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ChEN 403 - Process Dynamics and Control

Hour Examination #3
April 28, 2003
Name: ____________________________________________________________(5 Points)
Section : __________________________________________________________
Total Points 125 (Partial credit may be given on some problems)
1. Exam is open book and open notes. Absolutely no "consultation" with your neighbor(s) is
allowed.
2. Read all questions carefully before starting.
3. Present your answers in a clear manner. In order to obtain full credit you must show all
the steps in your solution.
4. You have one hour to complete the exam and turn it in. If you finish early, you may turn
in your exam and leave. Because of the tight classroom space, please be considerate of
your fellow classmates if you leave early.

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Problem 1 (30 points)


A schematic diagram of a flow control loop and its corresponding block diagram are shown
below.
C (t )

FC

Flow Setpoint

Fsetpoint ( t )

M (t )

FT

f (t )

Fsetpoint
(s)
+

E ( s )
-

Gc ( s )

C ( s )

M (s)

Gf ( s )

Gp ( s )

F(s)

Gm ( s )

The final element is represented by a first-order transfer function


G f ( s) =

Kv
v s + 1

The measuring element is also a first-order system but with a zero time constant (i.e. infinitely
fast)

Gm ( s ) = K m
The controller is a proportional-integral (PI) controller with a proportional gain of K c and
integral time of I :

1
Gc ( s ) = K c 1 +

I s
The process in this case is the fluid flowing through the pipe. Based on this, the transfer function
for the process is simply:
G p ( s) = 1

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a. Write the closed-loop transfer function between F and Fsetpoint
for this control system?

b. What is the characteristic equation for this system?

c. What is the closed-loop steady-state gain between F and Fsetpoint


for the case K m = 2 ?

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d. What is the offset in the controlled variable following a step-change in the set point of 12
units when K m = 1 ?

Solution
a. The transfer function is:

Fsetpoint

1 Kv
K c 1 +

Gc G f G p
I s v s + 1

=
=
1 + Gm Gc G f G p

1 Kv
1 + K m K c 1 +

I s v s + 1
=
=

K c K v ( I s + 1)

I s ( v s + 1) + K m K c K v ( I s + 1)
K c K v ( I s + 1)

v I s + ( I + K m K c K v I ) s + K m K c K v
2

1
( I s + 1)
Km
=

v I
1
+ 1 s + 1
s 2 + I
Km Kc Kv
Km Kc Kv
b. The characteristic equation is:

1 + GmGc G f G p = 0

v I
1
s 2 + I
+ 1 s + 1 = 0 .
Km Kc Kv
Km Kc Kv

c. The steady state gain is F / Fsetpoint,


. For a step for a step change of magnitude M to the set
point:

1
( I s + 1)

Km
M M M

.
F = lim [ F ] = lim s F = lim s

=
=
t
s 0
s 0
s Km
2

1
v I
2
s + I
+ 1 s + 1

Km Kc Kv
K m K c K v

So:

Gain =

Fsetpoint,

1
.
2

d. The ultimate value for a step change of magnitude M to the set point will be:

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1
( I s + 1)

Km
M M

F = lim [ F ] = lim s F = lim s

=
=M.
t
s 0
s 0
s Km

1
v I
2
s + I
+ 1 s + 1

K m K c K v

Km Kc Kv
So, the offset will be:

Offset = R F = M M = 0 .

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Problem 2 (30 points)


The block diagram shown below is for a so-called "parallel control" structure in which two
independent controllers are used for the purpose of controlling a single output variable y.
D ( s )

Gc1 ( s )
Ysp ( s )

Gd ( s )
G1 ( s )
+
+

Gc2 ( s )

+
+

Y (s)

G2 ( s )

a. Write the closed-loop transfer function for this system for the output Y with respect to the
load D and with respect to the set point Ysp .

b. If controller Gc1 is a proportional-only controller and controller Gc2 is an integral-only


controller, what is the steady-state offset following a unit step change in the disturbance?
Assume that there are steady state gains to Gd , G1 , and G2 of K d , K1 , and K 2 , respectively.

Solution
a. Using the loop laws, the total transfer function is easily found to be:
Y =

Gc1G1 + Gc 2G2
Gd
Ysp +
D
1 + Gc1G1 + Gc 2G2
1 + Gc1G1 + Gc 2G2

b. For Gc1 = K c1 and Gc 2 = K c 2 / I 2 s :

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Y =

1
Gd I 2
=
K
1 + K c1G1 + c 2 G2 s I 2 s + K c1G1 I 2 s + K c 2G2
I 2 s
Gd

The ultimate value Y is:

sGd I 2
0
=
=0
Y = lim [Y ] = lim s Y = lim

t
s 0
s 0 s + K G s + K G
Kc2 K2
c1 1 I 2
c2 2
I2
So, the offset will be:
Offset = Ysp Y = 0 0 = 0 .

