Process Dynamics & Control

Ch.E- 410

Muhammad Rashed Javed

 Chemical Process Control
2
 All the requirements listed above dictate the need for
continuous monitoring of the operation of a chemical plant
and external intervention (control) to guarantee the satisfaction
of the operational objectives.
 This is accomplished through a rational arrangement of
equipment(measuring devices, valves, controllers, computers)
and human intervention (plant designers, plant operators),
which together constitute the control system.
There are three general classes of needs that a control system is
called on to satisfy:
1. Suppressing the influence of external disturbances
2. Ensuring the stability of a chemical process
3. Optimizing the performance of a chemical process

Let us examine these needs using various examples.

Process Dynamics & Control

 3. Optimizing the performance of a
3
chemical process
 Safety and the satisfaction of production specifications are the
two principal operational objectives for a Chemical plant.
Once these are achieved, the next goal is how to make the
operation of the plant more profitable.
 Given the fact that the conditions which affect the operation of
the plant do not remain the same, it is clear that we would like
to be able to change the operation of the plant (flow rates,
pressures, concentrations, temperatures) in such a way that an
economic objective (profit) is always maximized. This task is
undertaken by the automatic controllers of the plant and its
human operators.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Example 1.3- Optimizing the
4
performance of a Batch Reactor
 Consider a batch reactor where the following two consecutive
reactions take place:

 Both reactions are assumed to be endothermic with first-order

kinetics.
 The heat required for the reactions is supplied by steam which
flows through the jacket around the reactor (Figure 1.10).

Process Dynamics & Control

 Example 1.3
5

 The desired product is B; C is an undesired waste. The economic

objective for the operation of the batch reactor is to maximize
the profit φ over a period of time tR: that is:

 where tR is the period of reaction. The only variable that we can

change freely in order to maximize the profit is the steam flow
rate Q. The steam flow rate, which can vary with time, will
affect the temperature in the batch reactor and the
temperature will, in turn, affect the rates of the desired and
undesired reactions. The question is how we should vary Q(t)
with time so that the profit φ is maximized.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Example 1.3
6

 Let us examine some special policies with respect to Q(t).

1. If Q(t) is given the largest possible value for the entire reaction
period tR, the temperature of the reacting mixture will take the
largest value that is possible. Initially, when CA is large, we will have
high yields of B but we will also pay more for the steam. As time
goes on and the concentration of B increases, the yield of C also
increases. Consequently, toward the end of the reaction period the
temperature must decrease, necessitating a decrease in the steam
flow rate.
2. If the steam flow rate is kept at its lowest value [i.e., Q(t) = 0] for the
entire reaction period tR, we will have no steam cost, but we will
also have no production of B.
 We see clearly from these two extreme cases that Q(t) will vary
between its lowest and highest values during the reaction
period tR. How it should vary to maximize the profit is not trivial
and requires the solution of the optimization problem posed
above.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Example 1.3
7

 In Figure 1.11 we see a general trend that the steam flow rate
must follow to optimize the profit C). Therefore a control system
is needed which will (1) compute the best steam flow rate for
every time during the reaction period and (2) adjust the valve
(inserted in the steam line) so that the steam flow rate takes its
best value (as computed in (1)). Such problems are known as
optimal control problems.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Chemical Process Control
8
 All the requirements listed above dictate the need for
continuous monitoring of the operation of a chemical plant
and external intervention (control) to guarantee the satisfaction
of the operational objectives.
 This is accomplished through a rational arrangement of
equipment(measuring devices, valves, controllers, computers)
and human intervention (plant designers, plant operators),
which together constitute the control system.
There are three general classes of needs that a control system is
called on to satisfy:
1. Suppressing the influence of external disturbances
2. Ensuring the stability of a chemical process
3. Optimizing the performance of a chemical process

Let us examine these needs using various examples.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Exercises
9

Process Dynamics & Control

 Excercises
10
 Mark the following statements as True or False?
a) Feedback and feedforward control both require a measured
variable.
b) The process variable to be controlled is measured in
feedback control
c) Feedforward control can provide perfect control; that is,
the output can be kept at its desired value, even with an
imperfect process model.
d) Feedforward control can be perfect in the theoretical
sense that the controller can take action via the manipulated
variable even while the controlled variable remains equal to
its desired value.
e) Feedback control will always take action regardless of
the accuracy of any process model that was used to design it
and the source of a disturbance.

Process Dynamics & Control