CHEM ENG 3031: Process Control & Instrumentation

Assignment 4
WORK IN A GROUPS OF THREE
DUE DATE: MONDAY 31 OCTOBER 2016 - 11:59 PM
INSTRUCTIONS:
Only one answer sheet per group is required to be submitted online as a single pdf file (or
word document) with the text correctly orientated.
You may scan hand written work and upload it as a pdf.
All members of the group will receive the same mark for each assignment.
All submitted assignments must have an assessment cover sheet and all details
(STUDENT NAMES AND ID) must be filled clearly. Any submitted assignment that does
not follow this rule will not be graded.
10% deduction will be applied to any illegible or extremely messy writing. Therefore,
where appropriate DRAW PICTURES! SHOW YOUR WORKING. Make the final
numerical answer clear by highlighting it or placing a BOX around it. Dont forget
appropriate units and significant figures.
5% will be deducted for assignments that have to be rotated before marking.
Late assignments will incur a 10% deduction per day.
I am available in tutorial sessions to answer your questions and provide you with
appropriate guidance in solving tutorial/assignment problems. However, you must be able
to demonstrate that you have made a reasonable first attempt at solving the problem
before seeking help and guidance. You may also contact me by email to ask a question or
arrange a consultation time (be sure to do this well in advance of the due date).

_________________________________________________________________
Question 1
A thermometer with a time constant of 0.2 min is placed in a temperature bath. After the
thermometer reaches equilibrium with the bath, the temperature of the bath is increased
linearly at a rate of 1o/min. What is the difference between the indicated temperature and the
bath temperature for:
a) 0.1 min after the change in temperature
b) 1.0 min after the change in temperature.
c) What is the maximum temperature deviation between the indicated temperature and
the bath temperature and when does it occur?
d) Plot the forcing function and the response on the same graph. After a long enough
time, by how many minutes does the response lag the input?

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CHEM ENG 3031: Process Control & Instrumentation

Question 2
A step change of magnitude 4 is introduced into a system having the following transfer function.

Y(s)
10
= 2
X(s) s + 1.6s + 4
Determine:
a) Percent overshoot
b) Rise time
c) Maximum value of Y(t)
d) Ultimate value of Y(t)
e) Period of oscillation
Question 3
The start-up of a batch reactor includes a heating step where the reactor temperature is
gradually heated to the nominal operating temperature of 75oC. The desired temperature is
shown below. What is T(s)?
T(oC)
75

20

30

t (min)

Question 4
The dynamic behavior of a physical process can be represented by the transfer function

Y(s)
18
= 2
X(s) s + 3s + 9
a) After a step change of x(t) = 3u(t), what is new steady state of the y?
b) For physical reasons, it is requited that y(t) cannot exceed 10. What is the largest
step change in x that the process can tolerate without exceeding this limit?

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CHEM ENG 3031: Process Control & Instrumentation

Question 5
Brine from a pond is pumped at a rate of 100 ft3/minute to a process line that has two different
diameters, before and after the pump. The inside diameters and lengths of the pipe are as
follows:
Inside diameter, in
Length, ft

Before pump
6.0
1000

After the pump

5.25
200

The brine does not mix in the pipe. When the concentration changes in the pond, how long
does it take for the concentration of the stream entering the process to change?
Write the transfer function for the function for the concentration out of the pump to the
concentration in the pond
Question 6
A control system whose two closed loop poles and one zero are located in the s plane is shown
below:
Imaginary
jw1

Real
-a

-jw1

a) Determine the closed-loop transfer function in its simplest form.

b) Determine the impulse response of the system.
Question 7
Determine the stability range for K using the Routh-Hurwitz criterion and illustrate this with a
neat root locus plot from a unity feedback control system (Gm = 1) with an open-loop transfer
function s illustrated.

GOL (s) = GcGf Gp =

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K
s(s + 1)(s + 2)

CHEM ENG 3031: Process Control & Instrumentation

Question 8
By making the substitution s = jw, determine the Kc value for a marginally stable response for a
proportional only control process.

Gp (s) =

1
3

(s + 2)

What is the period of oscillation for this response?

Question 9
Determine the stability of the system shown below using the Routh test.
R(s)

C(s)
Kc(1+3/s)

1/(0.2s2+0.45s+1)

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