Instrumentation and Process Control

Theoretical Questions
1. Develop the transfer function models for mercury thermometer, mixing tank liquid level
system (Resistance and capacitance).

2. Find out the transient response of the first-order system for step, ramp, impulse, and
sinusoidal input changes.

3. Derive an expression to find out the transfer function model of a simple U-tube
manometer.

4. Derive expressions for the transient response of a second-order system for step, impulse
and sinusoidal changes.

5. Derive and explain the overdamped, critically damped, and underdamped characteristics
of a second-order system subjected to a step change.

6. Derive an expression for the transfer function of a second order- transportation lag
system and explain its characteristics.

7. Explain the concept of servo and regulator problems with examples.

8. Effects of proportional control, derivative control, integral control and proportional-

integral control on first and second-order systems with respects to servo and regulator
problems.

9. What is the root locus theorem? Explain the poles and zeros and their effect on process
response.

10. Derive the Routh test for stability. Explain different theorems of Routh test.

11. What is bode diagram. Explain the frequency response characteristics of pure capacitive,
first-order, second-order, and pure dead-time systems with the help of bode diagram.

12. What are the various type of control valves? Explain the valve sizing and its
characteristics in details.

13. Discuss the feedback control technique in details from the practical aspects in chemical
processing plant.

14. What is the feedforward control technique? Explain with an example related to process
industry.

15. Define the ratio control. Explain its implementation schemes in details with examples.
16. Discuss the cascade control with an example. Explains its advantages over the
conventional control techniques.

Numerical Questions

320(1  4s)e3s
1. Consider the transfer function G( s)  , calculate the gain, time delay, and
24s 2  28s  1
time constant (s).
Ans. Gain= 80; time delay = 3; time constants τ1 = 6, τ2 = 1

2. Find the stability criteria for the values of Kc in following transfer function:
K (0.4s  1)
G( s)  c
s(s  1)(s  4)
Ans. System is stable for all values of Kc

3. Find the value of Kc in following transfer function if the system is unstable:

K (0.8s  1)e0.6 s
G( s)  c 2
s  5s  4
(Write answer up to one decimal digit)
Ans. 6.4

4. Calculate overshoot in % if a step change of magnitude 6 is introduced into the control

system having transfer function:
Y ( s) 10
G( s)   2
X ( s) 5s  0.6s  1
(Write answer without decimal digit)
Ans. 84

5. Calculate decay ratio in % if a step change of magnitude 6 is introduced into the control
system having transfer function:
Y ( s) 10
G( s)   2
X ( s) 5s  0.6s  1
(Write answer without decimal digit)
Ans. 71

6. There is three interacting CSTRs in series with the time constants of CSTRs as:
τ1 = 1 min, τ2 = 2 min, τ3 = 3 min
The gain of the process is 0.2. The transportation lag parameter of the measuring element
is 36 s. Determine the ultimate gain.
(Write answer up to one decimal digit)
Ans. 25.5
7. The open lop transfer function of a negative feedback control system is given, then what
is the value of Kc for unstable condition of the system.
Y ( s) Kc (e4 s )
G( s)  
X ( s) ( s  3)( s  6)
(Write answer up to one decimal digit)
Ans. 20.5

1
8. The open loop transfer function for a process is where the time is in minutes.
4(3s  1) 4
The crossover frequency and ultimate gain respectively are:
Ans. 0.333 rad/time and 16

9. A step change of magnitude 6 is introduced into the control system having transfer
function: G(s)=Y(s)/X(s)= 10/ (5s2 + 0.6s + 6). The values of overshoot, decay ratio and
radian frequency are ____%, ____ % and ____rad/min.
Ans. 84, 71, 1.1

Kc
10. The value of Kc for process having open loop transfer function G ( s)  with p-
s( s  1) 4
controller is _____.
Ans. 0.28

11. The time constant of a unity gain, first order plus time delay process is 5 min. If the phase
lag at a frequency of 0.2 rad/min is 60º. Then the dead time (in min) is?
Ans. 5π/12

12. The characteristic equation of a closed loop control system is

0.25s3 + 0.8s2 + 5.6s + 1 + 0.35K = 0
Find the limiting value of K, above which the closed loop system will be unstable.
(Write answer up to two decimal place)
Ans. 48.34

13. A proportional controller is used for two non-interacting liquid level system. The time
constant for tanks are 1 and 0.5. The value of the gain of controller is 5. Assume unity
feedback control system. The set point of the control system is given step change of
magnitude of 0.4. Determine the offset.
(Write answer up to two decimal place)
 Ans. 0.07

14. Find Laplace transform Y(s) of the following equations:

y"+y’+2y=(u(t-π)) × (sin 2t) with y(0)=1 and y’(0)=1


e t  e 3t
15. Evaluate this with the help of Laplace transformation f (t )   dt
0
t

16. Find inverse Laplace of

2s  1
s 1
(i) (s  2) (s  1)
2 2
(ii) s.log
s 1

17. A proportional controller is used to control second order control system having time
constant 1 min and damping coefficient 0.3. The set point is subjected to step change of
magnitude 0.16. The transfer function of measuring element is unity. Determine offset for
stable control.

R + + Y ( s) 1
Gc ( s )  K c G p ( s)   2
+ X ( s) s  0.6s  1

H ( s)  1

Ans. System is stable for all values of Kc

18. A proportional controller is used to control second order control system having time
constant 1 min and damping coefficient 0.3. The set point is subjected to step change of
magnitude 0.16. The transfer function of measuring element is unity. Determine
maximum value of response for stable control.

R + + Y ( s) 1
Gc ( s )  K c G p ( s)   2
+ X ( s) s  0.6s  1

H ( s)  1
(Write answer up to three decimal digit)
 Ans. 0.194

19. A perfectly stirred tank is used to heat a flowing liquid.

where, P is the power applied to the heater; Q is the heating rate of the system; T is the
actual temperature in the tank; Tm is the measured temperature time constants have units
of min. A test has been made with P′ varied sinusoidally as:
P′ = 0.5sin(0.2t)
For these conditions, the measured temperature is
T′m = 3.464sin(0.2t + ϕ)
Find a value for the maximum error bound between T′ and T′m if the sinusoidal input has
been applied for a long time.
(Write answer up to two decimal place)
Ans. 0.07

20. There are two non-interacting liquid stirred tank reactors having time constants of 1
minute and 2 minutes respectively. The gain of the process is 2. The transportation lag
parameter of measuring element is 0.4 minutes. The ultimate gain and ultimate period
respectively are:
Ans. 4.12371 and 3.35 min/cycle.

21. A thermometer is observed to exhibit the first order dynamics. The response of
thermometer was evaluated by applying a step change in the bath in which thermometer
is placed. After 6 seconds the output value was 63.2% of the total applied step change.
The thermometer reading at T=55°C was put into a bath whose temperature was varied
sinusoidally between 50°C and 60°C with a 60 sec/cycle period of oscillation. The values
of phase lag and amplitude ratio respectively are:
Ans. -31.96° and 0.8