Process Control
Dynamic models and feedback control of chemical processes, from step tests and PID tuning to cascade, feedforward, multivariable and model predictive control, safety instrumented systems and alarms, applied to an ethanol and ethyl acetate plant in Sarnia, Ontario.
CHE-374 Year 3 3 credits 12 lessons · 4 h 25 min ▶ Video lessons coming soon
Offered by HSM University · Chemical Engineering
This is the Canadian version of this course. See the American version.
What you'll learn
- Explain the objectives of process control, identify the parts of a feedback loop, and read control loops on P&IDs using ISA-5.1 tags.
- Build dynamic models of tanks, heated vessels and blending units from balances, and linearize nonlinear models about an operating point.
- Use Laplace transforms and transfer functions to combine process units, find responses and judge stability from pole locations.
- Recognize first-order, second-order, dead-time, inverse-response and integrating behaviour and calculate their response characteristics.
- Plan a plant step test and fit first-order-plus-dead-time and integrating models by graphical and least-squares methods.
- Explain proportional, integral and derivative action, choose controller action and PID form, and account for valve characteristics.
- Determine closed-loop stability with the Routh test and frequency response, and calculate ultimate gain, gain margin and phase margin.
- Tune PI and PID controllers with Ziegler-Nichols, Cohen-Coon, lambda and SIMC rules and compare their performance and robustness.
- Design cascade, feedforward, ratio, split-range and override strategies and explain when each is appropriate.
- Analyse interaction with the relative gain array, select pairings and configurations, and explain how model predictive control works.
- Apply layer of protection analysis, determine safety integrity levels, estimate PFDavg, and apply alarm management principles.
- Develop and document a complete control strategy for a process unit, including inventory, quality, constraint and safety functions.
Course content
12 lessons · 4 h 25 min total · final exam
- 1 Why process control 26 min · quiz
- 2 Dynamic models of process units 21 min · quiz
- 3 Laplace transforms and transfer functions 23 min · quiz
- 4 First-order, second-order and dead-time responses 20 min · quiz
- 5 Empirical models from step tests 20 min · quiz
- 6 Feedback control and the PID controller 22 min · quiz
- 7 Closed-loop stability and frequency response 23 min · quiz
- 8 PID tuning 22 min · quiz
- 9 Cascade, feedforward, ratio and selector control 23 min · quiz
- 10 Multivariable control and model predictive control 20 min · quiz
- 11 Safety instrumented systems and alarm management 23 min · quiz
- 12 Capstone: a control strategy for the ester column and decanter 22 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
Dynamic models and feedback control of chemical processes, from step tests and PID tuning to cascade, feedforward, multivariable and model predictive control, safety instrumented systems and alarms, applied to an ethanol and ethyl acetate plant in Sarnia, Ontario.
Part of the Engineering stream, typically taken in year 3.