CHAPTER ONE

Introduction to Process Control

By: Ashenafi B. 1
 REVISION

BY: ASHENAFI BELIHU 2

 Process
• It refers to the methods of changing or refining raw
materials to create end products.
• The raw materials, which either pass through or remain
in a liquid, gaseous, or slurry (a mix of solids and liquids)
state during the process, are transferred, measured,
mixed, heated or cooled, filtered, stored, or handled in
some other way to produce the end product.
Process is a device, plant, or
system under control. The input
and output relationship represents
the cause-and-effect relationship
of the process.

By: Ashenafi B. 3
 Process Control

• Process control refers to the methods that are used to

control process variables when manufacturing a
product.
• Control: is a series of actions directed for making a
process variable (PV) adheres to its reference
value/set point (i.e. that might be either constant or
variable).
• Control System: is an interconnection of
components forming a system configuration that will
provide a desired response.

By: Ashenafi B. 4
Control System
• Essentially, the controller is some form of computer that is
either analog (i.e. pneumatic or electronic) or digital.
• Using measurements, the controller solve certain
equations to calculate the proper output.
• The equations necessary to obtain the control are
independent of both process and controller function (i.e.
analog or digital). The equations describe the modes or
actions of controller operation.
• The nature of process and controlled variable determine
which mode of control to be used and the certain
constants in the mode equation.
By: Ashenafi B. 5
Classification Of Control Systems/Modes

• Open-loop control system and closed-loop control system:

• Linear and non-linear control systems:
• Continuous and discrete/discontinuous control systems:
• Single input-single output (SISO) and multi input-multi
output (MIMO) control systems:

• Lumped parameter and distributed parameter control

systems:

• Deterministic and stochastic control systems:

• Static and dynamic systems:
By: Ashenafi B. 6
 Controls are classified with respect to:

 Technique involved to perform control (i.e.

human/machines):
 Manual/Automatic Control
 Time dependence of output variable (i.e.
constant/changing):
 Regulator/Servo (i.e. also known as
Regulating/Tracking Control)

 Fundamental structure of the control (i.e. the

information used for computing the control):
 Open-loop/Feedback control (i.e. also known
as Open-loop/Closed-loop Control)

By: Ashenafi B. 7
Manual/Automatic Controls - Examples

A system that involves:

• a person controlling a machine is called

manual control.
Ex: Driving a car

• machines only is called automatic control.

Ex: Central AC

By: Ashenafi B. 8
Servo/Regulator Controls - Examples

An automatic control system designed to:

• follow a changing reference is called tracking

control or a servo.
Ex: Remote control car

• maintain an output fixed (regardless of the

disturbances present) is called a regulating
control or a regulator.
Ex: Cruise control

By: Ashenafi B. 9
Open-Loop Control /Feedback control

The structures are fundamentally different:

 In an open-loop control, the system does NOT

measure the actual output and there is no correction to
make that output conform to the desired output.

 In a closed loop control the system includes a

sensor to measure the output and uses feedback of the
sensed value to influence the control input variable.

By: Ashenafi B. 10
 OPEN-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM

 Open Loop:
 The systems in which output has no effect on the control action.
 The output is neither measured nor feedback for comparison
with reference point.
Ex.: Consider a washing machine in which soaking, washing and
rinsing in the washer operates on the time basis. The machine does not
measure the output signal, that is, cleanliness of clothes.

By: Ashenafi B. 11
 CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM

 Closed Loop:
 Feedback control systems are also referred to as closed-loop
control systems the output is measured and feedback for
comparison with reference point.
In a closed-loop, the actuating error signal, which is the difference
between the input signal and the feedback signal (output signal), is fed
to the controller so as to reduce the error and bring the output of the
system to the desired value.

By: Ashenafi B. 12
Comparisons:

By: Ashenafi B. 13
 EXAMPLES OF
OPEN-LOOP & FEEDBACK CONTROLS

An Washing machine A water tank of an

is an open-loop control. ordinary flush toilet
is a (basic)
Since feedback control

• The controller is based on Since

the knowledge.
• The output is not used in • The output is fed back for
control computation control computation
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 PRO & DISADVANTAGE OF OPEN-
LOOP CONTROL

 Generally simpler than closed-loop control,

 Does not require a sensor to measure the output,
 Does not, of itself, introduce stability problems;

BUT

 Has lower performance than closed-loop to

match the desired output well.

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PROBLEMS WITH FEEDBACK CONTROL

• More complex than open-loop control

• May have steady state error

• Depends on accuracy with which you can

measure the output

• May cause stability problems

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 ADVANTAGES OF FEEDBACK CONTROL

 System with well designed feedback control can respond

to unforeseen events.

 Eliminates need for human adjustment of control

variable

 Reduces human workload

 Gives much better performance than it is possible with

open-loop

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 BLOCK DIAGRAM

• It represents the structure of a control

system.
• It helps to organize the variables and
equations representing the control
system.

• It is composed of:
boxes, that represents the components
of the system including their causality;
Lines with arrows, that represent the
actual dynamic variables, such as speed,
pressure, velocity, etc..
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Examples of Modern Control Systems

(a) Automobile steering control

system.
(b) The driver uses the difference
between the actual and the desired
direction of travel to generate a
controlled adjustment of the
steering wheel.
(c) Typical direction-of-travel
response.

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 Examples of Modern Control Systems

A negative feedback system block diagram depicting a basic closed loop

control system.
The control device is often called a controller

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Examples of Modern Control Systems

•A manual control system for regulating the level of fluid in a

tank by adjusting the output valve.
•The operator views the level of the fluid through a port in the
side of the tank
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 BASIC COMPONENTS OF A CONTROL SYSTEM

• The basic components of a control system can be

represented by:
† Reference Input Element which causes the command
signal, it is the desired output value.
† Command: It is a deliberately introduced signal
established by some means, external to and independent
of the feedback control system under consideration.
† Reference Input: It is a signal established as a standard
of comparison for a feedback control system by virtue of
its relation to the command.
† Feedback Element which produces the feedback signal;
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BASIC COMPONENTS OF A CONTROL SYSTEM
† Error Detector; It is an element in which one system variable
(feedback signal) is subtracted from another variable (reference
signal) to obtain third variable (error signal). It is also called
comparator.
† Error Signal: It is an algebraic sum of the reference input and the
primary feedback.
† Feedback Element, which produces the feedback signal;
† Controller; it provides the control action on the plant
† Controlled System; it is the plant (actuator + process)
† Output Signal; that is, the controlled output.
† Controlled Variable: It is a variable that is directly
measured and controlled. Disturbance is an input other than
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command that tends to affect the value of controlled variable.