Leader: K Hapgood

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2008 (Day)
Sunway Second semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit provides a thorough introduction to process control and simulation. The unit begins with understanding disturbances, why disturbances need to be controlled and possible responses of various systems to a disturbance. The selection of which variables to control, which variables to manipulate and approaches to interactions are covered, together with the most important types of control loops and computer control systems. Topics include common control scenarios - feed back, feed forward, and cascade systems; ratio and inferential control; tuning of PID controllers; single loop and multiple loop systems; process simulation and advanced process control.

Objectives

After completion of this unit, the student should be able to:

1. understand the response to a disturbance by first order and second order responses
2. understand common control scenarios including feedback, feed forward, and cascade systems, ratio and inferential control
3. understand and quantitatively assess the potential improvements that process control can deliver
4. model simple dynamic systems and understand the approach to modeling more complex systems
5. understand basic and advanced control strategies including model-based control
6. appreciate the issues associated with the use of computer control systems for the implementation of process control. In addition the student should develop skills in tuning of controllers, use of VisSim and MATLAB to simulate simple dynamic control systems, developing and solving control block diagrams including transfer functions and selection of a suitable control strategy for a given situation.

Assessment

Laboratory: 15%
Assignments/tests: 15%
Examination (3 hours): 70%
Students are required to achieve at least 45% in the total continuous assessment component (assignments, tests, mid-semester exams, laboratory reports) and at least 45% in the final examination component. Students faiing to achieve this requirement will be given a maximum of 44% in the unit.

Contact hours

3 hours lectures, 3 hours of practice sessions/laboratories and 6 hours of private study per semester

Prerequisites

ENG2091 and ENG2092

Prohibitions

CHE3107, CHE4110