2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Implementing a Distributed Process Control System in a Unit Operations Laboratory

Presented at Advancing Labs: From VR to Process Control

As part of the renovation and relocation project for the Unit Operations Laboratory at the University of Illinois, a commercial distributed process control system (DCS) will be incorporated into the facility. The purpose of the system is both to provide process control functions for the unit operation experiments and to introduce students to the equipment and instrumentation that comprise a modern control system. While the benefits of having a DCS system have long been recognized, the maintenance and cost of an advanced control system have been a significant deterrent to its effective inclusion in many student laboratories. This paper discusses the evaluation procedure that we used to identify the type of control system that would be best for a student laboratory, the management, operational, and maintenance activities necessary in order to use the system effectively, and the educational objectives we hope to achieve.

Secondly, this paper will present our approach for utilizing the capabilities of a DCS in a quantitative and time-effective manner. In particular, this paper will present our approach for providing students experience working with a modern control system and with process control experiments.

Authors

Dr. Joachim K. Floess University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Dr. Floess is an Instructor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Currently, he is leading the effort to update and relocate the student Unit Operations Laboratory. As an instructor, he has taught the Unit Operations Lab, Senior Process Design, Chemical and Process Safety, and Process Control. He is the author of a textbook 'Notes on Process Design and Analysis,' published by Cognella publishing. He has over 25 yrs. experience working in industry at General Electric and Cabot Corp.
Jacob Leicht University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign [biography]

Mr. Leicht is the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CHBE) Teaching Lab Specialist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a position he has held for over five years. His primary objective is to oversee the lab space used for a senior-level CHBE capstone course, the Unit Operations Lab. This includes maintaining both the physical equipment and the documentation and procedures that students will use as part of the class. He is also working with the faculty on the revitalization and relocation of the lab.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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