PROCESS CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

CONTROL LOOP

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 CONTENT

• Basics and short history of process control

• The concept of control loop

• Controlled variable, manipulated variable and disturbance

• Feedback and feedforward control

• Open and closed control loop

• Control objective and benifits

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 PROCESS CONTROL

Process control
• Process dynamic behaviour analysis

• Development of dynamic process model

• Control loop and system optimization

• Before we integrate our engineering knowledge and skills to be

g and analyze
able to design y p processes for the safe operation
p and
high quality products we need to master process control
methods.

For analysing and design of the process system we need

knowledge on control and process control skills!
skills!

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ...

The remains of tin mines in Cornwall (England)

where the first steam engine was installed
1788 – centrifugal
1788. t if l governor for
f automatic
t ti control
t l off rotating
t ti speed
d off steam
t tturbine
bi
(mechanical feedback connection)
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
THE WATTS "GOVERNOR“
GOVERNOR 1st INDUSTRIAL CONTROLLER

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 HYSTORY OF AUTOMATIC CONTROL

1788 James Watt – automatic controller for steam engine

((first modern control application)
pp )

1920ss
1920 the begining of wider use of automatic control

1960ss
1960 digital computers and microprocessors for control
beginning of the modern automatic control era

1990ss
1990 the methods of inteligent control
(predictive control, expert system, neural networks, fuzzy logic)

T d
Today i th
in the process iindustry
d t more th
than 10% off iinvestments
t t are spentt
for instrumentation and control.

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 PROCESS ANALYSIS – SYSTEM VIEW

INPUTS
PROCESS OUTPUTS
β

Input variables (inputs

inputs))
Characterize material and energy flows which cause the change in process
accumulation
Disturbances or manipulated variables
O t t variables
Output i bl (outputs
outputs)
t t )
Characterize process/system behaviour as the response on input changes.
Key process variables.

Parameters
Define the structure of the process/system
β1 – p
parameters which characterize p physical
y and chemical p
properties
p ((e.g.
g λ,, ρ, η, h))
β2 – parameters which characterize process equipment (e.g. dimensions, geometry)

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 CONTROL LOOP

Disturbance variable
DV
Manipulated Variable
Controlled Variable CV
PROCESS
MV

Final control Transducer

element

PV Process Variable

Error
e
OP
ALGORITHM Comparator
Output

CONTROLLER
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb SP Set Point
 CONTROL LOOP

Disturbances

Controlled variable
Manipulated variable

Plant / Process Sensor

Pressure
Final control Level
element (Valve
(Valve)) Flow
Temperature
Composition

Controller T
Transducer
d

Control action Measured variable

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 CONTROLLED VARIABLE

CV - Controlled Variable
PV - Process Variable

The variables that are monitored and controlled.

Actual (current) value of the controlled variable.

Flow FI
Temperature TI
Level LI
Pressure PI
Turbine rotatin speed SI
Product quality QI, AI

In some complex plant we can find more than 200

controlled variables and 100 manipulated variables.
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 MANIPULATED VARIABLE

MV - Manipulated Variable
OP - Output Variable

To keep controlled variable at the desired value (set point -SP)

we must change (manipulate) some input variable(s).

Examples

Control valve position Flow control in a pipe

Vent valve position Pressure control
Inlet/outlet flowrate Level control in a tank
Steam flow in a reboiler Temperature control in a column
Reflux flow Top product purity control

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 DISTURBANCES

DV - Disturbance Variable

The variables that affect the process,

but we can not directly influence on it – it is out of our control.
control

Examples

Change in input stream composition influence distillation product

properties.
A bi t ttemperature
Ambient t changes
h can affect
ff t the
th column’s
l ’ temperature.
t t
Variation in calorific value of the fuel gas affects the furnace temperature.

DV is also input variable, but:

• MV is under our influence!
• DV is not under our influence!
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 CONTROL LOOP EXAMPLE

SP

OP
FT FC

Protok PV
Flow through
kroz cijev
j
the pipe
Regulacijski
Control
ventil
valve

FT – flow transmitter
FC – flow control
SP – set point (enter by operator)
PV – actual measured value of controlled variable
OP – calculated controller output

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 AUTOMATIC STABILIZATION

SP  konst.

• Set point is constant and correspons to the desired value of the

controlled variable;

• Controller acts on any deviation of controlled variable (PV) from

desired value (SP);

• Most industrial control falls into automatic stabilization category;

• The purpose of automatic stabilization is to maintain

material/energy accumulation close to the zero.

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 TRACKING CONTROL

SP  konst
k t.

• The setpoint is changing to follow a predefined trajectory;

• Controlled variable (PV) tracks down the changes of set point (SP);

Example

During the industrial furnace start-up heat supply is changed so that the
furnace temperature gradually increases following the defined profile (eg. at
an uniform rate).
)

Applying tracking control on batch reactor the process is controlled to follow

desired temperature profile (according to the recipe!).

