CH158P Lecture Notes
h=h0 + F ( t ) dt
1. Process
A Process is a collection of equipment and other
materials, marked off by a boundary in space,
communication with its environment by
materials and energy streams.
Examples of Processes:
Mixing- most common processes
Chemical Reaction – used a vessel called
chemical reactor
Separation – adsorption, membrane filtration.
Membrane separation, chromatography,
sedimentation, etc.
Heating/ Cooling
A system is some collection of equipment and
operations, usually with a boundary,
communicating with its environment by a set of
input and output signals.
Input – disturbances, changes in operating
pressure, flow rate, speed, etc.
Output signal/ variable – (e.g., change in liquid
level)
Blending Tank
Material balance:
d maintain a process at the desired operating
( Vρ )=ρ Fi (t )
dt
Where d/dt serves as a rate of change in mass in
the tank, V is the volume with a constant
diameter, ρ is the density, and F is the
volumetric flow rate, which can change in time.
dh
A =F i (t )
dt
Where h is the height of liquid level in the tank.
1
A i
H refers to the time-dependent liquid level, h0
refers to the height of the liquid level when no
changes and flowrate occurs.
2. Process Dynamics
Process Dynamics refers to the analysis of the
dynamic behavior of a process as a response to
various types of inputs.
Dynamic behavior = time-dependent behavior
For example, a change in flow rate in the feed
will cause a dynamic change in the liquid level in
the tank.
3. Process Control
Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (PID)
Process control is an application area of
chemical engineering that combines the
knowledge of the chemical process and an
understanding of dynamic systems.
 Knowledge of chemical processes –
understanding how physics, chemistry,
and biology work in the operating
equipment.
 Understanding dynamic systems –
understanding the process dynamics
The primary objective of process control is to
conditions safely and efficiently while satisfying
environmental and product quality
requirements.
Contribution of process control and dynamics
also for productivity and profit.
Automatic progress control (advantages)
 Enhance process safety
 Satisfy environmental constraints
  Meet ever-stricter product quality
specifications
 Efficiently use of raw materials and
energy
 Increase profitability
Control Systems
A process control system has four major
elements: the process, the measuring element
or sensor/ transmitter, the controller, and the
Final Control Element (FCE). The input to each
block is also shown by the broken lines.
Controller error ( e(t) = (Set point (SP) – Process
Variable (PV))
Common attributed of control systems
 DISTURBANCE REJECTION
The ability to maintain the process
variable at its desired value in spite of
disturbances that might be
experienced.
 SET POINT TRACKING
The ability to move the process variable
from one setting to a new desired
setting.
Definition
 Controlled variable –process variable to
be maintained at a particular value.
(e.g., liquid level in the tank,
temperature/flowrate of the stream)
 Manipulated variable – process
variable that is adjusted to bring the
controlled variable back to the set
point.
 Disturbance variable (load) –any
variable that cause the controlled
variable to change.
 Set point – the desired value of
controlled variable.
Process control terminology
Set-point change
Implementing a change in the operating
conditions
The set-point signal is changed and the
manipulated variable is adjusted appropriately
to achieve the new operating conditions.
Also called servomechanism (or “servo”) control
Disturbance change
The process transient behavior when a
disturbance enters
Also called regulatory control or load change
A control system should be able to return each
controlled variable back to its set-point.