Department of Chemical Engineering

Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology

ChE 6303 -- Advanced Process Control
Course Teacher: Dr. M. A. A. Shoukat Choudhury
Assignment 2, Due date: Aug 6, 2011 (5:00 p.m.)
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Q.1: Derive Equation 18-13 and 18-14 of Sebrogs second edition book (page 482).

Q.2: Objective: To become familiar with and obtain a hands-on experience in designing and tuning
multiloop and multivariable controllers.

Consider the following empirical model of a 2x2 multivariate system. This is the Wood and Berry model
of a pilot-scale distillation process at the University of Alberta.
X D ( s) 12.8e s 18.9e 3s R( s) 3.8 e 8 s

= 16.7 s + 1 21s + 1 + 14.9s + 1 w( s)
6.6e 7 s 19.4e 3s 4.9 e 3s

X B ( s) 10.9s + 1 14.4s + 1 S ( s) 13.2s + 1

Where XD(s) and XB(s) are the overhead and bottoms composition respectively, and R(s) and S(s)
represent the reflux and steam flowrates as the manipulative variables, and w(s) is the feed flow
rate disturbance.

Do the following:

a) Simulate this system and obtain open-loop unit step responses. Is the process highly or
weakly interacting? Are the signs of the gains meaningful?

b) What appears to be the best pairing for this process? Justify your answer. Design two PI(D)
controllers for the selected pairing. Evaluate the performance of these controllers for step
type setpoint changes as well as step type disturbances at both outputs.

c) Design ideal decouplers and indicate how they may be simplified based on practical
considerations.

d) Design a static decoupling pre-compensator for this system and then design two PI(D) loops
for the compensated system. Evaluate the performance of this system for step type setpoint
changes as well as step type disturbances at both outputs. Compare the performance of this
closed loop system with that designed in parts b) and c).