w2
 Consider a more general
version of the blending
system where stream 2
is not pure and volume of
the tank may vary with
X, w
time.
(! Not an overflow system
any more but a draining
system)

Objective is again to keep x at the desired value

A unsteady state mass balance gives;

rate of rate of
rate of accumulation of
mass in the tank mass in mass out

The mass of liquid in the tank can be

expressed as product of the liquid and the
density.
 system: liquid in the tank
 assumptions:
1. tank is well mixed
2. density of liquid is not changing with composition
change

Total material balance;

{rate of mass in} - {rate of mass out} = {rate of accumulation of mass}
The rate expression in real form is,

w1t  w2 t  wt  V t  t  V t

Dividing by Δt and taking limit as Δt →0 gives

d
w1  w2  w  (V )
dt
Component balance;
d
w1 x1  w2 x2  wx  (Vx)
dt

Considering the constant density assumption

equations become;

dV
w1  w2  w   Equation 1
dt
d (Vx) dx dV
w1 x1  w2 x2  wx    V  x Equation 2
dt dt dt
Replacing Equation (1) into Equation (2) gives;

dx w1 ( x1  x ) w2 ( x2  x )
 
dt V V
dV 1
 ( w1  w2  w)
dt 

With these two equations system behavior is

mathematically defined.
Degrees of Freedom Analysis:

Parameter(s): ρ
variables: V, x1, w1, x2, w2, x, w
equations: (dV/dt and dx/dt)
D.O.F = 7-2 = 5
outputs: V, x
inputs: x1, w1, x2, w2, w

disturbances: x1, w1, x2

manipulated variables: w2, w (x vs w2 and V vs w as
the control structures)
Example

Fi, Ti
Goal: The dynamic response of
temperature of the liquid in the
tank is to be determined.
System: The liquid in the tank.
Assumptions:
1. tank is well mixed
F, T
2. Physical properties of the
system are not changing during
the process.
Total mass balance:
Fi t  Ft  Aht  t  Aht
d
Fi   F  ( Ah )
dt
dh
A  Fi  F
dt

with constant ρ and cross-sectional area A

flow rates are given in units of volumetric flow rates
Total energy balance:
Fi c p (Ti  Tref )t  Fc p (T  Tref )t  Qt
 Ahc p (T  Tref )t  t  Ahc p (T  Tref ) t
d
Fi c p (Ti  Tref )  Fc p (T  Tref )  Q  Ahc p (T  Tref )
dt

with constant ρ, Cp and assuming Tref =0 gives

Q d ( hT ) dT dh
FiTi  FT  A  Ah  AT
c p dt dt dt
dh
A  Fi  F
dt
dT Q
Ah  Fi (Ti  T ) 
dt c p
D.O.F Analysis

Parameter(s): ρ,cp
variables: V, T
equations: (dh/dt and dT/dt)
D.O.F = 2-2 = 0
outputs: V, T
inputs: Fi, Ti, Fst
disturbances: Fi, Ti,
manipulated variables: no control structures
Example
Consider the typical liquid
qi storage process shown in the
figure, where qi and q are
volumetric flow rates.
h
Assuming constant density and
cross sectional area A a mass
q
balance gives:

dh
A  qi  q
dt
There are three important variations in the
liquid storage processes:
1. The inlet or outlet flow rates might be
constant. In that case the exit flow rate is
independent of the liquid level over a wide
range of conditions. Consequently qin=qout
at the steady state conditions.
2. The tank exit line may function simply
as a resistance to flow from the tank or
it may contain a valve that provides
significant resistance to flow at a single
point. In the simplest case, the flow may
be assumed to be linearly related to the
driving force, the liquid level.
1
q  h
Rv
dh 1
A  qi  h
dt Rv
3. A more realistic expression for flow rate q can
be obtained when a fixed valve has been
placed in the exit line and turbulent flow can be
assumed. The driving force for flow through the
valve is the pressure drop ΔP, ΔP=P-Pa where
P is pressure at the bottom of the tank and Pa
is pressure at the end of the exit line.

P  Pa
F  Cv *

Cv* is the valve constant
Example
Fi, Ti, CAi Consider the Continuous Stirred Tank
Reactor (CSTR) in which a simple liquid
phase irreversible chemical reaction
takes place.
F, T, CA
A B
r=kCA
r : rate of reaction
k : reaction rate constant,
k=k0exp(-E/RT)
CA : molar concentration
Cooling
medium
 system: liquid in the tank
 assumptions;
1. CSTR is perfectly mixed
2. Mass densities of feed and product are
equal and constant
3. Liquid volume is kept constant by an
overflow line.
4. The thermal capacitances of the coolant
and the cooling coil wall are negligible
compared to the thermal capacitance of the
liquid.
5. Coolant temperature is constant. (change in
the tank is negligible)
6. Rate of heat transfer to coolant is given by,
Q=UA(Tc-T), where U,A are parameters.
7. Heat of mixing is negligible compared to the
heat of reaction.
8. Shaft work and heat losses are negligible.
 Total mass balance;
d
Fi  F  ( V )
dt

With constant ρ and V, Fi=F

 Component balance for species A (in molar units);

dC A
FC Ai  FC A  VkCA  V
dt

 Energy balance;

dT
wC p (Ti  T )  (H R )VkCA  UA(Tc  T )  VC p
dt