Process Control – EHPBH 3B

Test 2
Date : 19 September 2013 Marks : 65
Time : 90 minutes
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-
A mixer, reactor and distillation system, is used to produce a product B [A + catalyst → B (exothermic)]. The catalyst is
contained in the reactor and does not influence any of the streams. Steam is added to the mixing tank to heat the
mixture and also to dilute the mixture before in enters the reactor. All the flow rates are volumetric, and the cross
sectional areas of the two tanks are A1 and A2, respectively. The flow rate of F4 is constant and it does not depend on
h2, while all other effluent flow rates are proportional to the corresponding hydrostatic liquid pressures that cause the
flow. The heats of solution are very small and can be ignored in the equation. Assume that the density and specific heat
capacity of all the liquid streams are relatively constant over the given temperature range and Tref = 0.

F2 T2 cA2 cB2 =
0

Cooling
water
Fsteam Tsteam
cA = 0 cB = 0
F1 T1
cA1 cB1 =
0

Fcoolant
Tcoolant

h1 F3 T3 cA3 cB3 = 0 F4 T4 cA4 cB4

h2
steam
MIXING TANK
F5 T5 cA5 = 0
cB5
DISTILLATION COLUMN
coolant

CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK REACTOR

1.1 What are the questions you need to ask and answer to design a control system for the process? (Give both the
question and the possible answers as it applies to the distillation process shown in the diagram)
(15)

Plan your time - do not spend more than 70 minutes on Questions 1.2 and 1.3 else you will not finish the
rest of the paper
1.2 Develop a mathematical model (all the mass, component and energy balances) for the mixing tank and the reactor.
(34)

1.3 Develop the energy balance for the mixer if the heats of solution contributes to the energy balance
(8)

1.4 Suggest a possible design (draw a diagram) of a split rage control system used in the mixer to ensure that cA3
enters the reactor at the correct composition, explain your design.
(6)

1.5 Explain the term Dead Time as it applies to the temperature of the mixture leaving mixer if the steam flow is
manipulated.
1
 (5)

2
 Process Control – EHPBH 3B
MEMO Test 2
Date : 19 September 2013 Marks : 65
Time : 90 minutes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
A mixer, reactor and distillation system, is used to produce a product B [A + catalyst → B (exothermic)]. The catalyst is
contained in the reactor and does not influence any of the streams. Steam is added to the mixing tank to heat the
mixture and also to dilute the mixture before in enters the reactor. All the flow rates are volumetric, and the cross
sectional areas of the two tanks are A1 and A2, respectively. The flow rate of F4 is constant and it does not depend on
h2, while all other effluent flow rates are proportional to the corresponding hydrostatic liquid pressures that cause the
flow. The heats of solution are very small and can be ignored in the equation. Assume that the density and specific heat
capacity of all the liquid streams are relatively constant over the given temperature range and Tref = 0.

F2 T2 cA2 cB2 = 0

Cooling water

Fsteam Tsteam
cA = 0 cB = 0
F1 T1
cA1 cB1 = 0

Fcoolant Tcoolant

h1 F3 T3 cA3 cB3 = 0 F4 T4 cA4 cB4

h2
steam
MIXING TANK
F5 T5 cA5 = 0 cB5
coolant DISTILLATION COLUMN

CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK REACTOR

1.1 What are the questions you need to ask and answer to design a control system for the process? (Give both the
question and the possible answers as it applies to the distillation process shown in the diagram)
(15)
 Define the control objectives
- Keep the flow rate of the desired product stream (bottom product of the distillation
column) at the specified level
- Keep the required purity of B in the product stream. 
- Keep the temperature in the column in the correct range()
- Do not flood the distillation column or let it run dry ()
(Answer needs to show understanding of sensible and necessary control objectives)

3
 Select the variables to be measured
(Answers depend on the disturbances identified, manipulated variables chosen and the control
configuration chosen)
- Composition and temperature of the stream coming into the reactorFeed
forward
- The flow rate and concentration of the product B leaving the systemFeedback
- Temperature inside the distillation column ()
- Composition and flow rate of the recycle stream ()
- The temperature of the cooling water for the condenser in the distillation column()
(Answer needs to show understanding of sensible and necessary measurements)

