Chapter 1: Introduction

to Process Control
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At the end of Today’s lecture, you will understand

the following:
a) different classifications of process variables
b) feedback control
c) feed forward Control
d) implementation of control
e) justification of control
 Operational Objectives
Automatic control of a process offers many advantages
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1. Enhanced Process Safety

2. Meeting ever-stricter product quality specifications
3. Satisfying Environmental Regulations
4. More efficient use of raw materials and energy
5. Operational Constraints
6. Economics
 Important Characteristics of
Process Control Systems
1. The focus of the engineer must be on the
process.
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2. The dynamic behavior of the individual units and

the process as a whole is to be understood.
3. It is always the best to utilize the simplest
control system that will achieve the desired
objectives.
4. The design of a process determines how it will
respond dynamically and how it can be
controlled.
 Steady state vs Dynamic Process
• Steady state does not vary with time.
Example: Everything you have studied so far.
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• In Dynamics process properties vary with

time. These processes are also called
“Transient”.
Example: startup or shut down of all chemical
processes.
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 Generalized Process Control System
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 Control Terminology
Controlled variables - these are the variables which
quantify the performance or quality of the final
product, which are also called output variables.
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Manipulated variables - these input variables are

adjusted dynamically to keep the controlled variables
at their set-points.
Disturbance variables - these are also called "load"
variables and represent input variables that can
cause the controlled variables to deviate from their
respective set points.
 Control Terminology(2)

Set-point change - implementing a change in the

operating conditions. The set-point signal is
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changed and the manipulated variable is adjusted

appropriately to achieve the new operating
conditions. Also called servomechanism (or "servo")
control.
Disturbance change - the process transient
behavior when a disturbance enters, also called
regulatory control or load change. A control system
should be able to return each controlled variable
back to its set-point.
Chapter 1 Illustrative Example: Blending system

Notation:
• w1, w2 and w are mass flow rates
• x1, x2 and x are mass fractions of component A
 Assumptions:
1. w1 is constant
2. x2 = constant = 1 (stream 2 is pure A)
3. Perfect mixing in the tank
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Control Objective:
Keep x at a desired value (or “set point”) xsp, despite variations in
x1(t). Flow rate w2 can be adjusted for this purpose.

Terminology:
• Controlled variable (or “output variable”): x
• Manipulated variable (or “input variable”): w2
• Disturbance variable (or “load variable”): x1
 Design Question. What value of w2 is required to have
x = xSP ?

Overall balance:
0 = w1 + w2 − w (1-1)
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Component A balance:

w1x1 + w2 x2 − wx = 0 (1-2)

(The overbars denote nominal steady-state design values.)

• At the design conditions, x = xSP. Substitute Eq. 1-2, x = xSP and

x2 = 1 , then solve Eq. 1-2 for w2 :
xSP − x1
w2 = w1 (1-3)
1 − xSP
 • Equation 1-3 is the design equation for the blending
system.
• If our assumptions are correct, then this value of w2 will keep x
at xSP . But what if conditions change?
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Control Question. Suppose that the inlet concentration x1

changes with time. How can we ensure that x remains at or near
the set point xSP ?
As a specific example, if x1  x1 and w2 = w2, then x > xSP.

Some Possible Control Strategies:

Method 1. Measure x and adjust w2.
• Intuitively, if x is too high, we should reduce w2;
 • Manual control vs. automatic control
• Proportional feedback control law,
w2 ( t ) = w2 + K c  xSP − x ( t )  (1-4)

1. where Kc is called the controller gain.

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2. w2(t) and x(t) denote variables that change with time t.

3. The change in the flow rate, w2 ( t ) − w2 , is proportional to
the deviation from the set point, xSP – x(t).
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 Method 2. Measure x1 and adjust w2.
• Thus, if x1 is greater than x1, we would decrease w2 so that
w2  w2 ;

• One approach: Consider Eq. (1-3) and replace x1 and w2 with

x1(t) and w2(t) to get a control law:
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xSP − x1 ( t )
w2 ( t ) = w1 (1-5)
1 − xSP
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 • Because Eq. (1-3) applies only at steady state, it is not clear
how effective the control law in (1-5) will be for transient
conditions.

Method 3. Measure x1 and x, adjust w2.

• This approach is a combination of Methods 1 and 2.
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Method 4. Use a larger tank.

• If a larger tank is used, fluctuations in x1 will tend to be damped
out due to the larger capacitance of the tank contents.
• However, a larger tank means an increased capital cost.
 Classification of Control Strategies

Table. 1.1 Control Strategies for the Blending System

Method Measured Manipulated Category
Variable Variable
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1 x w2 FB
2 x1 w2 FF
3 x1 and x w2 FF/FB
4 - - Design change

Feedback Control:
• Distinguishing feature: measure the controlled variable
 • It is important to make a distinction between negative feedback
and positive feedback.
➢ Engineering Usage vs. Social Sciences
• Advantages:
➢ Corrective action is taken regardless of the source of
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the disturbance.
➢ Reduces sensitivity of the controlled variable to
disturbances and changes in the process (shown later).
• Disadvantages:
➢ No corrective action occurs until after the disturbance
has upset the process, that is, until after x differs from
xsp.
➢ Very oscillatory responses, or even instability…
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Figure 1.6 Block diagram for composition feedback control system

on Fig. 1.4.
 Feedforward Control:
➢Distinguishing feature: measure a disturbance variable
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Advantage:
➢ Correct for disturbance before it upsets the process.

Disadvantage:
➢ Must be able to measure the disturbance.

➢ No corrective action for unmeasured disturbances.

 Justification of Process Control

Specific Objectives of Control

• Increased product throughput
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• Increased yield of higher valued products

• Decreased energy consumption
• Decreased pollution
• Decreased off-spec product
• Increased Safety
• Extended life of equipment
• Improved Operability
• Decreased production labor
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Figure 1.7
Heat Exchanger
Reactor
 (days-months) 5. Planning and
Scheduling

(hours- days) 4. Real-Time

Op timization

3b. Multivariab le
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(minutes-hours) and Constraint

Control
Figure 1.8 Hierarchy of
process control activities.

(seconds-minutes) 3a. Regulatory

Control

2. Safety, Environment
(< 1 second) and Equipment
Protection

(< 1 second) 1. Measurement

and Actuation

Process
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Figure 1.9
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Figure 1.10 Major

steps in control
system development
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