ABSTRACT

The only way to influence the operation of a process system directly and in real-time is through control. This influence takes the form of guiding or regulating the operation in such a way as to ensure a desired outcome. Considering that all industrial processes are dynamic in nature, that is, the process behavior changes with time, the control engineer is called upon to understand the dynamic nature of processes at a fundamental level and then, based on this knowledge, devise appropriate mechanisms to influence their behavior over time. Control engineering is no longer regarded as a narrow specialty but as an essential topic for all chemical engineers. Engineers entrusted with the operation of processing plants must find the appropriate response to the ever-present upsets (e.g., feed quality or quantity fluctuations, variations in the availability of various utilities), so that the plant operates smoothly. Finally, engineers performing experiments must control their equipment and the environment meticulously to obtain the conditions prescribed by their experimental designs. In fact, without process control, it would not be possible to operate most modern processing facilities safely, reliably, and profitably, while satisfying quality and environmental standards.