 Select the variables to be manipulated

(Answers depend on the disturbances identified, manipulated variables chosen and the control
configuration chosen)
- Reflux in the distillation column (Cooling water flow to the condenser) 
- Steam flow to the re-boiler
(Answer needs to show understanding of sensible and necessary manipulations)

 Select the control configuration

- Feedback (Cascade; Auctioneering; Over-ride; Split-range), Feed-forward (Ratio),
Feed-forward-feedback, Inferential , Adaptive  (Any answer that makes sense)

4
1.2 Develop a mathematical model (all the mass, component and energy balances) for the mixing tank and the reactor.
(34)

FOR THE MIXING TANK

Mass Balance

d ( ρV 1 ) d ( ρA 1 h1 )
= = ρF 1 + ρF 2 + ρ v F st −ρF 3 ; F 3 =α 1 ( h 1−h 2 )
dt dt

dh1 ρ F
A1 =F1 + F 2 + v st −α 1 ( h1 −h2 )
dt ρ 

Component balance A

d (c A 3 V 1)
=c A 1 F 1 + c A 2 F 2 −c A 3 F 3
dt

dV1 ρvFst
ignore¿ dt dt dt
()
d ( c A 3 V 1 ) d ( V 1 ) d ( c A 3) d ( c A 3 )
dt
d ( cA 3 )
− F 3 ¿ = c A 3 + V 1 = c A 1 F 1 + c A 2 F 2− c A 3 F 3 ¿ V 1 = c A 1 F1 + c A 2 F2 − c A 3 F3 − [ c A 3 ( F 1 + F 2− F 3 ) ] ¿ V 1 = F 1 ( c A 1 − c A 3 ) + F 2 ( c A 2− c A 3 ) ¿
dt
=F1+F2+ overb acealignl⏞cAandcB=0¿
dt ρ 

Component balance B

d ( cB 3 V 1 )
=c B 1 F 1 +c B 2 F 2 + c B F st −c B 3 F 3 =0
dt 

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Energy balance

d ( ρV 1 c P (T 3 −T ref ) )
=ρF 1 c P 1 (T 1 −T ref )+ ρF 2 c P 2 ( T 2−T ref )−ρF 3 c P 3 (T 3 −T ref )
dt
+ ρv F st c V ( T st −T 3 ) + ρV F st λ vap

dV 1 ρ V F st
=F 1 + F 2 + −F3
dt ρ 

( )
d (V 1 T 3) dT 3 dV 1 ρ v F st c V ( T st −T 3 ) + ρ v F st λ vap
= V1 +T 3 =F1 T 1 + F 2 T 2−F 3 T 3 +
dt dt dt ρc P

V1
dT 3
dt
=F 1 T 1 + F 2 T 2 −F 3 T 3 +
ρ v F st c V ( T st −T 3 ) + ρv F st λ vap
ρc P [(
− T 3 F 1+ F 2+
ρv F st
ρ
−F 3 )]
dT ρ v F st c V ( T st −T 3 ) + ρv F st λ vap ρ v F st T 3
V1 =F 1 (T 1 −T 3 )+ F 2 ( T 2−T 3 ) + −
dt ρc P ρ


FOR THE CSTR

Mass Balance

d ( ρV 2 ) d ( ρA 2 h2 )
= =ρF 3 −ρF 4 ; F 3 =α 1 ( h1 −h 2 )
dt dt

dh2
A2 =α 1 ( h1 −h2 )−F 4
dt 

6
Component balance A

d ( n A 4 ) d (c A 4 V 2)
= =c A 3 F3 −c A 4 F 4 −r A V 2
dt dt

d (V 2 )
=F 3 −F 4
dt

d (c A 4 V 3 )
dt (
= V3
d (c A4)
dt
+cA4
d ( V 3)
dt ) =c A 3 F 3−c A 4 F 4 −r A V 2

d ( cA 4 )
V2 =c A 3 F 3−c A 4 F 4 −r A V 2−[ c A 4 ( F 3−F 4 ) ]
dt
d ( cA 4 )
V2 =F 3 ( c A 3 −c A 4 )−r A V 2
dt 

