CL 329: Process Control
Module 1
Sayantan Dutta
Logistics of the course
Logistics of course
Instructor:
• Sayantan Dutta
• Email: [Link]@[Link]
• Office: Room 12, CAD centre
• Office hour by appointment.
Class times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10:35-11:30.
Teaching Assistant:
• Sanbed Das (sanbed)
• Mrunal Turalkar(23b400) @[Link]
• Jayant Prasad (24d0126)
Logistics of course
Assessment
• Mid-semester exam
• End-semester exam
• Best 5 of the 6 quizzes
• (Bonus) Creative (generative AI assisted) group project.
Logistics of course
Grading
• Mid-semester exam-30
• End-semester exam-45
• Best 5 of the 6 quizzes—5*5=25
• Upto 10 bonus marks for creative (generative AI assisted) group project.
It will be a relative grading based on your cumulative performance (100) on
your benefit.
(gen AI assisted) Optional Group project
• You can form a group of upto 4 members.
• You have to identify a scenario of control system from Daily Life, Chemical Industry, Biological System or
something of general interest.
• You have to develop the process model. Identify the Disturbance, Manipulated, and Control Variable,
simulate the process model without and with controller(s) and do something innovative.
• You have to use generative AI (the free versions) for implementation of the project.
(gen AI assisted) Optional Group project
Timeline This is an AI assisted bonus assignment.
• Project proposal by 27/08/2026. High bar for creativity!!!!
• Project approval by 10/09/2026 or before. All proposals may not be accepted.
• Project submission by 22/10/2026.
Deliverables
• 1 page project proposal +link to your chat with generative AI on 27/08.
• <10 page project report+link to your chat with generative AI on 22/10.
• (Maybe) a short presentation on your project.
Assessment Criterion
• Creativity in selection of system.
• Creativity in defining the problem statement
• Effective (and intelligent) prompt engineering.
• Having a cautious eye on the AI output.
• Relation to the course content.
Course Discipline
• Attendance will be taken for record only. No DX grade will be awarded.
• However, if you are in class be there with full mind. Usage of electronic device is
prohibited unless specifically required.
• FR for failure to attend mid/end semester exam. Only exception can be IIT Bombay pink
slip. Please don’t produce non-IIT Bombay medical documents.
• As the worst quiz will be eliminated, no make-up quiz for medical/non-medical reason.
• FR for adopting dishonest means in quizzes, class projects, and mid/end semester exam.
The general definition of “dishonest means” could be found at https://
[Link]/department-academic-honour-code.
Course feedback
• We will be taking informal feedback throughout the course.
• PLEASE provide feedback through official channel.
Textbook
Chemical Process Control by
George Stephanopoulos
Please feel free to use other materials.
Acknowledgements
•Prof. Bharat Kumar Suthar, Instructor, CL 302, Spring 2022-24.
•Prof. Sujit Jogwar, NPTEL lecture series.
•Prof. Amiya Kumar Jana, IIT Kharagpur
Why are we in this course?
•A requirement for core Chemical Engineering Curriculum.
Why are we in this course ?
•A requirement for core Chemical Engineering Curriculum.
•A necessity for smooth operation of process industries.
•It’s applicable in daily life, physical sciences, biological
sciences, economics.
Course content!! What will we learn ?
Process Control
Process (Dynamics and) Control
Process (Dynamics and) Control
How do things evolve in time and how do we control them ?
Not something unique to Chemical Engineering!! It’s universal.
Big picture learning outcome from this course
•Mathematical modeling of dynamic processes as differential
equations within and beyond chemical process.
•Predicting the behaviour of the solution of the dynamic
equations using linearization and Laplace transform.
• Designing the controllers for maintaining the process
variables (eg. Temperature) to desired value.
What is control?
What is control?
What are control systems ?
desired value
y(t)
A mechanism to maintain a variable into a desired value.
What is control systems ?
y(t)
X desired value
desired value
y(t) t
A mechanism to maintain a variable into a desired value
by avoiding deviation
What is control systems ?
y(t)
X desired value
desired value
y(t) t
y(t)
X desired value
t
t
A mechanism to maintain a variable into a desired value
by avoiding deviation and fluctuation.
Pre-midsem (tentative) courseplan
Topic Textbook Tentative timeline
Chapters
Fundamentals of Process Control 1-3 Module 1
Mathematical Modelling 4-5 Module 2
Quiz 1
Laplace Transform and Properties 7,8 Module 3
Linearizations and Transfer functions 6,9 Module 4
Quiz 2
Dynamics of First Order Processes 10 Module 5
Dynamics of Second (and higher) 11 ,12 Module 6
order Processes Quiz 3
Response to Oscillatory Inputs 17 Module 7
Learning objective for module 1
• Appreciating the relevance of process control and dynamic
processes in chemical industries and beyond.
