Chapter 9 ©

9.1

a) Flow rate transmitter:

15 psig - 3 psig
qm(psig)= (q gpm - 0 gpm) + 3 psig
400 gpm-0 gpm
psig
= 0.03 q(gpm) + 3 psig
gpm
Pressure transmitter:

20 mA - 4 mA
Pm(mA)= ( p in.Hg - 10 in.Hg) + 4 mA
30 in.Hg - 10 in.Hg
mA
= 0.8 p(in.Hg) - 4 mA
in.Hg
Level transmitter:

5 VDC - 1 VDC
hm(VDC)= ( h(m) - 0.5m) + 1 VDC
10 m - 0.5 m
VDC
= 0.421 h(m) + 0.789 VDC
m
Concentration transmitter:
10 VDC - 1 VDC
Cm(VDC)= (C (g/L)-3 g/L)+1 VDC
20 g/L - 3 g/L
VDC
= 0.529 C (g/L) - 0.59VDC
g/L

b) The gains, zeros and spans are:

Flow Pressure Level Concentration

Gain 0.03 psig/gpm 0.8 mA/in.Hg 0.421 VDC/m 0.529 VDC/g/L
Zero 0 gpm 10 in.Hg 0.5 m 3 g/L
Span 400 gpm 20 in.Hg 9.5 m 17 g/L

9.2

[Type here] 9-1

[Type here]
a) The safest conditions are achieved by the lowest temperatures and pressures
in the flash vessel.

VALVE 1.- Fail close (air-to-open)

VALVE 2.- Fail open (air-to-close)
VALVE 3.- Fail open (air-to-close)
VALVE 4.- Fail open (air-to-close)
VALVE 5.- Fail close (air-to-open)

Setting valve 1 as fail close prevents more heat from going to flash drum and
setting valve 3 as fail open to allow the steam chest to drain. Setting valve 3
as fail open prevents pressure build up in the vessel. Valve 4 should be fail-
open to evacuate the system and help keep pressure low. Valve 5 should be
fail-close to prevent any additional pressure build-up.

b) Vapor flow to downstream equipment can cause a hazardous situation

VALVE 1.- Fail close (air-to-open)

VALVE 2.- Fail open (air-to-close)
VALVE 3.- Fail close (air-to-open)
VALVE 4.- Fail open (air-to-close)
VALVE 5.- Fail close (air-to-open)

Setting valve 1 as fail close (air-to-open) prevents more heat from entering
flash drum and minimizes future vapor production. Setting valve 2 as fail
open (air-to-close) will allow the steam chest to be evacuated, setting valve 3
as fail close (air-to-open) prevents vapor from escaping the vessel. Setting
valve 4 as fail open (air-to-close) allows liquid to leave, preventing vapor
build up. Setting valve 4 as fail close (air-to-open) prevents pressure buildup.

c) Liquid flow to downstream equipment can cause a hazardous situation

VALVE 1.- Fail close (air-to-open)

VALVE 2.- Fail open (air-to-close)
VALVE 3.- Fail open (air-to-close)
VALVE 4.- Fail close (air-to-open)
VALVE 5.- Fail close (air-to-open)

Set valve 1 as fail close to prevent all the liquid from being vaporized (This
would cause the flash drum to overheat). Setting valve 2 as fail open will
allow the steam chest to be evacuated. Setting valve 3 as fail open prevents
pressure buildup in drum. Setting valve 4 as fail close prevents liquid from
escaping. Setting valve 5 as fail close prevents liquid build-up in drum

9-2
9.3

Note: This exercise is best understood after the material in Ch. 11 has been considered.

a) Changing the span of the temperature transmitter will change its steady-state
gain, according to Eq. 9-1. Because the performance of the closed-loop
system depends on the gains of each individual element (cf. Chapter 11),
closed-loop stability could be adversely affected.

b) Changing the zero of a transmitted does not affect its gain. Thus, this change
will not affect closed-loop stability.

c) Changing the control valve trim will change the (local) steady-state gain of
the control valve, dq/dp. Because the performance of the closed-loop system
depends on the gains of each individual element (cf. Chapter 11), closed-loop
stability could be adversely affected

d) For this process, changing the feed flow rate could affect both its steady-state
gain and its dynamic characteristics (e.g., time constant and time delay).
Because the performance of the closed-loop system depends on the gains of
each individual element (cf. Chapter 11), closed-loop stability could be
adversely affected.

