CHE 509: Process Dynamics

MODULE 8:
Introduction to Feedback Control Systems

Ayorinde Bamimore, Ph.D.

Department of Chemical Engineering
Obafemi Awolowo University
 Module Objectives

 To be able to define a feedback control system,

 Articulate the individual elements that make up the
feedback control system,
 Develop closed-loop block diagram and transfer
function,
 Analyze the dynamic behavior of feedback control
system

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 The Chemical Process

Energy

Chemical
Raw materials Process Finished Product

Energy

Fig. 8.1. The Chemical Process

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 The Broad Objectives of Operating Chemical Process

1) It is desirable to operate the processing units safely

2) Specified production rates must be maintained
3) Product quality specifications must be maintained
To achieve these three key objectives, it is the job of a
control system to carry out the dual task of:
a) Monitoring certain process condition indicator
variables
b) Inducing changes in the appropriate process
variables in order to improve process conditions

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 What is a Control System?

It is the entity that is charged with the responsibility for monitoring

outputs, making decisions about how best to manipulate inputs so
as to obtain desired output behavior, and effectively implementing
such decisions on the process.

A control system therefore performs these three major tasks:

[1.] Monitor process outputs by measurement,
[2.] Making rational decisions regarding what corrective action is
needed on the basis of the information about the current and
desired state of the process,
[3.] Effectively implementing these decisions on the process

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 Feedback Control System

Feedback control is the oldest method of control. We will use

stirred-tank blending process to illustrate the principle of
feedback control system.

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 The Stirred-tank blending process

The control objective is

to regulate the tank
composition, x, by
adjusting the mass flow
rate w2.

The primary disturbance

variable is assumed to
be inlet composition x1

Fig. 8.2. Stirred-tank blending Process

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 The Stirred-tank blending process

The tank composition is measured by a

sensor/transmitter whose output signal xm is sent
to an electronic controller. Because a pneumatic
control valve is used, the controller output (an
electrical signal in the range of (4 to 20 mA) must
be converted to an equivalent pneumatic signal
point (3 to 15 psig) by a current-to-pressure
transducer. The transducer output signal is then
used to adjust the valve.

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 Feedback Control strategy

[1] Measure [mass fraction] using the composition analyzer to produce

[mA], determine the deviation variable,

[2] Compare the measured value with the desired set-point value,
[mA] to obtain the error signal
(8.1)
This is known as the "feedback" error signal because it is generated from
measurement that has been "fed back" from the process.

[3] Supply the controller with the feedback error, , the controller
processes the error and output the current signal [mA] to actuate the
control valve but because the control valve is a pneumatic type, the
pressure signal, [mA] goes through a transducer to produce, [psi]

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 Feedback Control strategy

[4] The final control element, which in this case is a pneumatic control
valve implement the final decision on the process by adjusting the flow
rate appropriately,

[5] Measure [mass fraction] again and repeat the entire procedure

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 Elements of Feedback Control Loop

 The process itself

 The measuring device
 A comparator
 The controller
 The transducer
 The final control element

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 Modeling the Stirred-tank blending process

(i)

(ii)

Assuming the volume is constant and

linearizing (ii), we have:

Fig. 8.2. Stirred-tank blending Process

(iii)

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 Block Diagram Development

The Process
The process was modeled by the transfer function:
(8.2)

Disturbance

Output
Manipulated
input

Fig. 8.3: Block diagram of the blending Process

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 Block Diagram Development

Composition Sensor-Transmitter (Analyzer)

It is approximated by the first order transfer function:
(8.3a)
The instrument has negligible dynamics when . Eq.8.3a can thus
be written as:
(8.3b)

Fig. 8.4: Block diagram for the composition sensor-transmitter

(Analyzer)

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 Block Diagram Development

Controller
The transfer function of the controller is written as:
(8.4a)
The actual setpoint in [mass fraction] is converted to [mA], the form used
by the controller by using the sensor-transmitter gain:
(8.4b)

Fig. 8.5: Block diagram for the controller

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 Block Diagram Development

Current-to-pressure (I/P) transducer

Because transducers are usually designed to have linear characteristics
and fast dynamics, its transfer function is approximated by a steady-state
gain:

(8.5)

Fig. 8.6: Block diagram of the I/P transducer

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 Block Diagram Development

Control valve
The dynamics of the control valve is usually approximated using first
order transfer function:

(8.6)

Fig. 8.6: Block diagram of the control valve

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 Block Diagram Development

Disturbance

setpoint Manipulated
Input Output

Fig. 8.7: Block diagram for the entire blending process composition control system

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 Standard Block Diagram

Fig. 8.8a: Standard block diagram of a feedback control system

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 Standard Block Diagram

Fig. 8.8b: Alternative form of the standard block diagram of a feedback control system

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Negative (Feedback in Biological Control System)

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 Blood Pressure Control Systems

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 Blood Glucose Control System

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 Artificial Pancreas Control System

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 Closed-Loop Transfer Function

From Fig.8.8a, the output of the process is:

Process : (8.7a)
Control valve: (8.7b)
Controller : (8.7c)
Comparator : (8.7d)
Sensor-transmitter : (8.7e)
Sensor-transmitter : (8.7f)
Combining the equations gives:
(8.7g)
(8.7h)
Rearranging gives:
(8.7i)

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Observations from Closed-Loop Transfer Function

[1.] First and second terms in Eq.8.7i have identical

denominators [ ]
[2.] The numerator of the first term, i.e, ,is the
product of all the transfer functions in the direct path from
to , while that of the second term, , is also the
product of the all the transfer functions in the direct path
from to .
[3.] is the product of all the transfer
functions in the entire loop. is called the openloop
transfer function of the closed loop system

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 Standard Block Diagram

Fig. 8.8a: Standard block diagram of a feedback control system

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 Generalization of Eq.8.7i

For single-loop feedback systems the closed-loop transfer functions are

given by the general expression

(8.8)

where
= product of all the transfer functions in the direct path between the
output and the input ( or ).
= product of all the transfer functions in the entire loop.

=indicates negative feedback

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 Two Types of Control Problems

Recall,
(8.7i)

Servo problem – Setpoint tracking problem

In this case,
(8.9a)

Regulatory problem – Disturbance rejection problem

In this case,
(8.9b)

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 Worked Example

For the feedback control system whose block diagram is shown in

Fig.8.9, Find the closed-loop transfer function relating
(a) and (b) and , and (c) and
and then obtain the overall closed-loop transfer function expression
relating the output to all the inputs.

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 Worked Example

Fig. 8.9: Block diagram of a cascade control

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 Solution

Fig. 8.10a: Block diagram of a cascade control

Recall, (8.8)

(8.10)

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 Solution
8.10b: Reduced Block diagram

(8.11a)

(8.11b)

(8.11c)

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