Assignment

Week 7

Q 1. Cascade control is characterized by:

(a) A special relay or function block to compensate for nonlinear process gain

(b) One controller providing a set-point for another controller

(c) The presence of a “dead time” relay or function block

(d) Two controllers whose outputs are selected either by high or low value

Q 2. Consider a case where an exothermic first order reaction is carried out in a reactor. Reactor
temperature is maintained by circulating a cooling water in jacket. The inlet temperature of the
cooling water is the key disturbance entering the system. A young process engineer
recommended the use of cascade control to speed up the response. Has he made a correct
recommendation?

(a) Yes
(b) No

Solution.
Cascade control is effective when there is a disturbance in the secondary variable (here, cooling
water). As the disturbance is in the inlet cooling water temperature, cascade control would have
impact in this case.

Q 3. A split range configuration implementation for sump level control in a distillation column
is shown below. If the controller output is 13 mA, what are the positions of the product and
drain valves?
 (a) Product valve fully open, drain valve fully closed
(b) Product valve fully closed, drain valve fully open
(c) Product valve 90% open, drain valve 30% open
(d) Product valve 30% open, drain valve 90% open

Solution.
From the graph it could be seen that product valve is opening and drain valve is closing. When
the controller output is 13 mA, product valve is 90% open while drain valve is 30% open.

Q 4. While operating a continuous stirred tank reactor, the conversion is estimated from the
reactor temperature measurements. In this case, control is to be implemented to
achieve a certain conversion.
(a) Cascade
(b) Split range
(c) Override
(d) Inferential
Solution:
As conversion is predicted from the temperature measurements based on the relationship
between them, the control can be considered as Inferential.

Q 5. A liquid is withdrawn from a storage tank for filling a reactor at a desired flow rate. In a
rare event of tank level falling below 10%, the level control takes precedence and the outlet
flow is restricted irrespective of the flow rate requirement. The control strategy used here is
(a) Cascade control
(b) Split range control
(c) Override control
(d) Inferential control

Solution.
Override control allows using the same manipulated variable (here outlet valve) to control two
objectives (here, outlet flow rate and level). The manipulated input is adjusted as per the most
critical controlled variable.

1−𝑠
Q 6. . Consider a process with transfer function . It is decided to implement
𝑠3 +6𝑠2 +11𝑠+6
open-loop model-based control for this process. The corresponding controller transfer function
will be
(a) 𝑠 3 + 6𝑠 2 + 11𝑠 + 6
𝑠 3 +6𝑠 2 +11𝑠+6
(b)
(1−𝑠)(𝜆𝑠+1)

𝑠 3 +6𝑠 2 +11𝑠+6
(c)
(𝜆𝑠+1)3

𝑠3 +6𝑠2 +11𝑠+6
(d)
(1−𝑠)

Solution.
 1
Here, 𝐺𝑝 = (1 − 𝑠) × where the first term is non-invertible and the second
𝑠 3 +6𝑠 2 +11𝑠+6
1
term is invertible. 𝐺 − = 𝑠3 + 6𝑠2 + 11𝑠 + 6
𝑝

In order to make this a (semi) proper transfer function, we need a third order filter
1
𝑓(𝑠) = .
(𝜆𝑠+1)3

1 𝑠3 +6𝑠2 +11𝑠+6
So the overall controller is 𝐺𝑐 = 𝑞(𝑠) = 𝐺 − 𝑓(𝑠) = 3
𝑝 (𝜆𝑠+1)

Q 7. In a boiler system, the steam pressure of the boiler is controlled by manipulating the flow
through the discharge line using a pressure controller. But the water level of the boiler should
also not fall below a specified lower limit, which is necessary to keep the heating coil immersed
in water. This can be achieved by using override control through the .

(a) Low Selector Switch (LSS)

(b) High Selector Switch (HSS)
(c) Medium Selector Switch
(d) No Selector Switch

Solution:
In a boiler system, discharge flow is manipulated to control the steam pressure or the water
level of the boiler. Under normal condition, pressure loop (first) controlled by discharge flow;
but as soon as level falls below the minimum (set) value, the level (second) control loop
override the control action. Low selector switch is used when it is desired that a variable should
not exceed a lower limit. So, in this case, LSS is needed.

2
Q 8. A process with transfer function is to be controlled by using a PID
(𝑠+0.5)(𝑠+1)(𝑠+10)

controller. If IMC-based PID controller with λ of 0.1 has to be implemented, the corresponding

controller parameters (KC, τI, τD) will be

(a) (3.5, 2, 0.1)

(b) (6.83, 2, 0.1)
(c) (0.4, 2.5, 0.6)
(d) (17.5, 2.8, 0.27)
(Hint: Use Skogestad's half rule)

Solution.
Using Skogestad’s half rule to approximate the process transfer function as an FOPDT model,
2
5
we get, 𝐺𝑝 = . So, 𝐾𝑝 = 0.4, τ = 2.5 and td = 0.6. Using the IMC-based
(2𝑠+1)(𝑠+1)(0.1𝑠+1)
𝜏+0.5𝑡𝑑 𝜏𝑡𝑑
PID tuning rules, 𝐾𝐶 = , 𝜏𝐼 = 𝜏 + 0.5𝑡𝑑 , 𝜏𝐷 = , we get the required
𝐾𝑝 (𝜆+0.5𝑡𝑑 ) 2𝜏+𝑡𝑑

answer.

Q 9. In DMC, if control input cost (cost associated with the use of manipulated variable) is
high, one should use
(a) 𝑓 = 0
(b) 𝑓 = 1
(c) 𝑓 ≫ 1
(d) 𝑓 = −1

Solution.
Dynamic Matrix Control minimizes an objective function of the form, 𝐽 = ∑𝑁𝑃
𝑖=1(𝑥𝑠𝑒𝑡 −
2 2
𝑥𝐶𝐿,𝑖 ) + 𝑓 2 ∑𝑁𝐶
𝑘=1 Δ𝑚𝑘,𝑛𝑒𝑤 . If the cost of manipulated input is high, we would want Δ𝑚𝑘,𝑛𝑒𝑤

to be as small as possible. This would be possible if ‘f’ is selected to be a high value.

Q 10. Like conventional controller, MPC can be used only when the number of controlled
variables are equal to manipulated inputs.
(a) True
(b) False

Solution.
Model predictive control is an optimization-based MIMO controller which does not pair input with an
output, but tries to minimize an objective function (typically associated with output errors) by adjusting
the available manipulated inputs. So in the case of more controlled variables than the manipulated inputs
or vice versa, it can work by minimizing the objective function.