Module 2: Closed-loop Simulation of Continuous Stirred Tank Heater

and Isothermal Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR)

Group number:
Name/NIM:
1.
2.
3.

Part 1. Closed-loop Simulation of Continuous Stirred Tank Heater

As a start-up company, your team has been hired to provide hot water service in a luxurious resort in
Nusa Dua, Bali. The water feed is supplied from a nearby desalination unit and located around 20 m
from your company with the water temperature of 25oC. The resort consists of 3 clusters and they are
located about 50-60 m (cluster A), 80-90 m (cluster B) and 100-120 m (cluster C) from your company.
From Unit Operation course, we understand that the water flowrate in pipe is typically around 5 m/s
and thus it allows you to determine the “dead time” of hot water supply to reach each cluster. The
target temperature of hot water is 80°C (this temperature is your guarantee) and the contract
describes that your company should provide 100 m3 of hot water daily. The resort is well known for
famous people and their satisfactory is important to the success of your business. The owner asked
your company to simulate two schemes for hot water supply as follow:

Alternative 1 Alternative 2

1. Describe your parameters that you use for your simulation to provide 100 m3 of hot water
daily at 80oC.

2. Develop block diagram for alternative 1 and alternative 2 in Laplace domain and deviation
variables!

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3. Set your Controlled Variable (CV), Manipulated Variables (MV) and Disturbances (D) for both
alternatives. In addition, you may also propose first order transfer function to describe Gm and
Gv here.

4. Complete feedback loop simulation

There are two types of closed-loop simulations for our interest: disturbance change and set-
point change (servo mechanism). Run your simulation in SIMULINK to show the response of
CV for 3 sets of PID parameters for each simulation type. You could also plot the open loop
response for the sake of comparison. Discuss your finding!

5. In reality, the value of input variable may fluctuate randomly. Rerun your simulation with new
(random) input variables that you define using random block as your source! Discuss the
results!

6. It is time for reflection! What lessons that you have learnt from the closed-loop simulation of
part 1? What are the pros and cons of alternative 1 and 2? Discuss on how you may increase
the complexity of the system to mimic the real life situation! Here, you are expected to put
your insights on what you have done so far and you don’t need to run any further simulation
for this question.

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 Part 2. Simulation of Isothermal CSTR
to Describe Van de Vusse reaction

In an ideal CSTR, we would like to run a reaction scheme consisting of following irreversible reactions
namely Van de Vusse reaction:

A 
k1
 B 
k2
C

2 A 
k3
D
This scheme was presented by Van de Vusse (1964) and for this task, k1=5/6, k2=5/3, k3=1/6 and the
steady state Cain = 10. The desired product is B. The reaction rate is first order and the reactor operates
under isothermal condition.

7. With those parameters, calculate the steady-state concentrations as a function of space

velocities! In addition, you can also set your own parameters to simulate this task. Find the
optimum space velocity for production of B!

8. Develop block diagram (in Laplace and deviation variables) for evaluating the outlet
concentrations as a function of inlet concentration of A. For closed loop simulation later,
determine your CV, MV and D!

9. Complete feedback loop simulation

There are two types of closed-loop simulations for our interest: disturbance change and set-
point change (servo mechanism). Run your simulation in SIMULINK to show the response of
CV for 3 sets of PID parameters for each simulation type. You could also plot the open loop
response for the sake of comparison. Discuss your finding!

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 10. It is time for reflection! What lessons that you have learnt from the closed-loop simulation of
part 2? Is it realistic? Discuss on how you may increase the complexity of the system. Here,
you are expected to put your insights on what you have done so far and you don’t need to run
any further simulation for this question.

References:
B. Wayne Bequette, Process Control Modeling, Design and Simulation, Prentice Hall Professional, 2003
Thomas Marlin, Process Control 2nd ed., McMaster University Canada (available from internet)