1

Process Control – EHPBH 3B

Test 2
Date : 14 October 2014 Marks : 80
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QUESTION 1 (26 MARKS)

1.1. Give an explanation of the following terms and statements as they apply in a process control environment:
(a) Operational constraints, as part of the requirements a chemical plant must satisfy.
(2)
(b) Secondary measurement
(3)
(c) Theoretical approach to controller design
(3)

1.2. Describe the hardware elements that make-up a typical Control System.
(15)

1.3. What are the fundamental independent quantities in a reactor system converting componenets A and C into B?
(3)

QUESTION 2 (62 MARKS)

A catalytic bed reactor is used to convert reagent A to a product B. All the flow rates are volumetric, and the cross sectional areas of the three
tanks are A1, A2 and A3, respectively. The flow rate of F2 is constant, while all other effluent flow rates are proportional to the corresponding
hydrostatic liquid pressures that cause the flow. The vapour leaving the concentration tank is saturated and the liquid leaving the condenser is
saturated. Product B from another process also enter the storage tank.

cA1 F1 cB3 cA3 F3

T1 T3
cB3 cA3 F3
Condenser T3 cB4 F6
T6

h2
cB4 F5
h3 T5
cB2 cA2 F2 cB4 F4 h5
T2 T3
Catalytic Bed Reactor, Storage Tank
with cooling coils inside
condensate
Fst
Tst
Separation Tank
(Insulated)

Look at the diagram below and answer the questions that follow:
2.1 What is the most obvious control objective for this system? Give two secondary control objectives
(3)

2.2 Design a feed-forward control system to ensure that the liquid level in the Storage Tank remains constant. The feed stream from the other
plant (F6) is intermittent.
(11)

2.3 Clearly identify all the control variables (input, output, measured, unmeasured, disturbance, manipulated) in the control system you
designed.
(8)

2.4 Write down the mass balance for the Storage Tank unit as the function of the liquid level in the tank .
(3)

2.5 Develop a mathematical model to describe the processes taking place in the Catalytic Bed Reactor and in the Separation Tank
(37)
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Process Control – EHPBH 3B
MEMO Test 2
Date : 14 October 2014 Marks : 80
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION 1 (26 MARKS)

1.1. Give an explanation of the following terms and statements as they apply in a process control environment:
(d) Operational constraints, as part of the requirements a chemical plant must satisfy.
(2)
The various types of equipment used in a chemical plant have constraints inherent to their
operation. For example: pumps must maintain a certain net positive suction head; tanks should
not overflow or run dry; distillation columns should not be flooded; the temperature in a catalytic
reactor should not exceed an upper limit since the catalyst will be destroyed; etc. 
(e) Secondary measurement
(3)
It sometimes happens that our control objectives are not measurable quantities; they belong to the
class of unmeasured outputs. In such cases we must measure other variables which can be
measured easily and reliably. Then we develop mathematical relationships between the
unmeasured control objectives and the measured variables. Such supporting measurements are
called secondary measurements. 
(f) Theoretical approach to controller design
(3)
It is quite often the case that we have to design the control system for a chemical process before
the process has been constructed. In such a case we need a different representation of the
chemical process in order to study its dynamic behavior. This representation is usually given in
terms of a set of mathematical equations (differential, algebraic) whose solution yields the dynamic
and static behavior or the chemical process we examine. 
1.2. Describe the hardware elements that make-up a typical Control System.
(15)
The chemical process – it represents the material and equipment together with the chemical or
physical operations that occur there.

The measuring instruments of sensors – such instruments are used to measure the
disturbances, the controlled output variables or secondary variables, and are the main source of
information about what is going on in the process.

Transducers (Transmitter) – these are used to convert the physical measurements to electric
voltage or current, or a pneumatic signal which can be transmitted easily. (It is the interface
between the process and its control system. The transmitter convert the sensor signal (millivolts,
mechanical movement, pressure differential, etc) into a control signal (mA))

Transmission lines – these carry the measurement signals from the measuring device to the
controller and the signal from the controller to the final control element(Bonus mark).

