ERT 321 – Process

Control & Dynamics

Feedforward & Ratio
Control
Ms Anis Atikah Ahmad
anisatikah@unimap.edu.my
 OUTLINE
• Introduction to Feedforward Control
• Ratio Control
• Other Control Strategies

Intro: Feedback Control
One of the simplest process control schemes.
 A feedback loop measures a process variable and sends the measurement to a
controller for comparison to set point. If the process variable is not at set point, control
action is taken to return the process variable to set point.
 Advantage: corrective action occurs as soon the CV deviates from setpoint.
 Disadvantage: not provide predictive control action to compensate for the effects of
known or measurable disturbance

Parameter being
measured:
Controlled
Variable ( level of
the water in the
boiler)
 Feedforward Control
Basic concept: to measure important disturbance variables and take corrective
action before they upset the process.

Parameter being
measured:
disturbance
variable (steam
flow rate)
 Feedforward Control (cont.)
Feedforward control is normally used in combination with feedback controller.

Controller with
summing functions
are used in these
combined systems
to sum up the
input from both
the feedforward
loop and the
feedback loop, and
send a unified
signal to the final
control element.

Feedforward plus feedback controller

 Ratio Control
 Ratio control is used to ensure that two or more flows are kept at
the same ratio even if the flows are changing.

MV

u
R
d
DV
 Ratio Control (cont.)

FIC
FF

FT FT

Water Acid

2 part of water
1 part of acid
 Ratio Control (cont.)
Typical applications of ratio control include:

1. Setting the relative amounts of components in blending

operations
2. Maintaining a stoichiometric ratio of reactants to a reactor
3. Keeping a specified reflux ratio for a distillation column
4. Holding the fuel-air ratio to a furnace at the optimum value
 Method I
um
Rm 
dm

Disadvantage: divider element makes the process gain vary in a non-linear fashion,
where:  R  1
Kp    
 du  d d
Method II

Sd
K R  Rd
Su
Desired ratio

Transmitter
span for DV &
MV
 Example 15.1
• A ratio control scheme is to be used to maintain a stoichiometric
ratio of H2 and N2 as the feed to an ammonia synthesis reactor.
Individual flow controllers will be used for both H2 and N2 streams.
Based on the following information:
• The spans of the flow trasmitters are 30L/min for H2 and 15 L/min for N2.
• The control valves have pneumatic actuators.
• Each required current-to-pressure (I/P) transducer has a gain of 0.75 psi/mA.
• The ratio station is an electronic instrument with 4-20 mA input and output signals.

(i) Draw a schematic diagram for the ratio control scheme

(ii) Specify the appropriate gain for the ratio station, KR
 Example 15.1-Sol
(a) Ratio control schematic diagram
3H2 + N2 ⇌ 2NH3

In order to introduce a feed mixture in stoichiometric proportion, the ratio of the

molar flow rates (H2/N2) should be 3:1. Assume ratio of molar flowrates = ratio
of volumetric flow rates;
 Example 15.1-Sol
(b) Appropriate gain for the ratio station, KR
The stoichiometric equation for ammonia synthesis reaction is:
3H2 + N2 ⇌ 2NH3

From stoichiometric equation, it follows that the desired ratio is, R d =u/d =1/3
Sd
Substituting into K R  Rd gives;
Su

1 30 L min 2
KR   
3 15 L min u 3
 Block diagram of Feedforward-
Feedback control system

Figure 15-11: A block diagram of feedforward-feedback

control system
Feedforward-Feedback control system
The closed-loop transfer function for disturbance changes can be derived as
follows:

Y  s  Gd  Gt G f Gv G p

D s  1  Gc Gv G p Gm
Eq 15-21

Ideally, we want a perfect control, where the CV remains exactly at the set
point with any changes in DV. If the set point is constant, Ysp(s) =0 , Y(s) =0,
This condition can be satisfied by setting the numerator of Eq 15-21= 0.
Thus: Gd
Gf  
Gt Gv G p
 Stability Considerations
Consider the closed-loop system in Figure 15-11:
 Stability Considerations
From the closed-loop transfer function in Eq 15-21,

Y  s  Gd  Gt G f Gv G p
 Eq 15-21
D s  1  Gc Gv G p Gm

the characteristic equation is: 1  Gc Gv G p Gm  0

-Since Gf does not appear in the characteristic equation, the feedforward

controller has no effect on the stability of feedback control system.

This allows the feedback & feedforward controllers to be tuned individually.

 Feedback-Feedforward Configuration
• Typical configuration:

Feedforwrad
control in this
strategy does
not affect the
stability of
feedback
control loop
 Feedback-Feedforward Configuration
• Alternative configuration:
Feedback controller output serve as
the setpoint for the feedforward
controller.

-> The feedforward control can affect

the stability of feedback control
system.
 Cascade control
• Cascade Control uses the output of the primary controller (master) to manipulate the set

point of the secondary controller (slave) as if it were the final control element.

• The output of the master controller being used to adjust the set point of the slave
controller.
Cascade control (cont.)
 Split Range Control
Output of a controller is split to two or more control valves.
The diagram shows pH
adjustment; part of waste
water treatment process.
The process shall
CV-102 TK-102
maintained at pH 6. When
pHIC the process liquid states
(base feed tank)
below pH 6, CV-102 will be
opened to dosing NaOH to
the tank TK-100. When the
pHT 1 process liquid states above
pH 6, CV-101 will be
operated to dosing HCl.

CV-101
TK-100 TK-101
(pH adjustment tank) (acid feed tank)