CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION TO

PROCESS CONTROL
When I complete this chapter, I want to be
able to do the following.

• Explain the feedback concept applied to

control
• Explain and identify the three elements in
a feedback loop
• Be able to apply feedback manually to
many chemical process examples
CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION TO
PROCESS CONTROL
Outline of the lesson.

• Why Process Control and Why Now?

• Basic Questions about Control
- What does a feedback system do?
- Why is control necessary?
- Why is control possible?
- Where is control done?
- How is control documented?

• Workshop
• Self-Study Guides
WHY HAVE A PROCESS CONTROL COURSE?

• When I run a kinetics experiment, how do I

maintain the temperature and level at desired
values?

• How do I manufacture products with

consistently high quality when raw material
properties change?

• How much time do I have to respond to a

dangerous situation?

Every engineer needs basic knowledge about control.

Many exciting career opportunities exist for a
technical specialist.
 WHY NOW FOR THE CONTROL COURSE?

• We started with steady-state analysis

because it is easier and important.

• We are building expertise in fundamentals

(fluids, heat transfer, thermo, etc.) and
process units (distillation, CSTR, etc.). Now
we have examples that need control!

• We need to master control before integrating

our knowledge in process design?

It’s a perfect time to learn how to “drive” the chemical

process. With this insight, we will be able to design plants
that can be controlled safely and produce high quality products.
 WHAT DOES A FEEDBACK SYSTEM DO?

Let’s look at a few examples first. Then, we will

develop a general concept.

• Describe your method

for driving a car.
• Could you drive a car
without looking out
the windshield?
• What must be
provided by the car
designer?
• Can a “good design”
eliminate the need to
steer?
 THERMOCOUPLES

When a junction between dissimilar wires is heated, an

EMF (voltage) is developed, which can be read by a
millivolt transmitter

THERMOCOUPLE HEAD
LEAD WIRE

A A + Cu
MILLIVOLT
TRANSMITTER
B B - Cu
HOT JUNCTION (T1 )
COLD JUNCTION (T2 )

ISA TYPE A (+) B (-)

E CHROMEL CONSTANTAN Typical
J IRON CONSTANTAN
K CHROMEL ALUMEL High T
T COPPER CONSTANTAN
 WHAT DOES A FEEDBACK SYSTEM DO?

Let’s look at a few examples first. Then, we will

develop a general concept.

• Describe how home

heating works.
• Describe the dynamic
behavior of T.
• What must be
provided by the house
designer?
• Can a “good design”
eliminate the need to
change the heating?
WHAT DOES A FEEDBACK SYSTEM DO?
Why does the temperature cycle?

Is this good enough for all variables in a chemical process?

Hint: if “yes”, the course is over!
 WHAT DOES A FEEDBACK SYSTEM DO?
The control systems appear to have three basic elements.

Desired value

CONTROLLER

FINAL
ELEMENT SENSOR
PROCESS
Inputs Outputs
WHAT DOES A FEEDBACK SYSTEM DO?

What is a typical “final element” for

chemical processes?

Desired value

CONTROLLER
What is the meaning
FINAL
SENSOR
of the arrows?
ELEMENT
PROCESS
Inputs Outputs

How do we select the sensor

location?
 CONTROL VALVE

• The final control element

Actuator
is usually a control valve
 Exceptions: electric
heaters, mixers, variable
speed drives

• The actuator is either a

motor or a bellows that
opens or closes the valve
in response to the signal
Valve

Source: Valve Manufacturer’s Association, www.vma.org

 WHAT DOES A FEEDBACK SYSTEM DO?
Desired value

CONTROLLER

FINAL
ELEMENT SENSOR
PROCESS
Inputs Outputs

CONTROL (verb): To maintain desired conditions in a

physical system by adjusting selected variables in the system.

FEEDBACK CONTROL makes use of an output of a system

to influence an input to the same system.

input = cause output = effect

 WHAT DOES A FEEDBACK SYSTEM DO?

Caution: Common misunderstanding in terminology!

