2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Process Control has been established as a core course for the formation of chemical engineers. Very often, it is the only course dealing with the analysis of transient (time-dependent) phenomena and conditions. It relies on difficult concepts requiring intensive mathematical approaches and simulations based on differential equations and Laplace transform. It is commonly criticized for its level of abstraction and mathematical involvement, in contrast to other courses in the career, and for the restricted applicability to industrial jobs. This criticism generally negatively affects the motivation of students. However, the combination with hands-on experiments has proved to enrich the learning and motivation of students, but most colleges face severe restrictions on the investment, maintenance, and operation of process control labs and the addition of new requirements in the curriculum. Some alternatives have been exploring the use of simple modules for classroom demonstrations, theoretical simulations of equipment in unit operations lab, and virtual-lab simulations.
This paper describes the scope of technical training based on process model and synthesis of PID controllers for six experimental set-ups with liquid level and temperature control, using lab equipment fully automated for data acquisition, handling of manipulated and disturbance variables, and selection of parameters for PID controllers. MATLAB codes and Simulink graphical simulations support the processing of data and analysis of results. In addition, the course develops a unique experience in team skills and performance where every team is a combination of two sub teams. The “office” sub-team oversees research on industrial applications, instrumentation characteristics, and computational modeling. The “lab” sub-team oversees elaborating and testing experimental plans, collecting data, and analyzing results. Every team is assigned two sequential projects; one for process modeling (open-loop) and one for controller synthesis (closed-loop), and the sub teams switch their roles from one project to another. Detailed analysis of relevant team dynamics is assessed quantitatively and qualitatively based on the experience with 71 students arranged in 12 groups. Based on this experience, a proposal is made to develop a program of institutional collaborations to broaden the accessibility of real lab experience to students worldwide, mainly targeting those without this valuable resource. A preliminary trial showed the potential for a successful global collaboration addressing technical content and team dynamics.