CHEN3005 Process Instrumentation and Control

Review Exercise 3
Q.1 A jacketed vessel is used to cool a process stream as shown in the figure. The
following information is available:
i. The volume of the liquid in the tank V and the volume of the coolant in the jacket
Vj remain constant. Volumetric flow rate FF is constant but FJ varies with time.
ii. Heat loses from the jacketed vessel are negligible.
iii. Both the tank contents and the jacket contents are well mixed and have significant
thermal capacitances.
iv. The thermal capacitances of the tank wall and the jacket wall are negligible.
v. The overall heat transfer coefficient for the transfer between the tank liquid and
the coolant varies with coolant flow rate:

U = KFJ0.8
Where U = [Btu/h ft2 oF]
FJ = [ft3/h]
K = constant
Derive a dynamic model for this system. (State any additional assumptions that you
make)

TF
FF
TJ
FJ

Ti
FJ
T
F

Q.2
FB
CB

FA
CA

AT

CA
CB
For the multi-stage blending system below, proposed the feedback and feedforward
control strategy to control the outlet concentration ratio  =  / , assuming that
 ,  and
 are fluctuating.
For your proposed control strategy, draw an equivalent block diagram representation.
Q.3 A stirred-tank reactor is operated with a feed mixture containing reactant A at a
mass concentration CAi. The feed flow rate is wi as shown below in the drawing. Under
certain conditions the system operates according to the model:

d (V )dt
= wi w
dt
d (VC A )
= wi C Ai wc A VkC A
dt
wi
CAi

w
CAi

(a) For cases where the feed flow rate and feed concentration may vary and the
volume is not fixed, simplify the model to one or more equations that do not
contain product derivatives. The density may be assumed to be constant. Is the
model in a satisfactory form for Laplace transform operations? Why or why not?

(b) For the case where the feed flow rate has been steady at w i for some time,
determine how CA changes with time if a step change in CAi is made from CA1 to
CA2. List all assumptions necessary to solve the problem using Laplace transform
techniques.
Q.4 An expression has been found for the transient response of a second-order process:

d2y
dy KV
= W 2

y + Qx 3 / 2
2
dt W
dt
(a) What is the effect on the system characteristic time ( ) and damping
coefficient of doubling V while keeping W constant?
(b) What can you determine about the response time of the manometer? About its
damping characteristic?
(c) Calculate the response of the manometer to a pressure change, p (t ) = 2e 4t .
Q.6 Consider the standard block diagram shown below, with the following transfer
functions:

Gc = K c , Gv = Gm = 1 , G p =

1
1
, GL =
s+2
(5s + 1)( s + 1)
L

(a) For a step change of 10 units in R, what is the offset?

(b) Find the range of Kc for which the closed-loop system is stable.

Q.7 A mixing process consists of a single stirred tank instrumented as shown in the
drawing. The concentration of a single species A in the feed stream varies. The controller
attempts to compensate for this by varying the flow rate of pure A through the control
valve.
(a) Draw a block diagram for the controlled process.
(b) Show schematic diagram of a combined feedforward-feedback control where
the disturbance is cF. What is the advantage of this strategy?
qA
cA

qF
cF

pv

I/P
Transfer

cTL

p
CC

cM

CT

Q.8 For a feedback control system shown in the diagram below, do the following:
i. Plot a Bode diagram for the open-loop system (GOL), B/R
ii. Calculate the value of Kc that will provide a phase margin of 30o
iii. What is the gain margin when Kc = 10?

Gc = K c
Gp =

2s + 1
2
; Gv =
0.1s + 1
0.5s + 1

3
0 .4
; GL =
; Gm = 1
s( 5s + 1 )
5s + 1
L