CONFIDENTIAL

EH/JAN 2013/CPES62

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

FINAL EXAMINATION

COURSE

CHEMICAL PROCESS CONTROL

COURSE CODE

CPE562

EXAMINATION

JANUARY 2013

TIME

2 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1.

This question paper consists of three (3) questions.

2.

Answer ALL questions in the Answer Booklet. Start each answer on a new page.

3.

Do not bring any material into the examination room unless permission is given by the
invigilator.

4.

Please check to make sure that this examination pack consists of:
i)
ii)

the Question Paper

an Answer Booklet - provided by the Faculty

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

This examination paper consists of 4 printed pages
i Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

EH/JAN 2013/CPE562

QUESTION 1
(C01, C02, P03, C3, C4, C5, C6)
Temperature of the process air as shown in Figure 1 is controlled by a tyristor installed to the
heater. The temperature controller receives a signal from a temperature transmitter with a
range of 20 to 420C. The controller is of PID-type and has a gain of 15%CO/%TO. The
integral time is set at 60 s. The tyristor is of linear-type with a transfer function of 4C/%CO
and the time constant is 0.5 min. Let the transfer function of the process be Gs.
a) Calculate and rewrite all major control elements (controller, process, final control element
and sensor-transmitter) in the form of transfer functions.
(8 marks)
b) Design a negative feed back temperature control system using block diagram. Label and
write each control element's transfer function associated with the blocks.
(8 marks)
c) Calculate the temperature measured by "TE", in "C, when the controller receives 85%TO
signal from the transmitter.
(4 marks)

<S>

-----

<5>

.Heater
A'\A

A /

Process air in

- Process air out

Figure 1 P&ID of a process air heater.

QUESTION 2
(P02, C02, C03, C3, C4, C5, C6)
a) An ATO-type control valve is used to regulate a diesel fuel with a specific gravity of 0.8 in
a pipeline. The flow variation against the pressure drop across the control valve is shown
in Table 1 below. Calculate the valve shelf rangeability.
(4 marks)
Table 1 Flow variation at various stem position.
Flowrate, gpm

Pressure drop, psi

Valve lift, %

120

10

80

42

15

50

13

20

20

Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

EH/JAN 2013/CPE562

b) Elaborate four major differences between air-to-open (ATO) and air-to-close (ATC)
control valves. Use appropriate diagrams to enhance your answer.
(6 marks)
c) A PID controller, as in Figure 2, is set to manual mode. Then, the controller output (MV)
button is pressed till a value of 60% is shown. The controller output signal (MV) is sent to
an ATO-type of control valve to regulate flow rate.
Calculate the valve's stem position and the equivalent air pneumatic signal produced by
the positioner (l/P).
(5 marks)

i/p

Xi X

Figure 2 Control valve to controller configuration.

d) Figure 3 shows an open loop control block diagram. Transform the diagram into a closed
loop control block diagram by splitting GP, GM and HD into each individual block.
(5 marks)

1 _ G

M
M

-C
H

Figure 3 An open loop block diagram.

QUESTION 3

(P02, C02, C03, C2, C3, C4, C5)

a) Both cascade and feed forward control strategies are used to handle frequent load
disturbances. Compare both control strategies in the form of block diagrams and process
controllabilities upon occurrence of disturbance.
(8 marks)
b) Figure 4 shows a plug reactor where an exothermic catalytic reaction takes place. The
control idea is to measure the temperature at the hottest spot of the reaction and control
the flowrate of the cooling water. However, since the reactor is considerably long, a
single sensor may not capture the hottest spot.
Using P&ID, propose a design to control the temperature of the reaction.
(4 marks)

Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

EH/JAN 2013/CPES62

r$Products <-

<-

Cooling
water

Reactants

Figure 4 Exothermic plug flow reactor.

c) Calculate C/R of the following system as shown in Figure 5.

(4 marks)

G1

*G

ir

-> c

<+H-

G4 U

Figure 5
d) Draw the block diagram representing the following transfer function.
(4 marks)

, w "dri i r w + d+i , ' w + w

END OF QUESTION PAPER

) Hak Cipta Universiti Teknologi MARA

CONFIDENTIAL