The controller – this is the hardware element that has intelligence and decides what actions
must be taken after receiving the measurement signal. (The job of the controller is to compare
the process signal from the transmitter with the set-point signal and to send out an appropriate
signal to the control valve)

The final control element – it implements in real life the decision taken by the controller, for
example opening or closing the required amount if it is a valve.
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Recording elements – these give a visual record of how the system behaves by recording the
direct measurements

1.3. What are the fundamental independent quantities in a reactor system converting componenets A and C into B?
(3)
 Mass of reaction mixture
 Mass of chemical A (or chemical B) in the reaction mixture
 Energy of the reaction mixture in the tank

QUESTION 2 (62 MARKS)

A catalytic bed reactor is used to convert reagent A to a product B. All the flow rates are volumetric, and the cross sectional areas of the three
tanks are A1, A2 and A3, respectively. The flow rate of F2 is constant, while all other effluent flow rates are proportional to the corresponding
hydrostatic liquid pressures that cause the flow. The vapour leaving the concentration tank is saturated and the liquid leaving the condenser is
saturated. Product B from another process also enter the storage tank.

cA1 F1 T1 cB3 cA3 F3 T3

cB3 cA3 F3 T3
Condenser cB4 F6 T6

h2
cB4 F5 T5
h3
cB2 cA2 F2 T2 cB4 F4 T3 h5
Catalytic Bed Reactor, Storage Tank
with cooling coils inside
condensate
Fst Tst
Separation Tank (Insulated)

Look at the diagram below and answer the questions that follow:

2.1 What is the most obvious control objective for this system? Give two secondary control objectives
(3)
The concentration of the mixture cB4 leaving the tank must be at a specified value
Ensuring that the tanks does not over flow or run dry
Preventing cavitation in the pump
(Any answers that makes sense and shows understanding)
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2.2 Design a feed-forward control system to ensure that the liquid level in the Storage Tank remains constant. The feed stream from the
other plant (F6) is intermittent.
(11)

Controller

Set point

Flow measurement

cB4 F6 T6

condensate

cB4 F4 T3 h3 cB4 F5 T5

2.3 Clearly identify all the control variables (input, output, measured, unmeasured, disturbance, manipulated) in the control system you
designed.
(8)
Input variables: F4(½), T3(½), T6(½), F6(½)
Output variables: F5(½), T5(½)
Measured variables: F6
Unmeasured variables: T3(½), T5(½), T6(½), F4(½), F5(½),
Disturbance: F6
Manipulated variable F6
(cB4 is constant in the storage tank, not a variable, so it is ignored from input, output and unmeasured)
2.4 Write down the mass balance for the Storage Tank unit as the function of the liquid level in the tank .
(3)
dh 3
A =α ( h2 −h3 ) + F 6 −α ( h3 −h5 )
dt 
2.5 Develop a mathematical model to describe the processes taking place in the Catalytic Bed Reactor and in the Separation Tank
(37)
Catalytic Bed Reactor
Total mass balance:

acc of mass flow mass IN flow mass OUT

= −
time time time
d ( ρV )
= ρF 1 +ρF 3 −ρF 2
dt
dV 
=F 1 +F3 −F 2 ; ρ liq constant
dt
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Balance component A:

d (n A 2 ) d ( c A 2 V )
= =c A 1 F1 +c A 3 F 3 −c A 2 F 2−r A V 
dt dt
d (c A 2V ) d (c A 2) d (V )
=V +c A 2 =c A 1 F 1 +c A 3 F3 −c A 2 F 2 −r A V
dt dt dt
d ( c A 2) 
V2 +c A 2 ( F 1 +F 3−F 2 )=c A 1 F 1 +c A 3 F3 −c A 2 F 2 −r A V
dt 
d ( c A 2)
V2 =F1 (c A 1 −c A 2 )+F3 (c A 3 −c A 2 )−r A V 2
dt
Balance component B:

d (n B 2 ) d ( c B 2 V )
= =c B 3 F 3 −c B 2 F 2 +r B V 
dt dt
d (c B 2V ) d ( c B 2) d (V )
=V +c B 2 =c B 3 F3 −c B 2 F2 +r B V
dt dt dt

