Introduction to CH4404

Orest Shardt
CH4404 (Process Technology 1)
• Process Safety, Control and Instrumentation

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Drones, self-driving cars, and smart homes

• Drones
• Autonomous or remote-controlled
• Respond quickly and correctly to commands
• you don’t control 4 motors directly
• How does an autopilot work?
• Self-driving cars DJI

• Smart home heating

• “learns” daily patterns

• In all cases
• sensors supply computers with data
• algorithms analyse the data
• and specify the states of control elements
• motor speed, steering direction, etc
[Link]

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ISS Docking Simulation

[Link]
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• What is the best control strategy?
• Consider time, energy/fuel use, safety

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Back to Earth

• Reactor example
• suppose a reaction is exothermic
• need to keep the reactor at a constant temperature 𝑇𝑠
• measure the temperature
• set the flow rate of cooling water
• cooling water temperature may fluctuate

• A simple thermostat (on/off control)

• every second (for example), a digital control system (computer):
• obtains a temperature reading
• if temperature is above 𝑇𝑠 + Δ𝑇, turns on water flow [Link]
• if temperature is below 𝑇𝑠 − Δ𝑇, turns off water flow
• wait remainder of second; repeat

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 Process response

time delayed response

𝑇𝑠 + Δ𝑇
reactor temperature 𝑇𝑠
𝑇𝑠 − Δ𝑇

on
water flow
off

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 Can we do better?

• Continuously vary the water flow rate?

• How do we calculate the required flow rate?
• Is perfect control possible?

time
reactor temperature 𝑇𝑠

water flow rate average

water temperature average

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In-class example

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Process control in daily life

• How many examples of control systems/mechanisms can you

think of
• in this room?
• at home?

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Japanese bathtub

• NHK World Japan, TAKE TECH, “Meeting the target”

• [Link]

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Modelling process dynamics

• Why do we need to understand how processes respond to changes?

• transient response
• don’t “over-react”
• ISS simulation: “Movement in space is slow and requires patience & precision”

• Consider: how quickly can we return a system to a desired state?

• How quickly can we return it to desired state and

• minimise the amount of energy we use to make the change?
• spend the least time possible away from desired conditions?
• avoid temporary deviations out of safe operating limits?

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Control of chemical processes

• Keep processes operating at specified conditions

• respond quickly to requested changes in conditions
• maintain conditions despite changes in environment

• Motivation
• Safety! Keep process operating within safe limits
• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, emissions
• Minimise variability in product quality
• Minimise operating costs, maximise revenue

• Modern plants require effective automatic (computer) control

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Syllabus (in brief)
• Process modelling and control (weeks 1-9)
• Process control overview
• Process modelling
• Derivation of quantitative process models by application of mass and energy
balances
• Characteristics and dynamics of first and second order systems
• Basic control schemes: on-off, P, PI, PID
• Controller tuning
• Equipment and instrumentation
• Sensors, signal transmission, controllers, final control elements

• Process Safety (weeks 10-12)

• Dr Peter Davern

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Module delivery
• Lectures (3 hours/week) and labs
• All in person, on campus
• 1 hour/week will be a tutorial that focusses on problem solving, calculations, preparation for
experiments, analysis of experiments
• Labs: experimental (4) and computational (2)

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Timetable

Weeks 1-9
CH4404: 10-11 AM only
If I need 9-10 in some weeks, I will
announce it on Brightspace.

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Laboratory component
• 4 experiments (A1, A3, B1, B2) in CG024
• See schedule on Brightspace
• Groups of 3 or 4

• 2 computer “experiments” in B3022

• Any time, any PC.
• A teaching assistant will be available during all scheduled lab times.
• A2: Process modelling and controller tuning (Weeks 5-8)
• B3: Analysis of experiments B1 & B2 (Weeks 9-12)

• Experiments start in week 2

• You need lab glasses, lab coat, USB drive, notebook, pen

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Assessments
• End of term examination: 60% (centrally scheduled on-campus; includes Peter Davern’s part)
• Midterm examination: 10% (during Monday lecture time, Week 6: 2 March 2026)
• Lab work: 30% (attendance, reports, quiz)
• Two reports due Friday, 24th April (week 12)
• Experiment A: 15%
• Experiment B: 10%
• Submit lab quiz (5%) before you start experiment A3
• Oral lab exam: Week 13

• All reports are individual using data collected in lab group

• Submit reports and supporting files (Excel files with raw data and analysis, Matlab code) on Brightspace

• Lab attendance is mandatory

• Sign in at lab to prove attendance
• No marks for a report if you did not attend the corresponding experiments

• Late reports
• For valid reasons (see Student Handbook), email me and provide appropriate evidence
• No reason: 3% penalty per day if submitted within 7 days; not accepted after 1 week
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Grading
• Numerical grades will be converted to letter grades according to
Numerical grade, n (%) Letter QPV
grade
n ≥ 80 A1 4.0
70 ≤ n < 80 A2 3.6
65 ≤ n < 70 B1 3.2
60 ≤ n < 65 B2 3.0
55 ≤ n < 60 B3 2.8
50 ≤ n < 55 C1 2.6
45 ≤ n < 50 C2 2.4
40 ≤ n < 45 C3 2.0
35 ≤ n < 40 D1 1.6
30 ≤ n < 35 D2 1.2
n < 30 F 0

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Repeat mechanism
• Lab component and midterm exam are not repeatable
• Final exam may be repeated

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Learning outcomes
1. Draw physical representations and block diagrams for feedback, feedforward and inferential
control configurations for simple processes.
2. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the principles of operation and characteristics of common
process control hardware and instrumentation.
3. Analyse the operating characteristics of ON/OFF, P, PI, PD, and PID control modes.
4. Synthesise quantitative models for the dynamic response of simple first order processes.
5. Describe the characteristics of second and higher order processes.
6. Evaluate and tune simple control systems using both open and closed loop methods.
7. Show practical skills in the use of simple process control systems.
8. Simulate simple process control systems using process dynamic modelling software.
9. Describe the processes involved in the execution of a risk assessment
10. Recount the basic principles of accident prevention
11. Develop an understanding of the principles of Occupational Health and Safety in Industrial
processes
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Recommended Texts
• Main text:

[Link]

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Contact information
• Email: [Link]@[Link]
• will usually reply within 1 day
• cannot guarantee quick replies close to deadlines

• Office: AD2-017 (card access)

• Brightspace
• Announcements
• PDFs of all slides
• Lab manual
• Report and quiz submission

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