Ratio control

2
 Ratio control is a type of feedforward control where two disturbances
(loads) are measured and held in a constant ratio to each other.
 It is mostly used to control the ratio of flow rates of two streams.
 Both flow rates are measured but only one can be controlled.
 The stream whose flow rate is not under control is usually referred to as
wild stream.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Ratio control
3  Figure 21.9a and b show two different ratio control configurations for
two streams. Stream A is the wild stream.
1. In configuration 1 (Figure 21.9a) we measure both now rates and take
their ratio. This ratio is compared to the desired ratio (set point) and the
deviation (error) between the measured and desired ratios constitutes
the actuating signal for the ratio controller.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Ratio control
4
2. In configuration 2 (Figure 21.9b)
we measure the flow rate of the
wild stream A and multiply it by
the desired ratio. The result is
the flow rate that the stream B
should have and constitutes the
set point value which is
compared to the measured flow
rate of stream B.
3. The deviation constitutes the
actuating signal for the
controller, which adjusts
appropriately the flow of B.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Ratio control
5
 Ratio control is used extensively in chemical processes with the
following as the most commonly encountered examples:
1. Keep a constant ratio between the feed flow rate and the steam in the
reboiler of a distillation column.
2. Hold constant the reflux ratio in a distillation column.
3. Control the ratio of two reactants entering a reactor at a desired value.
4. Hold the ratio of two blended streams constant, in order to maintain the
composition of the blend at the desired value.
5. Hold the ratio of a purge stream to the recycle stream constant.
6. Keep the ratio of fuel/air in a burner at its optimum value (most
efficient combustion).
7. Maintain the ratio of the liquid flow rate to vapor flow rate in an
absorber constant, in order to achieve the desired composition in the
exit vapor stream.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Feedback vs Feedforward
6
 A disadvantage of conventional feedback control is that corrective action
for disturbances does not begin until after the controlled variable deviates
from the set point.
 Feedforward control offers large improvements over feedback control for
processes that have large time constants or time delays. However,
feedforward control requires that the disturbances be measured explicitly,
and that a model be available to calculate the controller output.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control
7
 An alternative approach, and one that can significantly improve the
dynamic response to disturbances, employs a secondary measurement point
and a secondary feedback controller.
 The secondary measurement point is located so that it recognizes the upset
condition sooner than the controlled variable, but the disturbance is not
necessarily measured. This approach, is called cascade control.
 In a cascade control configuration we have one manipulated variable
and more than one measurement.
 It is clear that with a single manipulation we can control only one output.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for a Jacketed CSTR
8
 Consider the CSTR shown in Figure 1.7. The reaction is exothermic
and the heat generated is removed by the coolant, which flows in the
jacket around the tank. The control objective is to keep the temperature
of the reacting mixture, T, constant at a desired value. Possible
disturbances to the reactor include the feed temperature T i and the
coolant temperature Tc. The only manipulated variable is the coolant
flow rate Fc.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for a Jacketed CSTR

9  If we use simple feedback, we will take the control configuration shown

in Figure 20.1a (i.e., measure temperature T and manipulate coolant
flow rate Fc). It is clear that T will respond much faster to changes in T i
than to changes in Tc. Therefore, the simple feedback control of Figure
20.1a will be very effective in compensating for changes in T, and less
effective in compensating for changes in Tc.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for a Jacketed CSTR
10  Cascade control. We can improve the response of the simple feedback
control to changes in the coolant temperature by measuring T c and
taking control action before its effect has been fell by the reacting
mixture.
 Thus, if Tc goes up, increase the rate of the coolant to remove the same
amount of heat.
 Decrease the coolant now rate when Tc decreases.
 We notice, therefore, that we can have two control loops using two
different measurements, T and Tc but sharing a common manipulated
variable, Fc

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for a Jacketed CSTR
11  How these loops are related is shown in Figure 20.1b. There we notice that:
a. The loop that measures T (controlled variable) is the dominant or primary,
or master control loop and uses a set point supplied by the operator.
b. The loop that measures Tc uses the output of the primary controller as its set
point and is called the secondary or slave loop.
 The control configuration with these two loops is known as cascade
control and is very common in chemical processes.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for a Jacketed CSTR
12  Let us generalize the discussion above. Consider a process consisting of
two parts, as shown in Figure 20.2a: process I and process Il.
 Process I (primary) has as its output the variable we want to control.
 Process Il (secondary) has an output that we are not interested in
controlling but which affects the output we want to control.
 For the CSTR system of Example 20.1, process I is the reaction in the
tank and the controlled output is the temperature T. Process Il is the
jacket and its output Tc affects process I (reactor) and consequently T.
Figure 20.2b shows the typical simple feedback control system, and

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for a Jacketed CSTR
13  Figure 20.2b shows the typical simple feedback control system, and

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for a Jacketed CSTR
14  Figure 20.2c indicates the general form of cascade control. The last
figure demonstrates very clearly the major benefit to be gained by
cascade control: Disturbances arising within the secondary loop are
corrected by the secondary controller before they can affect the value of
the primary controlled output. This important benefit has led to the
extensive use of cascade control in chemical processes.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for Various Processes
15  Let us describe the use of cascade control in various typical processing
systems.
1. Heat exchangers: The typical configuration is shown in Figure 20.3a.
The control objective is to keep the exit temperature of stream 2 at a
desired value. The secondary loop is used to compensate for changes in
the flow rate of stream 1.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for Various Processes
16 2. Distillation columns: Cascade control is usually employed to regulate
the temperature (and consequently the concentration) at the top or
bottom of a distillation column. Figure 20.3b and c show two such
typical cascade control systems. In both cases the secondary loop is used
to compensate for flow rate changes.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for Various Processes
17 3. Furnaces: Cascade control can be used to regulate the temperature of a
process stream (e.g., feed to a reactor) exiting from a furnace. Figure
20.3d shows the resulting cascade configuration. Again, the secondary
loop is used to compensate for flow rate changes (fuel flow rate).

