ChE Tulsa University

 
           

ChE 6513 Process Control
Required course for ChE program

Catalog Description:   Principles of the design of automatic control for chemical processes, including PID feedback control, feed-forward control, and cascade control.

Prerequisite: Math 3073.

Corequisite: ChE 3084.

Prerequisites by Topic:   mass/energy balances, reaction kinetics, differential equations

Recent Textbook:   Process Dynamics and Control, 2nd Edition, by Seborg, Edgar and Mellichamp, Published by John Wiley & Sons, 2004.

Other Required Materials:  None

Course Objectives:   By the end of the semester the students will be able to model transient processes; analyze processes in both the time and Laplace domain; qualitatively predict system response to standard input changes; select equipment for control systems; design a control system to meet specified control objectives; design a control system to meet safety goals; tune PID controllers, analyze system stability; understand the applications for advanced controllers; draw and interpret block diagrams.

Major Topics Covered in the Course:   (1) Introduction to terminology, (2) modeling linear systems in the time domain, (3) hardware and tuning, (4) advanced control systems, (5) steady state vs. dynamic design, (6) safety and control systems, (7) Laplace domain analysis of control systems

Class/Laboratory Schedule:  Lecture meets for two 75-minute sessions each week for 14 weeks.

Professional Component Contribution:  This course applies mathematics to mass/energy balances and control systems.  One design project is assigned in this course.

Relationship to Program Outcomes: 

  • Outcome a:  Problems in this course build on a background of mass/energy balances and differential equations.
  • Outcome b:   Several homework problems require analysis and interpretation of experimental data.
  • Outcome c:  Students designed a control system for either the AIChE design competition problem or a home swimming pool.
  • Outcome d:  The design project is done in teams. 
  • Outcome e:  Homework problems are designed to give the students experience in identifying engineering problems and formulating solutions to these problems.
  • Outcome f:  Class discussions frequently center on professional and ethical behavior in designing for safe chemical processes. 
  • Outcome g: In addition to the communication skills required to function on a team and successfully write an exam, two homework assignments required essays.
  • Outcome h: Students recognize the impact of their designs through analysis of both real and imagined incidents in the chemical industry.
  • Outcome i:  Students are reminded throughout the course that this is simply an introductory course and that there is more to learn in this field. 
  • Outcome j:   Current events relating to the course are introduced as appropriate.  For instance, in Spring 2006, students analyzed the April 2005 incident in Texas City. 
  • Outcome k:  Students are required to use computers to solve problems throughout the course.  Excel, MATLAB and Mathematica are required. 

Prepared by:  Christi L. Patton (May 5, 2006)

May 5, 2006 Taught by Christi L. Patton – 9 students