Modeling for Simulation

and Control of Acid-Base

Neutralization Systems
Frank Rytkonen, P.E.
Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering
Standards and Renewable Energy
Certification
Education & Training
Oregon Institute of Technology - Portland
Publishing
Conferences & Exhibits
pH Control

• Control of pH is notoriously difficult due to the extreme

nonlinearity that occurs on either side of the neutral point
of pH = 7
• This is due to the fact that pH is the negative log of the
hydrogen ion concentration [H+]

pH   log 10[ H  ]
Excess Hydrogen

• Rather than modeling the concentrations of both H+ and

OH-, excess hydrogen concentration is modeled:
 pH pH 14
c  10  10
• With this formula, a pH range of 0 to 14 corresponds to a
range of c from 1 to -1, with pH = 7 equalling c = 0.
Tank Model

dco (t ) qa (t )
 ca  co (t )  qc (t ) cc  co (t )  qi (t )qi (t )  qm (t ) ci (t )  co (t )
dt V V Vqm (t )
Rate of Change Excess [H+] due to Excess [H+] due to Excess [H+] due to
of Excess [H+] Acid Addition Rate CausticAddition Rate Influent Addition Rate

where:
ci, co, ca, cc: excess [H+] in the influent, effluent, acid, and
caustic streams respectively
qi, qa, qc: volumetric flow rate of the influent, acid, or caustic
reagent streams respectively
V: tank working volume
qm: volumetric tank mixing flow rate
Tank Model Assumptions

• The tank is considered to be of constant volume, well-mixed,

with a strong-acid/strong-base system
• Assumed no buffering occurs
• No reagent addition dead time is included
• A corrected residence time based on mixing was used with
the influent flow term: V V V
 
q mix qi qi  qm
qm  1000 N Q N s Di3
where
NQ: impeller flow number (dimensionless)
Ns: impeller speed (rpm)
Di: impeller diameter (m)
Tank Model
Simulink Implementation
Sensor Model

• The sensor is modeled as a first-order lag system

followed by a nonlinearity (Wiener process)
 co (t )  cm (t )
dcm (t ) 1
dt 
pm (t )   log 10  0.25cm (t )   1014  0.5cm (t )
2
 
where:
co, cm: excess [H+] in the effluent and measurement
pm: measured effluent pH
t: measurement lag time constant
Sensor Model
Simulink Implementation
Valve Model

• The valve is also modeled as a first-order lag system

followed by a nonlinearity
  pc (t )  pv (t )
dpv (t ) 1
dt 

qr (t )  Cv  pv 
dp
sg
where:
pc, pv: commanded and actual valve position, respectively
qr: reagent flow (either acid or caustic)
t: valve time constant
dp: differential pressure
sg: specific gravity of the liquid
Valve Model
Simulink Implementation
Controller Model
Simulink Implementation
References

• G.C. Goodwin, S.F. Graebe, and M.E. Salgado, Control System Design.
Belmont, CA: Prentice-Hall 2001.
• Product Bulletin 26.1:CR, 26000 Series Corrosion Resistant Control Valve,
Baumann (A division of Emerson Process Management)., Pittsburgh, PA,
November 2001. Available:
http://euedocs.emersonprocess.co.uk/idcplg?IdcService=DOC_INFO&dID=2270
99&dDocName=26.1.CR
• Section 8.32, “pH Control,” in Instrument Engineers’ Handbook, Vol. II Process
Control and Optimization, 4th ed., B. Liptak, Ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press,
2006
• G.K. McMillan and R.A. Cameron, Advanced pH Measurement and Control.
Research Triangle Park, NC: ISA 2005.
• Publication 1756-RM003K-EN-P, Logix5000 Controllers General Instructions,
Rockwell Automation, Milwaukee, WI, July 2008. Available:
http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/rm/1756
-rm003_-en-p.pdf
• B.W. Bequette, Process Control: Modeling, Design, and Simulation. Prentice-
Hall 2003.