Process Dynamics & Control

 Cascade Control for Various Processes
18  We notice that in all the cascade configurations of Example 20.2, the
secondary loop is used to compensate for flow rate changes. This
observation is quite common in chemical processes and we could state:
 In chemical processes, flow rate control loops are almost always
cascaded with other control loops.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Override control
19  During the normal operation of a plant or during its startup or shutdown it
is possible that dangerous situations may arise which may lead to
destruction of equipment and operating personnel. In such cases it is
necessary to change from the normal control action and attempt to prevent
a process variable from exceeding an allowable upper or lower limit.
 This can be achieved through the use of special types of switches. The
high selector switch (HSS) is used whenever a variable should not exceed
an upper limit, and the low selector switch (ISS) is employed to prevent a
process variable from exceeding a lower limit.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Examples of Override Control

20 1. Protection of a boiler system: Usually, the steam pressure in a boiler is

controlled through the use of a pressure control loop on the discharge line
(loop I in Figure 20.5). At the same time the water level in the boiler
should not fall below a lower limit which is necessary to keep the heating
coil immersed in water and thus prevent its burning out. Figure 20.5 shows
the override control system using a low switch selector (I-SS). According
to this system, whenever the liquid level falls below the allowable limit,
the I-SS switches the control action from pressure control to level control
(loop 2 in Figure 20.5) and closes the valve on the discharge line.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Examples of Override Control
21 2. Protection of a compressor system: The discharge of a compressor is
controlled with a flow control system (loop I in Figure 20.6). To prevent
the discharge pressure from exceeding an upper limit, an override control
with a high switch selector (HSS) is introduced. It transfers control action
from the flow control to the pressure control loop (loop 2 in figure 20.6)
whenever the discharge pressure exceeds the upper limit. Notice that flow
control or pressure control
is actually cascaded to the speed control of the compressor's motor.

Process Dynamics & Control

22
Auctioneering control systems
 Such control configurations select among several similar measurements
the one with the highest value and feed it to the controller.
 Thus it is a selective controller, which possesses several measured
outputs and one manipulated input.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Examples of Auctioneering Control

23 1. Catalytic tubular reactors with highly exothermic reactions: Several

highly exothermic reactions take place in tubular reactors filled with a
catalyst bed. Typical examples are hydrocarbon oxidation reactions
such as the oxidation of o-xylene or naphthalene to produce phthalic
anhydride. Figure 20.8 shows the temperature profile along the length
of the tubular reactor. The highest temperature is called the hot spot.
The location of the hot spot moves along the length of the reactor
depending on the feed conditions (temperature, concentration, flow
rate) and the catalyst activity (Figure 20.8). The value of the hotpot
temperature also depends on the factors listed above and the
temperature and flow rate of the coolant.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Examples of Auctioneering Control

24  The control of such systems is a real challenge for the chemical The
primary control objective is to keep the hot-spot temperature below
an upper limit. Therefore, we need a control system that can identify
the location of the hot spot and provide the proper control action.
This can be achieved through:
1. Placement of several thermocouples along the length of the reactor
2. Use of an auctioneering system to select the highest temperature which
will be used to control the now rate of the coolant (Figure 20.9)

Process Dynamics & Control

 Split-Range Control
25  Unlike the cascade and selective control schemes examined in
previous slides, the split-range control configuration has one
measurement only (controlled output) and more than one
manipulated variable.
 Since there is only one controlled output, we have only one control
signal, which is thus split into several parts, each affecting one of the
available manipulations.
 In other words, we can control a single process output by
coordinating the actions of several manipulated variables, all of
which have the same effect on the controlled output.
 Such systems are not very common in chemical processes but
provide added safety and operational optimality whenever necessary,
as the following examples demonstrate.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Examples of Split-Range Control
26  Example 20.6: Split-Range Control of a Chemical Reactor
Consider the reactor shown in Figure 20.10a, where a gas-phase
reaction takes place.
 Two control valves manipulate the flows of the feed and the reaction
product. It is clear that in order to control the pressure in the reactor,
the two valves cannot act independently but should be coordinated.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Examples of Split-Range Control
27  Figure 20.1b indicates the coordination of the two valves actions as
a function of the controller's output signal (see also Table 20.1). Let
the controller's output signal corresponding to the desired operation
of the reactor be 6 psig. From Figure 20.10b we see that valve V 2 is
partly open while valve V1 is completely open.

Process Dynamics & Control

 Examples of Split-Range Control
28  When for various reasons the pressure in the reactor increases, the
controller's output signal also increases. Then it is split into two parts,
affects the two valves simultaneously, and the following actions take place:
1. As the controller output increases from 6 psig to 9 psig, valve V2 opens
continuously while V1 remains completely open. Both actions lead to a
reduction in the pressure.
2. For large increases In the reactor's pressure, the control output may exceed
9 psig. In such a case, as we can see from Figure 20.10b, valve V2 is
completely open while V1 starts closing. Both actions again lead to a
reduction in pressure until the reactor has returned to the desired operation.

Process Dynamics & Control