CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 3P04,

PROCESS CONTROL, SPRING 2008

ASSIGNMENT No. 3

Note: The purpose of the assignments is to provide you with challenges to help you learn the material in the course. For
this assignment, groups of up to three students are allowed. (Larger groups will receive a grade of 0%.) You may
complete this assignment individually, if you wish.

Your assignments must be neatly prepared and easily read by the grader. Points will be deduced for poor presentation, and
zero grades will be given for illegible papers.

1. (25 points) Linearized model and dynamic response – The series of two chemical reactors in
the figure below will be modelled in this question. Valid assumptions are given in the following.
Assumptions: F
1. The following variables have constant values in
C F
this problem: F, V, T1 and T2. A0

2. The reactors are well mixed. C

A1
T1
4. The density is constant.
V
F

The following data is given for this process. The T2 CA2

two reactors are operated at different temperatures; Heat transfer medium

therefore, the values of the reaction rate constant V

are different for the two reactors.

Heat transfer medium

Data:
1. The reaction is second order: -rA = k1CA2 in reactor 1 at T1
AB -rA = k2CA2 in reactor 2 at T2
2. The system is initially at steady state.
3. The volumes of the two reactors are equal.
4. Only reactant A (no product) occurs in the feed to the first reactor.

The system begins at steady state and experiences a step change to the inlet composition to the first
reactor, CA0.
a. Determine the fundamental model relating CA0 to CA2. This might consist of more than one
equation.
b. Linearize the equations in (a), if necessary, and express in deviation variables.
c. Solve this equation for CA2 for the step change in CA0 of size CA0.
d. Sketch the shapes of the dynamic responses for variables CA0, CA1 and CA2.

2. (25 points) Qualitative analysis of dynamics - A single CSTR is considered in this question.
The assumptions and data valid for this question are given in the following.
1. The following variables have constant values in this problem: F, V, and T.
2. The reactor is well mixed.
3. Only component A occurs in the feed to the reactor.
4. The density is constant.
5. The system is initially at steady state.
6. The reactions are given below; they are all first order and irreversible.

kA kB
A B C

1
a. Derive the fundamental model that can be used to predict CC from CA0.
b. Express in deviation variables and take the Laplace transform of the equation(s) in (a) and
determine the transfer function model, CC(s)/CA0(s).
c. Based on the result in (b), answer the following questions without solving the differential
equation, i.e., without taking the inverse transform.
i. What is the order of the system?
ii. Is the system overdamped or underdamped?
iii. Is the system stable?
iv. Does a causal relationship exist from CA0 to CC?

3. (20 points) Sensor accuracy - Some flows are Liquid

F2

measured in the Bartek plant. We will consider the butane

feed
v3
F4

P1
measurement of the flow of vapor leaving the F1
compressor
vaporizer, F2, in m3/h. The flow is measured by an A1

v1 %C
orifice meter, and the flow is determined using the L1
4 M
motor

equation below. F3

T1 v4
steam
v2 T

F  KS P1  P3  K S P condensate Parallel tubular

reactors with
cooling
air

P3

P2
v5

P

1 3 2

This is the standard approach, in which only the pressure drop across the orifice is measured. The
flow is calculated using the equation above, with the constant (K s) determined to give the correct
value for the flow at design conditions.

Now, a (hypothetical) change is made in the plant operation. The liquid feed to the plant remains
pure butane, but the pressure of the vaporizer is reduced from 40 to 30 psig. (We will be using
English units because Bartek uses them.) The following data summarize the situation.

Initial design Modified operation

Material Pure butane Pure butane
Pressure (psig) 40 30
Temperature (F) 120 110

Question: Determine if this change in plant operation significantly affects the accuracy of the
measured flow (F2) and if so, by how much.