ABSTRACT
The field of process control has been one of the most important contributors to the development of computer simulation, and today, computer simulations are able to handle increasingly more complex problems in this area. Process control problems, if practiced without the aid of a computer, require a thorough grasp of the basic principles involved as well as a knowledge of the techniques available for the approximate solution of problems in process dynamics.
MATLABⓇ has an excellent collection of commands and functions that are useful in solving process control problems. A brief outline of the basic elements in a typical process control system is given in this chapter, together with the MATLAB programs. This chapter covers classical techniques but also includes a discussion of state-space modelling and control, a modern control topic lacking in most chemical process control texts. The use of MATLAB programs allows for a more general solution that retains all the nonlinear complexities as well as optimising control configurations by rapid trial-and-error procedures.
The main objective of this chapter is to provide readers with problem-solving techniques using MATLAB programs. The MATLAB programs presented in this chapter are written with user-friendly comments so that the reader can follow each step easily. The topics covered in this chapter include the Laplace transform and transfer function, the state-space model, the dynamics of processes and feedback control loops, the stability of the control system, and frequency response analysis. The MATLAB programs provided for these topics may be used for academic or industrial applications as well as for undergraduate or graduate courses on chemical process control. Researchers and practicing engineers in the field of chemical process engineering can apply these MATLAB programs in the analysis and design of process control systems.
