A
Brief Outline
For decades, control theory has been taught using transfer functions, frequency-domain analysis, and Laplace transform mathematics. For linear systems – like those from the electromechanical areas from which these classical control techniques emerged – this approach is well suited. For chemical processes, often characterized by non-linearity and large doses of dead time, classical control techniques have known limitations.
In today’s simulation-rich environment, the right combination of hardware and software is available to implement a "hands-on" approach to process control system design. Engineers and students are now able to experiment on virtual plants that capture the important non-idealities of the real world, and can test even the most outlandish of control structures without resorting to non-intuitive mathematics, or placing real plants at risk.
The purpose of this text is to provide a practical, hands-on introduction to process control by using only time-based representations of the process and the associated instrumentation and control. We believe this book is the first to treat the topic without relying at all upon Laplace transforms and the classical, frequency-domain techniques. For those wishing to advance their knowledge of process control beyond this first introductory exposure, we highly recommend understanding, even mastering, the classical techniques. However, as an introductory treatment of the topic, and for those chemical engineers not wishing to specialize in process control, but rather to extract something practical and applicable, we believe our approach hits the mark.