( )
c B=0
d ( cB 2 )
V +c B 2 F 1 +F 3−F 2 =c B 3 F 3 −c B 2 F2 +r B V
dt 
d (cB2 )
V =F 3 ( c B 3 −c B 2 ) ++ r B V
dt
Total energy balance:

dH (T 2 , n A 2 , nB 2 )
= ρF 1 c P T 1 +ρF 3 c P T 3 −ρF 2 c P T 2−Q 
dt

dH ∂ H dT 2 ∂ H dn A 2 ∂ H dnB 2
= × + × + × ; c P liq constant 
dt ∂T 2 dt ∂ n A 2 dt ∂n B 2 dt

∂H
= ρVc P 
∂T
∂H ~ d (n A 2 )
= H A (T ) ; =c A 1 F 1 +c A 3 F 3 −c A 2 F 2−r A V
∂ nA dt 
∂H ~ d (n B 2 )
= H B(T ) ; =c B 3 F 3 −c B 2 F 2 +r B V 
∂ nB dt

dT 2 ~ ~
ρ Vc P + H A ( c A 1 F 1 +c A 3 F 3 −c A 2 F 2 −r A V ) + H B ( c B 3 F 3−c B 2 F 2 +r B V ) =
dt
ρF 1 c P T 1 + ρF 3 c P T 3 −ρF 2 c P T 2 −Q

~ ~
dT 2 F1 T 1 +F 3 T 3−F 2 T 2 H A HB
ρVc P ( A 1 1 A 3 3 A 2 2 A ) ρ Vc P ( B 3 3 B 2 2 B )
= − c F +c F −c F −r V − c F −c F +r V −Q
dt V
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Separation Tank
Total mass balance:

dV ρ
=F 2−F 4 − vap F 3 ; F 4 =α ( h2 −h3 ) ; V = Ah3 ; ρ liq constant 
dt ρliq
Balance component A:

d (n A 4 ) d ( c A 4 V )
= =c A 2 F 2 −c A 3 F 3 −0
dt dt
d (c A 4 V ) d (c A 4) d (V )
=V +c A 4 =c A 2 F 2 −c A 3 F 3
dt dt dt
d ( c A 4 ) c A 4 =0
( )
c A 4 =0
ρ
V + c A 4 F 2− F 4 − vap F =c A 2 F 4 −c A 3 F3
dt ρliq
d (c A4)
V =c A 2 F 4 −c A 3 F 3
dt

d (c A4)
V =0
dt
Balance component B:

d (n B 4 ) d ( c B 4 V ) 
= =c B 2 F 2 −c B 4 F 4 −c B 3 F 3
dt dt
d (c B 4 V ) d (c B 4) d (V )
=V +c B 4 =c B 2 F2 −c B 4 F 4 −c B 3 F3
dt dt dt 

( )
d ( c B 4) ρvap
V +c B 4 F 2 −F 4 − F =c F −c F −c F
dt ρliq 3 B 2 2 B 4 4 B 3 3

( )
d (cA4) ρ vap
V =F 2 ( c B 2 −c B 4 )− 1− F 3 ( c B 3 −c B 4 ) 
dt ρliq
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Total energy balance:

d (VT 3 )
ρliq c p = ρliq c p F 2 T 2 −( ρvap c v F3 T 3 + λF vap ) −ρliq c p F 4 T 3 +Q steam 
dt

( )
d (VT 3 ) ρ vap c v F 3 T 3 +λF vap Qsteam
=F 2 T 2− −F 4 T 3 +
dt ρliq c p ρliq c p

( )
dT 3 dV ρ vap c v F 3 T 3 + λF vap Qsteam
V +T 3 =F2 T 2 − −F 4 T 3 + 
dt dt ρ liq c p ρliq c p

( ) ( )
dT 3 ρvap ρvap c v F3 T 3 + λF vap Qsteam
V +T 3 F 2 −F 4 − F3 =F 2 T 2 − −F 4 T 3 +
dt ρliq ρliq c p ρliq c p 

V
dT 3
dt
=F 2 ( T 2 −T 3 )−
[ cv
cp
×
ρliq
−
ρliq c p ρliq ]
ρ vap F 3 T 3 λF vap ρvap F 3 T 3 Qsteam
+ +
ρliq c p

( )
dT 3 cv λF vap Qsteam
V =F 2 ( T 2 −T 3 )− −1 − + 
dt cp ρliq c p ρliq c p