Common vernacular Engineering & Science

Negative feedback: “You are Negative feedback: Action

an idiot! to reduce the error from
desired.
Good!
Positive feedback: That was Positive feedback: Action to
a good idea. Thank you! increase the error from
desired.
 WHY IS CONTROL NECESSARY?

One word: DISTURBANCES! Give some

examples in the CSTR in the figure.

We want to achieve the

v1 following:
1. Safety
T 2. Environmental Protect.
3. Equipment protect.
A 4. Smooth operation
CB 5. Product quality
6. Profit
v2 7. Monitoring and diagnosis

Chapter 2
WHY IS CONTROL NECESSARY?

xD
One word:
DISTURBANCES!
FR
Give some examples
in the distillation
FV tower in the figure.

xB
 WHY IS CONTROL POSSIBLE?

Control is possible only if the engineer provides

the required equipment during process design.
Part 1: Control equipment

Communication
Final v1
element
T

Sensors A
Computing
CB and interface
for person
v2

Final element
 WHY IS CONTROL POSSIBLE?

Control is possible only if the engineer provides

the required equipment during process design.
Part 2: Process equipment

v1

How do we
T
determine
the reactor A
volume?
CB

v2
How do we determine
the heat transfer area?
 WHERE IS CONTROL DONE?

Sensors, local
indicators, and
valves in the process

Displays of variables,
calculations, and commands
to valves are in the
centralized control center.
Shows an older-style
control panel
 WHERE IS CONTROL DONE?

Sensors, local
Central control room indicators, and
valves in the process

Displays of variables,
calculations, and commands
to valves are in the
centralized control center.
Shows a modern, computer-
based control panel
HOW IS CONTROL DESIGN DOCUMENTED?

Piping and instrumentation (P&I) drawings provide

documentation.
• The system is too complex to describe in text.
• We must use standard symbols.

FC F = flow
L = level
TC LC P = pressure
A
T = temperature
…..
 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION - WORKSHOP 1

You are implementing

control “manually”. Flow Control

a. Explain the principle

for a typical flow
sensor
sensor
b. Explain how the final
element affects the
controlled variable.
c. Explain the correct
action if you want to pump valve
increase the controlled
variable
 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION - WORKSHOP 2

You are implementing

control “manually”. Level Control

a. Explain the principle

sensor
for a typical liquid
level sensor
b. Explain how the final
element affects the
controlled variable.
c. Explain the correct
action if you want to
increase the controlled pump valve

variable
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION - WORKSHOP 3

You are selling a gas to a customer based on the volumetric

flow at standard conditions. You decide to use an orifice
meter to measure the flow rate.
You have learned that the gas flow density may change by
-10% from its design (expected) value. What do you do?

Orifice meter

Our Customer
plant
compressor valve
CHAPTER 1 : INTRO. TO PROCESS CONTROL

How are we doing?

• Explain the feedback concept applied to

control
• Explain and identify the three elements in
a feedback loop
• Be able to apply feedback manually to
many chemical process examples

Lot’s of improvement, but we need some more study!

• Read the textbook
• Review the notes, especially learning goals and workshop
• Try out the self-study suggestions
• Naturally, we’ll have an assignment!
 CHAPTER 1: LEARNING RESOURCES

• SITE PC-EDUCATION WEB

- Instrumentation Notes
- Interactive Learning Module (Chapter 1)
- Tutorials (Chapter 1/2)
• Textbook Appendix A on drawing symbols
- See references for much more detail or symbols
 CHAPTER1:
SUGGESTIONS FOR SELF-STUDY

1. Write down the rules (algorithm) that you use when you
drive an automobile or bicycle.
2. Formulate questions with answers and trade with
members of your study group.
3. Find a P&I drawing in one of the textbook references (or
recent volume of Chemical Engineering Practice),
explain the strategy, and prepare questions for your
instructor on aspects that you do not understand.
4. Find examples of control systems in your house. (Hint:
look at the heating, air conditioning, toilet tank, and the
most highly automated room, the kitchen.