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Problem 3 (30 points)


Consider the control system whose block diagram is shown below.

R ( s )

Gc ( s )

Gp ( s )

C ( s )

Gc* ( s )

The process transfer function is given by


Gp ( s ) =

(1 5s )
( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1)

a. Write the closed-loop transfer function between C and R for this control system.

b. If Gc ( s ) = K c and Gc* ( s ) = 0 determine the stability limits for the closed-loop system.

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c. If Gc ( s ) = K c and Gc* ( s ) =

10 s
what are the stability limits for the closed-loop
( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1)

system?

Solution
a. The inner loop transfer function is:
Ginner =

Gc
1 + Gc*Gc

so the closed-loop transfer function is:

Gc
Gp
Ginner G p
Gc G p
1 + Gc*Gc
C
=
=
=
*
1 + Gc Gc + Gc G p
R 1 + Ginner G p 1 + Gc G
p
*
1 + Gc Gc

(1 5s )
( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1)
=
(1 5s )
1 + Gc*Gc + Gc
( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1)
Gc (1 5s )
=
*
(1 + Gc Gc ) ( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1) + Gc (1 5s )
Gc

b. For these values of Gc ( s ) and Gc* the closed-loop transfer function is:
K c (1 5s )
C
=
R ( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1) + K c (1 5s )

and the characteristic equation is:

( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1) + K c (1 5s ) = 0
15s 2 + ( 8 5K c ) s + 1 + K c = 0 .
For all coefficients to remain positive (and hence, for the system to be stable):
8 5K c > 0 K c <

8
= 1.3
5

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and:
1 + K c > 0 K c > 1 .
So, stability limits are 1 < K c < 1.3 .
c. For these values of Gc ( s ) and Gc* the closed-loop transfer function is:

K c (1 5s )
C
=
R

10 s
K c ( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1) + K c (1 5s )
1 +
( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1)

K c (1 5s )
=
( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1) + 10 K c s + K c (1 5s )
=

K c (1 5s )

( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1) + ( 5s + 1) K c

and the characteristic equation is:

( 5s + 1)( 3s + 1) + ( 5s + 1) K c = 0
15s 2 + ( 8 + 5K c ) s + (1 + K c ) = 0 .
For all coefficients to remain positive (and hence, for the system to be stable):
8
8 + 5 K c > 0 K c > = 1.3
5
and:
1 + K c > 0 K c > 1 .
So, the stability limit is K c > 1 . So, all positive values of K c will give a stable system.

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Problem 4 (30 Points)


A second-order, open-loop stable, system is used to prepare feedstock for subsequent processing
in downstream units. Frequent changes are necessary in the set-point to this system because of
the demands of the downstream processing units. As just possibly the second best Chemical
Engineer to ever graduate from CSM, you have convinced your supervisor that the addition of a
proportional-only feedback control loop would speed up the response of this system to changes
in the set-point. Your supervisor agrees but with the following two requirements (restrictions)
1. steady-state offset can not be greater than 10 % of the set-point change, and
2. the closed-loop response can not oscillate.
If the transfer function for your system is given by
Gp ( s ) =

2
24 s + 8s + 0.5
2

will your proposed control loop work? Justify your answer by giving numerical results.

Solution
The proposed control loop will have the following block diagram.

Gc ( s )

2
24 s + 8s + 0.5
2

The transfer function will be:


4Kc
2
Gc G p
C
2Kc
1 + 4K c
24 s + 8s + 0.5 =
=
=
=
.
2
2
48
16
R 1 + Gc G p 1 + K
24 s + 8s + 0.5 + 2 K c
2
s +
s +1
c
24 s 2 + 8s + 0.5
1 + 4Kc
1 + 4Kc
Kc

This is a standard 2nd order system with the characterizing parameters:


K=

4Kc
1 + 4Kc

2 =

48
1 + 4Kc

48
1 + 4Kc

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2 =

16
1 + 4Kc

1 1 + 4 K c 16
2
1
=
.
2
48 1 + 4 K c
3 1 + 4Kc

For a step change of magnitude R = M the ultimate value will be:


4Kc

1 + 4Kc
1
4Kc
C = lim [C ] = lim s C = lim s
=
t
s 0
s 0
48
16

s2 +
s + 1 s 1 + 4Kc
1 + 4 K c

1 + 4Kc
and the offset will be:

1
4Kc
Offset = R C = M 1
=M
.
1 + 4Kc
1 + 4K c
For no oscillations, the closed-loop system must be critically or overdamped, i.e., 1 . For this
to be the case:
=

2
1
43 1
1 Kc
=
= 0.0833 .
4 3 12
3 1 + 4Kc

However, for the relative offset to be less than 10%


Offset
1
9
=
0.10 K c = 2.25 .
M
1 + 4Kc
4
These ranges are mutually exclusive so this control scheme will not work.

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