9.4

Starting from Eq. 9-7:

q
Cv = (1)
DPv
Nf (l )
gs

The pressure drop in the valve is:

DPv = DP - DPs (2)
where
DPs = Kq 2 (3)
Solve for K by plugging in the nominal values of q and DPs . First, convert
the nominal value of q into units of m3/h to match the metric units version
of N (the parameter N = 0.0865 m3/h(Kpa)1/2 when q has units of m3/h and
pressure has units of KPa).

9-3
 qd = 0.6 m3 / min = 36 m3 / h
DPsd = 200 kPa
DPsd 200 kPa
K= 2
= 2 3 2
= 0.154 kPa/(m3 /h)2
qd 36 (m /h)
Now substitute (3) into (2) to get an expression for DPv in terms of q.
DPv = DP - Kq 2 (4)
Substitute (4) into (1) to get:
q
Cv = (5)
DP - Kq 2
Nf (l )
gs
The problem specifies that qd should be 2/3 of qmax (where qmax is the flow
rate through the valve when the valve is fully open).
2
qd = qmax
3
3 3
qmax = qd = 36 m3 /h
2 2
qmax = 54m /h 3

Now find the Cv that will give qmax = 54 m3/h. Substitute q = qmax and f (l)=1
(valve fully open) into (5).
qmax
Cv =
DP - Kqmax 2
N
gs
Now that all of the variables on the right hand side of the equation are
known, plug in to solve for Cv.
kPa m3
DP = 450 kPa, K = 0.154 3 , N = 0.0865 ,
(m / h) 2 h(kPa)1/2
g s = 1.2, qmax = 54 m3 /h
m3
54
Cv = h
kPa
3 450kPa - 0.154 542 (m3 /h) 2
m (m3 /h) 2
0.0865
h(kPa)1/2 1.2
m3 m3
54 54
= h = h
m3 m3
0.0865 1/2
0.88(kPa)1/2 0.076
h(kPa) h
Cv = 710.5

9-4
9.5

Let Pv/ Ps = 0.33 at the nominal q = 320 gpm

Ps = Pb+ Po = 40 + 1.953 10-4 q2

Pv= P - Ps = (1 –2.44 10-6 q2)PDE – (40 + 1.953 10-4 q2)

(1 - 2.44 10 -6 320 2 )PDE - (40 + 1.953 10 -4 320 2 )

= 0.33
(40 + 1.953 10 -4 320 2 )

PDE = 106.4 psi

Let qd= q = 320 gpm

For the rated Cv, the valve is completely open at 110% qd i.e., at 352 gpm or the
upper limit of 350 gpm

1
-
Dpv 2
Cv = q
gs
1
-
(1 - 2.44 10 -6 3502 )106.4 - (40 + 1.953 10-4 3502 ) 2
Cv = 350
0.9

Then using Eq. 9-27,

-1 / 2
q 66.4 - 4.55 10 - 4 q 2
ln
101.6 0.9
l = 1+
ln 50

The plot of the valve characteristic is shown in Figure S9.5. From the plot of the
valve characteristic for the rated Cv of 101.6, it is evident that the characteristic is
reasonably linear in the operating region 250 q 350.

The pumping cost could be further reduced by lowering PDE to a value that would
make Pv/ Ps = 0.25 at q = 320 gpm. Then PDE = 100 and for qd = 320 gpm, the
rated Cv = 133.5. However, as the plot shows, the valve characteristic for this design
is only slightly more nonlinear in the operating region. Hence, the selected valve
coefficient is Cv = 133.5.

9-5
 400

350

300

250

q (gpm)
200

150

------- C v = 101.6
100

- - - - C v = 133.5
50

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
l (va lve lift)

Figure S9.5. Control valve characteristics.

