FUNDAMENTALS OF PROCESS CONTROL

Control A function that alters the operation of a system or maintains a set point at some desired value. It is
to regulate, monitor, limit, adjust, direct, or command.
Process A systematic arrangement of events or activities to produce a desired output or product.
Process Control Adjustments of process inputs so that the required output is achieved despite changes to the feed
or other process variables. It is to regulate processes usually for the purpose of holding some
important variables constant.
Automation The technique of making a system, process, or apparatus operate without human intervention.
Instrument A device that will measure, record, indicate, or control an operation.
Control System Arrangement of physical components connected in such a manner as to command, direct, or
regulate itself or another system.
Sensors Used to measure disturbances, controlled output, secondary variables, etc. These are the main
sources of information of what is happening or going on in the process.
Transmission lines Carry the measurement signal from the sensor to the controller, and the control signal to the final
control element. Transmission lines are equipped with amplifiers or attenuators.
Controller The element that has intelligence. A unit with logic that receives the information from the
measuring device, computes the error or the deviation from the set point, and decides what action
must be taken and by how much must the input be changed.
Transducer Converts measurements to physical quantities (i.e., electrical to pneumatic signals)
Final Control Element The hardware element that implements the actual changes. Valves are the commonly encountered
FCE. (e.g., control valves, speed metering pumps, variable-speed compressors, relay switches)
Indicating and Provide a visual demonstration of how a chemical process behaves. Displays the variables that are
Recording elements directly measured in the system.
Manual operation All sensing and changes are done by the human operator (level control using sight tube →
close/open valve)
Semi-automatic Instruments are used in sensing process variables, then the human operator initiates the change
operation (temperature is sensed and indicated by a device → human operator closes/opens steam valve)
Automatic operation Measuring devices and computers replace human operators

ELEMENTS OF A CONTROL SYSTEM

 Input/ objective – an external effect (from surroundings) to the process
 Control system – analyzes and implements changes
o Measuring device/ sensors
o Controller
o Final control element
 Results/ output – the resulting effect of the process to the surroundings

Types of Input
Desired value/ set-point/ reference – A defined basis for the changes a process will undergo
Manipulated variable – input whose value can be adjusted to cause further change in the output of the system to restore the
desired condition
Disturbances – input variables that cannot be controlled directly. These are not a result of adjustments done by the system

Types of Output
Controlled variable – values are known directly by measuring them
Unmeasured variables

CLASSIFICATION OF CONTROL SYSTEMS

1. Open-loop system – a control operation whose input is set to achieve a desired output without monitoring the status or
condition of the output. The input is independent of the output. It does not employ any means to compare the actual result
with the desired condition.
Features: 1. Simple
2. Accuracy is determined by the calibration of elements
3. They are not generally troubled with instability
Examples: rice cooker, washing machine, bread toaster, lighting of room (on/off)

Set point CONTROLLER PROCESS Output

ChE 521: Industrial Instrumentation and Process Control

Engr. MMM Boado, MS EnE
2. Closed-loop system – the input is dependent on the output (know the output, adjust the input). It uses the effect of the
disturbances on the controlled variable to adjust the manipulated variable, and so correcting the disturbance. There is a
comparison of the actual output with the predetermined setting.
Features: 1. It is more complex; it employs higher mathematical operations such as integral and differential calculus
2. It is highly accurate because of the continuous error correction
3. Non-linearities and distortions are reduced
4. It has a wide band width and there will be uniformity of product produced
Band width is a range of frequencies of the input over which the system will respond satisfactorily

TYPES OF CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEMS

1. Feedback Control – the output is fed back and compared with the input to generate an error signal. This error signal is
sent to a controller that will change a variable (manipulated) to drive another (controlled) back to its desired value.
Measurements come from the output, corrections are made to the incoming flow.

Manipulated
variable

FEEDBACK
Set point CONTROLLER
PROCESS Disturbance

Output
SENSOR (controlled
variable)

Automatic feedback control systems

1.1 Regulator System – the principal forcing variable is the disturbance signal (u). The function of the system is to hold
the controlled variables steady at the values set by the reference despite any disturbance imposed externally.
𝑹−𝒄 𝒆
𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐 = = →𝟎
𝒖 𝒖
Note: The error or deviation signal (e) should remain small despite the imposition of disturbance (u) to the system.
The set point remains the same while the load changes; the feedback controller tries to eliminate the impact of load
changes (u) and keep the controlled variable (c) at the desired value (R).

1.2 Servomechanism (follow-up) System – the principal forcing variable is the set point, command signal, or reference
signal (R). The objective is to keep the controlled variable in close correspondence with the reference variable which
is frequently of continuously changing.
𝒄
𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐 = →𝟏
𝑹
Note: Changes in the reference signal (R), should be reflected promptly in equal changes in the controlled variable (c).
The disturbance does not change while the set point does.

2. Feedforward Control – the disturbance is detected as it enters the process and makes appropriate changes in the
manipulated variable such that the output (controlled) variable is held constant, thus beginning corrective action as soon
as the disturbance is detected instead of waiting for its effect to propagate all through the process.

Output (controlled
Input disturbance PROCESS
variable)

FEEDFORWARD Manipulated
SENSOR
CONTROLLER variable

ChE 521: Industrial Instrumentation and Process Control

Engr. MMM Boado, MS EnE
Steps in Control System Development

Control Management objectives

Available information Ojectives

Develop Process
Available data Physical and Chemical principles
Model

Device Control
Process control theory Experience
Strategy

Select hardware
Vendor information
and software

Install control
system

Adjust controller
settings

FINAL CONTROL
SYSTEM

Hierarchy of process control activities

5. Planning and
Days – months
Scheduling

Hours – days 4. Real - time

Optimization

Minutes – hours 3b. Multivariable and

Contraint Control

Seconds – minutes 3a. Regulatory Control

2. Safety, Environment
< 1 second and Equipment Protection

Measaurement and
< 1 second
Actuation

PROCESS CONTROL OBJECTIVES and BENEFITS

Refer to Process Control by Marlin – Chapter 2

ChE 521: Industrial Instrumentation and Process Control

Engr. MMM Boado, MS EnE