THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF MINES AND MINERAL SCIENCES

CHEMICAL ENGINERING DEPARTMENT

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

Assignment 1

CE 560/ MT 580: Process control

Due: Wednesday, 25th February 2022 before 17:00 hrs

Question 1

Taking a shower is a common multivariable process encountered often. During this process, hot- and
cold-water streams are typically mixed before discharge from the shower head. For this process, identify
the following:

a) The control objectives

b) Input variables
c) Disturbances
d) Output variables
e) Sensor for process variable(s) to be controlled.
f) Whether process is feedback or feedforward, justify your answer.

Draw a block diagram for this process and explain how control objective (s) would be achieved.

Question 2

The preliminary process design for a distillation process has been prepared and is shown in Fig.1.0. The
key variables to be controlled are (a) flow-rate, (b) temperature, (c) composition and (d) pressure.
Disturbances occur in the feed composition and temperature.

a) Determining which sensors and final control elements are required so that the important variables
can be controlled. Sketch then on the figure where they should be located.
b) Select control pairings, that is, which measured variable should be controlled by adjusting which
manipulated variable.
 Heat Exachangers Vapour

Drum

Liquid

Figure 1.0 Distillation system

Question 3

Figure 2.0 shows an inferential system for mill product size control. Suppose that the main disturbance
variables are the water flow-rate and density of the circulating load. The density is related to the d50
diameter according to Bradley’s correlation
 Dc3 
d50 = 4.5  1.2 
 L ( s − L ) 

Where d50 is the particle diameter for which hydrocyclone efficiency is 50 percent, L is the feed flowrate,
𝜌𝑠 and 𝜌𝐿 are the solid and liquid densities.

a) Explain the causal relationship between density and mill product size.
b) Briefly describe how control of mill product size would be achieved from figure 2.0.
c) Draw a block diagram for the schematic control system shown in figure 2.0.

SP1

PC Model

FT Water addition
Product
D F P
FC
SP2

From rod mill

Ball mill

D=Density,
F = Flow-rate • Flow-rate
• level
P = Pressure • Density
• Density
• Pressure