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 MANUAL FEEDBACK CONTROL

PROCESS
Manipulated flow Controlled variable

• On the output stream an indicator providing to the operator with the

actual value of the controlled variable (PV);

• The operator reads the indicator and adjusts the valve to achieve the
desired value of the variable guided(SP);

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 AUTOMATIC FEEDBACK CONTROL
CONTROL

Automatic feedback control

Disturbances

M i l d variable
Manipulated i bl Controlled variable
PROCESS

Required value of
manipulated variable Measured value of
controlled variable

Algorithm

CONTROLLER Set Point

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 MANUAL FEEDFORWARD CONTROL

Disturbance

Manipulated PROCESS
Controlled variable
flow

• The operator observes an indicator of disturbaces and adjusts the

manipulated variable;

• The aim is to prevent any change or variation in the controlled variable

caused by the disturbance;

• Feedback control operates to eliminate errors, but feedforward control

operates to prevent errors.
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 OPEN / CLOSED CONTROL LOOP
Open loop

2
3
4
• no continous feedback information;
1 5 • manual control;
control
• the water temperature depends on
power of the heater, water quantity
and somewhat on ambient
temperature and pressure;

Closed loop
180
140
200
• feedback control;
control
120 220 +
-
• automatic
t ti control;
t l

• for temperature control we need

t
temperature
t measurementt
Temperature measurement
(controlled variable).
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 AUTOMATIC FEEDFORWARD
FEEDFORWARD CONTROL

Set point Disturbance

Feedforward
Transducer
controller

Manipulated Controlled
variable variable
Proces

• Sensor measures the disturbance and sends to feedforward controller;

• Based on mathematical relationship feedforward controller computes the

change of manipulated variable to compensate for variation in disturbance;

• It is common for a process to have combined feedforward and feedback

©control loops.
N.Bolf, Faculty Why?
of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 CONTROL SYSTEM DIAGRAM

P & I (Process
Process and Instrumentation)
Instrumentation diagram

Graphical description of control loops using standard symbols

(ANSI/ISA S5 1 Instrumentation Symbols and Identification)
(ANSI/ISA-S5.1

F– flow
L– level
T– temperature
P– pressure
A– analyzer
U– surge

C – control, regulation

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 CONTROL LOOP INSTRUMENTATION
Power

4 20 mA signal
4-20 4 20 mA
4-20

I/P Instrumentation
Controller air 20 psig
t
transducer
d
Signal 3-15 psig
Pressure
transmitter
Pneumatic
valve

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 PROCESS CONTROL HIERARCHY

Planning & Scheduling (days

days--months
months))

Real--Time Optimisation (hours

Real (hours--days)

Multivariable & Constraint Control (minutes

(minutes--hours)

Regulatory Control (seconds

seconds--minutes
minutes))

Safety & Environmental / Equipment Protection ((seconds)

seconds
seconds))

Measurement & Actuation ((seconds)

seconds
seconds))

PROCESS
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 WHY
WH Y IS GOOD CONTROL SO IMPORTANT?
IMPORTANT?

• To maximize plant throughput;

• To minimize fuel and energy consumption;

• To
T increase
i product
d t quality;
lit

• For smooth and stabil operation

operation;
p ;

• Optimal process performance.

performance.

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 THE ROLE AND THE AIM OF PROCESS CONTROL

The role and the aim:

• safety
• enviromental protection
• equipment protection
• smooth operation
• product quality
• profit
• monitoring and diagnostics

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 EXAMPLE: SEPARATION COLUMN
Input stream: C1-C5
Baklja
Gas product: C1-C
C2
The role of Liquid product: C3-C5
Gas
control:
control PC product

• safety

• env. protection
Input stream
• equip. protection FC
LC
• smooth operation

• product quality
Liquid
AC product
• profit Hot stream Steam
Lower key component

• monitoring and UA
diagnostics

Time
© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb
 BLOCK DIAGRAMS

Consistent way of representing control system

system.
Simple, symbolic, graphical tool commonly used in automatic control.

Basic symbols:
symbols

Circle - algebraic addition or subtraction;

Rectangle - multiplication or dividing;

- block output is product of block content and block input;

Arrows - the flow of information

- algebraic sign (+ or -)

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 QUESTION AND EXCERCISES

1. Consider an electric oven in a typical modern kitchen.

Id tif th
Identify the controlled
t ll d variable,
i bl the
th manipulated
i l t d variabl,
i bl and
d th
the
disturbances!

2
2. Consider an automatic gasgas-fired,
fired home hot
hot-water
water tank
tank.
Identify the controlled variable, the manipulated variable, and the
disturbances!!
disturbances

3. Imagine your own backyard swimming pool.

Describe a manual control system to measure pH and to add an
acid solution to adjust pH! Define the controlled varialbe, the
manipulated
i l t d variable
i bl andd th
the di
disturbances!
t b !

4. Now automate the control of your swimming pool! Assume you

have a tank of acid solution to pump into your pool to control pH
pH.
Use feedback control.

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb

 LITERATURE

• Seborg, D. E., T. F. Edgar & D. A. Mellichamp (2010). Process Dynamics

Control, 2nd ed.,
and Control ed John Wiley & Sons; New York

• Bequette B. W. (2003). Process Control:

Control: Modeling, Design
Design,, and
Simulation, Prentice Hall
Simulation

• Marlin, T. E. (2000). Process Control, Design Processes and Control

Performance 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill
System for Dynamic Performance,

• Ogunnaike B. A., W. H. Ray (1994). Process Dynamics, Modeling and

Control, Oxford University Press, Ney York Oxford
Control

© N.Bolf, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb