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Lecture 3 – Process Control Diagrams
Control systems can be presented using control diagrams. As an

example, the control diagram of the mixing tank in Example ?? is
shown in Figure 1.
Calculations performed
by controller w1
x1
[kg/s]
xsp Analyzer x̃sp e(t) Feedback p(t) Control w2 ( t ) Stirred

+
−
x (t)
Calibration [mA] [mA] Controller [mA] Valve [kg/s] Tank
xm (t) Analyzer x (t)

(Sensor)
[mA]
& Transmitter
Figure 9: Typical Control Loop

Schematic
1. A sensor measures the process variable (x (t)) and feeds it back to the
controller.
2. The controller converts the set point, compares it to the signal, calcu-
lates the error (x̃sp − xm (t)).
3. The error is used to calculated the controller output (p(t)).
4. The controller output is sent to the control valve to adjust the flow
(w2 (t)).
Notes on Control Diagrams

• Unlike process diagrams, control diagrams show flow of informa-
tion. Inputs and outputs can represent instrument signals (e.g.
p(t)) or physical variables (w2 (t)).
• The components (blocks) in the diagram can be described using a

mathematical equation (differential or algebraic) =⇒ this is one of
the control engineer tasks.
• Industrial applications may have thousands of FB and FF control

loops, and a network of computers can be used to perform the
calculations.
Exercise 3
Try to apply the control loop in Figure ?? to the home heating

example (Example 2).
ChE 551: Process Control Dr. Yazan Hussain

11
PT
Coolant
QD
P
LT hD
Distilate
D
Reflux xD
R AT
Feed
LT
Heating QB hB
medium
Bottoms
B
xB
AT
Figure 10: Simple distillation column

control schema.
Distillation Column
In Figure 2, a control scheme of a distillation column is shown.
There are multiple controlled and multiple manipulated variables
in this example:
• Controlled variables:
– Product compositions (x D and x B )

– Column pressure (P)
– Reflux drum and column liquid levels (h D and h B )
• Manipulated variables:
– Product flow rates (D and B)

– Reflux flow (R)
– Heat duties (Q D and Q B ) =⇒ through coolant and heating
mediums flow rates
• A simple approach to this system is to link one control variable to

one manipulated variable.
• In such case, we have 5! (five factorial) options to choose from

(that is 120 total options).
• Not all these options are feasible or workable. Still, the feasible
options are many!
• This results in a multi-loop control configurations, and there is a

need to identify the most promising ones.

12
Exercise 4
The following table provide a matrix of controlled and ma-

nipulated variable for the system in Figure 2. Identify which
combinations of controlled-manipulated variable pairs are not
feasible options
xD xB P hD hB
D
B
R
QD
QB
Calculations performed
by controller
+
−
Figure 11: Control diagram template.
Exercise 5
Revisit Example 1 to construct a process control diagram sim-

ilar to that in Figure 1. Use the template provided in Figure 3
Example 5 FTC FTC
The distillation column shown in Figure 4 is used to distill a D, y

FT R
Column
binary mixture. Symbols x, y, and z denote mole fractions, F, z

CT
while B, D, R, and F represent molar flow rates. It is desired

to control the distillate composition y despite disturbances in
feed flow rate F. All flow rates can be measured and manipu-
lated with the exception of F, which can only be measured. A
composition analyzer provides measurements of y.
FTC
B, x
Figure 12: Simple distillation column

control problem

13
a) Propose a feedback control method and sketch the

schematic diagram.
In the figure below, we show all possible feedback con-
trol signals. That is, we send the measured distillate
composition signal (CT) to all available control valves.
It is not practical to control all the flow rates at the
same time due to the material balance constrains
(F = D + B).
Depending on the separation being performed, there
are several strategies to apply this system:
• RB Control: Manipulate the reflux and bottoms flow
rate to keep the composition at desired value. In this
case, we will affect the mass balance changing the
product flow rate obtained (D). This is called an
LB-Control structure.
• DB Control: Manipulate the distillate and bottoms
flow rate to keep the composition at desired value.
This is not commonly used structure since it violates
the material balance (if D and B are related by the
total mass balance). This is called an DB-Control
structure, and is mainly used for separations where
the components are close boiling.
b) Suggest a feedforward control method and sketch the

schematic diagram.
A forward feedback control can be applied to the feed
flow rate. In this case, we can use the feed flow rate to
manipulate the distillate and bottoms flow rates.
A schematic diagram of the control loops is shown in Fig-

ure 5.

14
FTC FTC FTC FTC
D, y D, y
FT FT
Column
Column
R CT
R CT
F, z F, z
FTC
FTC
B, x B, x
FTC FTC
D, y
FT
Column
R CT
F, z
FTC
B, x
Figure 13: Distillation column control
diagrams for the three cases discussed
in Example: RB-Control, DB-Control,
and Feedforward Control

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10

Lecture 3 – Process Control Diagrams

Control systems can be presented using control diagrams. As an

xsp Analyzer x̃sp e(t) Feedback p(t) Control w2 ( t ) Stirred

xm (t) Analyzer x (t)

Figure 9: Typical Control Loop

3. The error is used to calculated the controller output (p(t)).

Notes on Control Diagrams

• The components (blocks) in the diagram can be described using a

• Industrial applications may have thousands of FB and FF control

Try to apply the control loop in Figure ?? to the home heating

ChE 551: Process Control Dr. Yazan Hussain

Figure 10: Simple distillation column

– Product compositions (x D and x B )

– Product flow rates (D and B)

• A simple approach to this system is to link one control variable to

• In such case, we have 5! (five factorial) options to choose from

• This results in a multi-loop control configurations, and there is a

ChE 551: Process Control Dr. Yazan Hussain

The following table provide a matrix of controlled and ma-

Figure 11: Control diagram template.

Revisit Example 1 to construct a process control diagram sim-

Example 5 FTC FTC

The distillation column shown in Figure 4 is used to distill a D, y

binary mixture. Symbols x, y, and z denote mole fractions, F, z

while B, D, R, and F represent molar flow rates. It is desired

Figure 12: Simple distillation column

ChE 551: Process Control Dr. Yazan Hussain

a) Propose a feedback control method and sketch the

b) Suggest a feedforward control method and sketch the

A schematic diagram of the control loops is shown in Fig-

ChE 551: Process Control Dr. Yazan Hussain

FTC FTC FTC FTC

ChE 551: Process Control Dr. Yazan Hussain

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