9.6

a) There are three control valves. The selection of air-to-close vs. air-to-open is
based on safety considerations:

i. Steam control valve: Air-to-open to prevent overheating of the

evaporator.
ii. Level control valve (that adjusts liquid flow rate B): Air-to-open to
prevent the steam coils from being exposed to the vapor space,
which could lead the coils to being burned out.
iii. Pressure control valve (that adjusts solvent flow rate D): Air-to-close
to prevent over-pressurization of the evaporator.

b) For the three controllers:

i. Concentration controller: As the product concentration xB increases,

we want the steam pressure, Ps to increase. Since the steam valve is
air-to-open, this means that the controller output signal to the control
valve (via the I/P) should increase. Thus, the controller should be
direct-acting.

9-6
 ii. Level controller: As the liquid level h increases, we want the product
flow rate B to increase. Since the control valve is air-to-open, this
means that the controller output signal to the control valve (via the
I/P) should increase. Thus, the controller should be direct-acting.
iii. Pressure controller: As the pressure P increases, we want the solvent
flow rate D to increase. Since the control valve is air-to-close, this
means that the controller output signal to the control valve (via the
I/P) should decrease. Thus, the controller should be reverse-acting.

9.7

Because the system dynamic behavior would be described using deviation

variables, the dynamic characteristic can be analyzed by considering that the input
terms (not involving x) can be considered to be constant, and thus deviations are
zero. The starting form is the linear homogeneous ODE:
M d 2x dx
2
+ R + Kx = 0
gc dt dt
Taking the Laplace transform gives,
M 2
X (s) s + Rs + K = 0
gc
M 2 R
s + s +1 = 0
X (s)
Kgc K
Calculate t and ζ by comparing this equation to the standard form of the second-
order model in (5-39) (keeping in mind that gc = 32.174 lbm ft/(lbf s2)).

M
= = 0.00965s
Kgc
M R
2 =2 =
Kg c K
R gc
= = 155.3
2 KM

The valve characteristics are highly overdamped and can be accurately

approximated by a first-order model obtained by neglecting the d2x/dt2 term.

9-7
9.8

Configuration I: This series configuration will not be very effective because a

large flow rate has to pass through a small control valve. Thus, the pressure drop
will be very large and flow control will be ineffective.

Configuration II: This parallel configuration will be effective because the large
control valve can be adjusted to provide the nominal flow rate, while the small
control valve can be used to regulate the flow rate. If the small valve reaches its
maximum or minimum value, the large valve can be adjusted slightly so that the
small valve is about half open, thus allowing it to regulate flow again.

9.9

First write down the time-domain step response for a step change of 10°C. Then
solve the equation to find when y(t) is equal to 5 (since the variables are in deviation
variables, this represents when TM will reach 30°C).

ym (t ) = KM (1 - e - t / )
where M = 10o C, K = 1, and = 10s
ym (t ) = 10(1 - e- t /10 )
5 = 10(1 - e- ta /10 )
ta = 6.93s

Therefore, the alarm will sound 6.93 seconds after 1:10PM.

9.10

0.1 psig
precision = = 0.5% of full scale
20 psig
accuracy is unknown since the "true" pressure in the tank is unknown
0.1 psig
resolution = = 0.5% of full scale
20 psig
±0.1 psig
repeatability = =±0.5% of full scale
20 psig

9-8
9.11

Assume that the gain of the sensor/transmitter is unity (i.e. there is no steady-state
measurement error). Then,

Tm ( s ) 1
=
T ( s ) ( s + 1)(0.1s + 1)

where T is the temperature being measured and Tm is the measured value. For the
ramp temperature change:
0.3
T (t) = 0.3t ( C/s) , T (s) = 2
s
1 0.3
Tm ( s ) =
( s + 1)(0.1s + 1) s 2

Tm (t ) = -0.00333e -10t + 0.333e- t + 0.3t - 0.33

The maximum error occurs as t :

Maximum error = |0.3t - (0.3t - 0.33)| = 0.33 C

If the smaller time constant is neglected, the time domain response is slightly
different for small values of t, although the maximum error (t ) does not change.

Figure S9.11. Response for process temperature sensor/transmitter. Orange solid

line is T’(t), and purple dashed line is T’m(t).

9-9