CHE334 Instrumentation and

Process Control
Week 2
Chapter 1 Introduction to Inst and PC
By Dr. Maria Mustafa
Department of Chemical Engineering
1

Lecture Content
Optimize the Performance of a Chemical
Process
Terminology used in Chemical Process
Control
Hardware for a Process Control System
Sensors

Optimize the Performance of a

Chemical Process
Goal is to make plant operation more
profitable.
Which Means we can maximize the
profit by control.
To learn how controller can be used to
optimize the economic performance of a
single unit ( increase profit)
Example of batch chemical reactor.

Case Study II
Optimizing the performance of Batch
Reactor
cA, Ti, Fi
Stream
Condenser

Controller
Reaction

1
2
A B C (endothermic
Reaction)
undesired
Desired
4

Optimizing the performance of Batch

Reactor

Maximize =
{

0 +

Q Steam flow rate

Qmax

Maximum utilization

Minimium utilization

Qmin
0

tr Time

Common Terminologies
Process Variables: Conditions of process fluid
that can change manufacturing process in
someway.
Input variable which denotes the effect of the
surroundings on the chemical Process.
Output Variable which denote the effect of the
chemical process on the surroundings.
Input Variables
Manipulated Variables
Disturbances

Output Variables
Measured Output
Unmeasured Output

Example of Stirred Tank Heater

Fi, Ti

T
Q

Fs

Input Variable
Fi
Ti
Fst
Output
Variables
F, T
F ( if not
manipulated)
V or h
T
7

Example
Controlling the Operation of Unstable
Reactor
cA, Ti, Fi
Tco, Fc
Tci, Fc

cA T, F

Chemical Process Operation

A + B

---> C ( exothermic reaction)

Controlling the Operation of Unstable

Reactor
Input Variable
Disturbances ( Measured & Unmeasured)
cA, Ti, Fi, Tci
Manipulated Variable
Fc
Output Variables
Measured Variables
F (if not Manipulated Variable), T, Tco, V
Unmeasured Variable
CA

Terminologies
Setpoint
The setpoint is a value for a process variable that
is desired to be maintained.

Terminologies
Error: the difference between the measured
variable and the setpoint and it can be positive
and negative. Control scheme objective is to
minimize the error.
Magnitude of error: The magnitude of the error
is the simply the deviation between the setpoint
and process variable. Comparison of two
consecutive errors with respect time determines
the rate of change in error.
Offset : Offset is a sustained deviation of the
process variable from the set point .

Design Elements of a Control System

Define Control Objective ( central element)
Select measurements
Measuring and monitoring the process variables
Primary Measurements
Secondary Measurements
Unmeasured output = f ( secondary
measurements)

Select Manipulate Variables

Select Control Configuration

Terminologies
Control Configuration
A control configuration is the information
structure that is used to connect the available
measurements to the valuable manipulated
variables.
Two types of CC
SIS0 = single input single output configuration ,
example controlling the level of the liquid in the tank
MIMO= multiple input multiple out configuration =
Example controlling the level and temperature of the
liquid in the tank by changing output flow rate and
steam flowrate.

Terminologies
General Type of Control Configuration
FeedBack Control Configuration
Use the direct measurements of the controlled variable to
adjust the manipulated variables. The control action is taken
after the disturbances effect the controlled output variables.

Control Configuration
Feedforward Control Configuration
Use the direct measurements of the disturbances to adjust
the manipulated variables: Objective is to keep output
variable at desired value. It anticipates the control action to
be taken.

Control Configuration
Inferential Control Configuration: Uses secondary
measurements ( because the controlled variables can not
be measured ) to adjust the manipulated. The control
objective is to keep the un measured controlled variable at
desired levels.

Design Elements of a Control System

Design the Controller: In every configuration,
the controller Is the active element that
receive information from the measurements
and takes appropriate control actions to
adjust the value of manipulated variables. It
implements the control law automatically.

Summarize: Design Elements of a

Control System
1. Define Control Objective ( central element)
2. Select measurements
a.
b.
c.
d.

Measuring and monitoring the process variables

Primary Measurements
Secondary Measurements
Unmeasured output = f ( secondary
measurements)

3. Select Manipulate Variables

4. Select Control Configuration
5. Design the Controller

Hardware Elements for a Process

Control
In Control configuration , there are
mainly two categories of hard ware
elements
The chemical process. It represents the
material equipment together with physical
and chemical operation occur there
The measuring instruments or sensors:
Instruments used to measure the
disturbances, the controlled output
variable, secondary output variables and
are the main source of information.