• Identifying different components of a control system from
mathematical to hardware perspectives and design control
strategies
Control System across contexts
Example of Control system in daily life
A shower with hot and cold water flow
manual control
A mechanism to maintain the temperature of the shower tap to
a comfortable value.
Example of Control system in daily life
manual control
Water is added when your soup/Dal/Sambhar is too salty.
You add salt (and spice of your choice) or evaporate water when it is too mild.
A mechanism to maintain the salt/spice level to a level at per your taste.
Example of Control system in daily life
Air conditioner
Digital control
A mechanism to maintain the temperature and humidity of the room to
a comfortable value.
Example of Control system in living system
Body Sweat
Physiological
control
A mechanism to maintain the temperature of the body to
a physiologically desired value.
h ps://[Link]
tt
Example of Control system in living system
•Secretion of Insulin to keep the blood sugar in optimal level.
•Production of antibody to remove the undesired foreign
elements.
•Production of new cells by cell division after injury to regain
the optimal size and shape of a tissue.
•………………………………………
Example of Control system in physical sciences
k F(t) Natural
m control
A mechanism to maintain the length of the spring to it’s rest length.
Example of Control system in physical sciences
k A mechanism to maintain the length of the spring to
m it’s rest length.
Natural
control
A mechanism to maintain the pendulum
in the vertical position.
Example of Control system in physical sciences
k A mechanism to maintain the length of the spring
m it’s rest length.
Natural
control
A mechanism to maintain the pendulum
in the vertical position.
Any energy minimization problem is an example of a control system.
Example of Control system in economics
Example of Control system in economics
Online cab price in Mumbai rain
Supply-Demand Reduced demand for cab.
Equilibrium More cab on Street.
More demand for cab. Supply-Demand
Less cab on Street. mismatch
A mechanism to maintain the supply-demand mismatch to zero.
Example of Control system in economics
Online cab price in Mumbai rain
Supply-Demand Reduced demand for cab.
Equilibrium More cab on Street.
More demand for cab. Supply-Demand
Less cab on Street. mismatch
A mechanism to maintain the supply-demand mismatch to zero.
Example of Control system in economics
Online cab price in Mumbai rain
Supply-Demand Reduced demand for cab.
Equilibrium More cab on Street.
More demand for cab. Supply-Demand
Less cab on Street. mismatch
Observed in any unregulated market economy.
Process (Dynamics and) Control
Dynamic processes
Steady state approximation
Flow in a pipe
∂p
= const .
∂z
0
[ ∂t ]
∂v ⃗
ρ + v⃗ ⋅ ∇ v⃗ = − ∇P + μ ∇2 v⃗
Reaction in a CSTR
Cin
q 0
dC
V = q(Cin − C) − kC
C dt
q
In reality processes are dynamic
Tamb
T
U, A
Q
Steady Ambient Temperature
Tamb
T
T
U, A
Tamb
Q
t
Fluctuating Ambient Temperature
Tamb
T T
Tamb
t
Inside temperature is also fluctuating.
The fluctuation in inside temperature is significantly less pronounced.
Process Control in Chemical Industries
•Safety
Process Control in Chemical Industries
•Safety
•Quality of product
C
Process Control in Chemical Industries
•Safety
•Quality of product
•Environmental effects
Process Control in Chemical Industries
•Safety
•Quality of product
•Environmental effects
•Economic Reasons
Lecture 2
Learning objective for week 1
• Relevance of process control and dynamic processes in
chemical industries and beyond.
• Identifying Different components of a control system: from
mathematical as well as hardware perspective and designing
control strategies
Learning objective for week 1
• Relevance of process control and dynamic processes in
chemical industries and beyond.
• Identifying Different components of a control system: from
mathematical as well as hardware perspective and designing
control strategies
•Dictionary of process control
•Feedforward vs Feedback Control Strategies
•Hardware elements of a control system
Dictionary of Procees Control
• Control Objective
• Control Variable (CV)
• Manipulated Variable (MV)
• Disturbance Variable (DV)
Different components of control sytem
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
A Process Model
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
Let’s ignore dynamics for this example.
A Process Model
Fout
Tout Fout = Fh + Fc
Fh Fc FhTh + FcTc
Th Tc Tout =
Fh + Fc
Let’s ignore dynamics for this example.
Inputs and output variables
Fout = Fh + Fc
Fout FhTh + FcTc
Tout Tout =
Fh + Fc
Fh Fc
Th Tc
Process
Inputs and output variables
Fout = Fh + Fc
Fout
Tout FhTh + FcTc
Tout =
Fh Fc Fh + Fc
Th Tc
Fh, Fc, Th, Tc Process Fout, Tout
Control Objective: What do we want to control ?
