Building Multivariable Process Control Intuition Using Control Station®

© Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2003 Robert Rice received his BS from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 2000 and is currently working toward his PhD in chemical engineering at the University of Connecticut under the direction of Doug Cooper. His research involves multivariable model predictive control of unstable processes. Danielle Dougherty received a BS from Widener University (1997) and a PhD under the direction of Doug Cooper from the University of Connecticut (2002), both in chemical engineeering. Her thesis was on multivariable adaptive model predictive control. Her current post-doc research focuses on modeling and controlling direct methanol fuel cell processes. Mutivariable loop interaction is a well-known control problem that is discussed in a host of popular texts. Computer tools such as Matlab/Simulink enable instructors and students alike to explore the phenomena by providing a high-level programming environment useful for simulating process control systems. The topics to be covered in a process control course, however, are numerous relative to the time allotted to them in the typical curriculum. Instructors must decide for themselves whether or not time spent with programming issues is time well spent in a process dynamics and control class. Many feel it is an appropriate use of time, and valid arguments can be made to support that viewpoint.