Examples of sensors
Thermocouples or resistance thermometers
(T)
Venturi meters (F)
Differential pressure cell (V)
Gas chromatographys ( Compositions)

Hardware Elements for a Process

Control
Trasducers : They convert one type of
signals into another type of signals .
Examples In strain guage, metallic
conductors are present whose electric
resistance changes when they are
subjected to mechanical stress ( applied
pressure) . Thus they convert pressure
signal into electrical signals.

Hardware Elements for a Process

Control

Transmission lines : These lines carry information

(measured signals) from the measuring device to
controller and from controller to the final control
elements. Examples : Electric transmission lines
and pneumatic transmission lines.
Controller : Intelligence hardware that receive
information from the measuring devices and
decides what action should be taken.

Hardware Elements for a Process

Control
Final Control Elements: It implements the
decision taken by the controller. Example is
Control Valve
Relay and switches on- off system
Variable speed pumps
Variable speed Compressors

Recording Elements : They visual

demonstrate the dynamic state of chemical
process ( chemical variables).

Sensors for Measurement and

Control

The Measurement of Temperature

Fundamental understanding of Temperature
Zeroth Law of thermodynamics
When two bodies are in thermal contact with
a third body, they are in thermal equilibrium
with each other.
Example
A B and B - C
Then TA = TC = TB

Basics of Measuring temperature

Any temperature scale ( and number assigned to it )
which based upon one of the physical properties of
materials which vary with temperature is , by nature,
arbitrary and is in principle as good as any other scale
based upon another of these properties.
Properties of the materials employed in measuring
temperature must have easily observable
thermometric characteristics
Example of properties.
Pressure of a gas in a closed container
Length of a column of mercury in a capillary tube
Resistance of a platinum wire.

 Temperature scale should be reproducible

under same conditions and this
reproducibility can only be achieved by
following specifications:
Particular thermoelectric substance and
property employed.
Numbers to be attached to two fixed
points.
The relation between the temperature and
the thermometric property which is to be
used for interpolating between the fixed
point and extrapolating points.

 Mathematically saying
If temperature is considered linear
function of thermoelectric property (X)
then,
T= aTX+bT Eq1
The value of aT and bT constants can be
determined by the numbers assigned to the
fixed points, In Celsius scale for ice and
steam case
0= aTX1 + bT .. Eq 2
100 = aTX2 + bT .. Eq3

 Where X1 and X2 are the values of thermoelectric

property at the ice and steam points.
By computing equation 1,2 and 3 we have
T(C) = 100 [( XX1)/(X2-X1)]
The above equation can be modified by
employing different properties or substances
For example
For Liquid in glass thermometer
T(C) = 100 [( ll1)/(l2-l1)]
Where l is the length of the column of liquid at
temperature T .
For constant Volume gas thermometer
T(C) = 100 [( PP1)/(P2-P1)]
where P is the pressure at temperature T

Type of Temperature Sensors

Thermoelectric Sensors
Thermocouple
Electrical resistance Detector or Resistance
Thermometer

Thermal Radiation Detection

Broadband Radiation Thermometer
Narrowband Radiation Thermometer
Chopped Radiation Thermometers
Optical Pyrometers

Thermocouple
In 1821, Seebeck, an Estonian-German physicist
discovered that when two dissimilar metals are
connected, as shown in Figure 1(a), and one of the
junctions is heated, there is a continuous flow of current
through the loop.

 When the loop is broken and the voltage is

measured (Figure 1(b)), the measured voltage is
directly related to the temperature difference
between the two junctions.
This phenomenon where a voltage is produced
because of the heating of the junction of two
metallic conductors is called thermoelectric
effect or Seebeck effect.
The junction where heat is applied is called the
hot or measurement junction. The other
junction is called the cold junction or reference
junction, and the voltage developed is called
thermo-electromotive force (emf).

 The voltage produced is given as follows

eAB = aT
Where:
eAB = Seebeck voltage (Emf)
T = temperature at the thermocouple junction
a = Seebeck coefficient
= a small change in voltage corresponding to a
small change in temperature
The change in material EMF with respect to a
change in temperature is called the Seebeck
coefficient or thermoelectric sensitivity. This
coefficient is usually a nonlinear function of
temperature.

Component of thermocouple

Types of thermocouples

Advantages of Thermocouple
They are inexpensive.
They are rugged and reliable.
They can be used over a wide temperature range.

Next Lecture
Sensors
Mathematical Modeling the dynamic
and static Behavior of Chemical Process