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc Tout = Tcomfort
Th Tc
We would like to maintain the temperature of the shower at a comfortable level.
Control Action: How do we control ?
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
Control Action: How do we control ?
Fout
Tout
We feel Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
Tout > Tcomfort ? , decrease Fh
Tout < Tcomfort ? , increase Fh
Human is the controller here.
In most of the appliances (and chemical processes) controller is digital.
Classification of input variables
We feel Tout
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc Tout > Tcomfort ? , decrease Fh
Th Tc
Tout < Tcomfort ? , increase Fh
Fh, Fc, Th, Tc Process Fout, Tout
Classification of input variables
Fout = Fh + Fc
Fout
Tout FhTh + FcTc
Tout =
Fh Fc Fh + Fc
Th Tc
Fh, Fc, Th, Tc Process Fout, Tout
Manipulated Disturbance
variable variable
A control block diagram
Disturbance Unmeasured
Fout variable Output
Tout
Fh Fc Process
Th Tc
Manipulated
variable Measured
Output
Controller
control loop
A control block diagram
Fc, Th, Tc
Fout
Disturbance Unmeasured
Fout variable Output
Tout
Fh Fc Process
Th Tc Fh
Tout
Manipulated
variable Measured
Output
Controller
control loop
Another example
• What is the process model ?
T Tamb
• What are the input and outputs ?
• Identify the manipulated and disturbance variables ?
• Draw the control block diagram.
Q
Controller
Let’s consider now you can measure the temperature of the beaker and control
the heat flow rate Q.
Another example
dT
ρCpV = Q − UA(T − Tamb)
Tamb dt
Disturbance
Tamb variable
T Process
Q T
Manipulated
variable Measured
Q Output
Controller
Controller
control loop
A feedback control block diagram
Disturbance Unmeasured
Fout variable Output
Tout
Fh Fc Process
Th Tc
Manipulated
variable Measured
Output
Controller
control loop
Feedforward control
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
In the previous example the person has to go through uncomfortable
shower temperature for a bit at least to control it.
What if they wants to avoid it?
Feedforward control
Controller
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
The person measures Tc and compensate Fh accordingly. So that Tout = Tcomf.
A feedforward control block diagram
Fout Fc, Th, Tc
Tout Disturbance
Fh Fc variable
Th Tc Fout Tout
Unmeasured
Controller Process Output
Fh
Manipulated
variable
Feedforward control: advantange
Controller
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
The person measures Tc and compensate Fh accordingly. So that Tout = Tcomf.
No delay in achieving control objective.
Feedforward control: disadvantage
Controller
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
The person measures Tc and compensate Fh accordingly. So that Tout = Tcomf.
It’s not possible to compensate for unmeasured disturbances (i.e. Fc, Th)
Feedforward control: disadvantage
Controller
Fout
Tout
Fh Fc
Th Tc
The person measures Tc and compensate Fh accordingly. So that Tout = Tcomf.
It’s not possible to compensate for unmeasured disturbances (i.e. Fc, Th)
Design a feedforward controller for this system
Tamb
Q
Design a feedforward controller for this system
Tamb Tamb
Disturbance
T variable
Controller Process
Q
Q Manipulated Tout
Controller
variable
Practice problem
ms
• What is the steady state process model ?
Tin • What are the input and outputs ?
F • What is the control objective ?
• Identify the manipulated and disturbance variables.
• Propose a feedback control loop.
Tout • Propose a feedforward control loop.
This is an example of a saturated stream heat exchanger. The steam enters at
one end. The condensate gets removed at another end and the fluid doesn’t get
accumulated in the heat exchanger. You want the outlet temperature to be at a
desired level.
Hardware element for a controller
Fh
Tout
Manipulated
variable Measured
Output
Controller
Instead of the human being depicted in the example of the shower tap,
in reality there are many hardware element in a control device.
Hardware element for a controller
Measured Output
(feedback )
Manipulated Disturbance Variable
Variable (feedforward)
Valve Thermostat
Final Control Measurement
Regulator Set Point Barometer
Element Device
Variable speed Venturimeters
pumps Gas chromatographs
Mechanical (+) Controller Electrical
Transducer Transducers
Comparison with physiological example
Comparison with physiological example
Output
Secretion of
Sweat
Measurement
Manipulated
Device
Variable
Controller
Final Control
Element
We won’t be going into further details. You will know more about
them in Process Instrumenta on
ti
Contol System in Driving
In eastern express highway, in certain segments the speed
limit is 80 Km/h. A driver was enjoying the lack of traffic
signals and suddenly noticed that their speedometer shows
90 km/h and pushed the brake.
• Is it a feedback or feedforward control ?
• Identify the CV, MV, and DV
• What are the measurement device and the final
control element ?