Component balance B

d (n B 4 ) d ( c B 4 V 2 )
= =−c A 4 F 4 +r B V 2
dt dt

cB=0
d (V 2 )
dt
⏞3 −F 4
=F

d ( c B 4 V 2)
dt
= V2 (
d (cB 4)
dt
+c B 4
d (V 2 )
dt )
=−c B 4 F 4 +rV 2

[ ( ⏞ )]
c B =0
d ( cB 4 )
V2 =−c B 4 F 4 +r B V 2 − c B 4 F3 −F 4
dt
d ( cB 4 )
V2 =r B V 2
dt 

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Energy Balance

dH (T 4 , n A 4 , n B 4 )
= ρF 3 C P T 3 − ρF 4 C P T 4 −Q
dt

dH ∂ H dT 4 ∂ H dn ∂H dn
= × + × A4 + × B4
dt ∂T 4 dt ∂n A 4 dt ∂n B 4 dt
∂H
=ρV 2 c P
∂T
∂H ~
= H A (T )
∂n A
dn A 4 d ( c A 4 V 2 )
= =c A 3 F 3 −c A 4 F 4 −r A V 2
dt dt
∂H ~
= H B (T )
∂n B
dn B 4 d ( c B 4 V 2 )
= =−c B 4 F 4 + r B V 2
dt dt

dT 4 ~ ~
ρF 3 C P T 3 −ρF 4 C P T 4 −Q= ρV 2 C P + H A [c A 3 F3 −c A 4 F 4 −rV 2 ]+ H B [−c B 4 F 4 + rV 2 ]
dt
dT
ρV 2 C P 4 = ~
H A [c A 3 F3 −c A 4 F 4 −rV 2 ]+ ~
H B [−c B 4 F 4 + rV 2 ]−ρF 3 C P T 3 + ρF 4 C P T 4 +Q
dt


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1.3 Develop the energy balance for the mixer if the heats of solution contributes to the energy balance
(8)
d V1h3 
 F1h1  F2 h2  v Fst hst  Fst st  F3 h3
dt

~ ~
h3 (T3 )  h3 Tref   cP T3  Tref  and h3 Tref   c A3H A  c A3 HS 3
~ ~
h1(T3 )  h1Tref   cP T1  Tref  and h1Tref   c A1H A  c A1HS1
~ ~
h2 (T2 )  h3 Tref   cP T2  Tref  and h2 Tref   c A2H A  c A2 HS 2
hst Tst   v Fst Tst  Tref   Fst st

  ~ ~ ~
d V1 c A3H A  cB 3H B  c A3 HS 3  V1T3  
dt
 ~ ~
 ~

~
 F1 c A1H A  c A1HS1  F1c PT1  F2 c A2H A  c A2 HS 2  F2c PT2 
 ~ ~

 F3 c A3H A  c A3 HS 3  F3c PT3  v Fst Tst  Tref   Fst st

~ ~
 F1c A1HS1  F1c PT1  F2c A2 HS 2  F2cPT2
~
 F3c A3 HS 3  F3cPT3  v Fst Tst  Tref   Fst st

*Mistakes - Fstst, must be v Fstst
- - ( F3cA3∆HS3 + F3cPT3 )

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1.4 Suggest a possible design (draw a diagram) of a split rage control system used in the mixer to ensure that cA3
enters the reactor at the correct composition, explain your design.
(6)

Fsteam Tsteam
cA = 0 cB = 0
Set
Controller
point
F1 T1
cA1 cB1 = 0 F2 T2
cA2 cB2 = 0

Measure Composition

h1 F3 T3 cA3 cB3 = 0

MIXING TANK



1.5 Explain the term Dead Time as it applies to the temperature of the mixture leaving mixer if the steam flow is
manipulated.
(5)
When an input variable (F1, T1, F2, T2 disturbances, Fst manipulated variable)  of a system
changes, there is a time interval (short or long) during which no effect is observed on the
outputs (T4)  of the system. 

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