ChBE 4412 Process Control Lab

Spring 2016

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

ChBE 4412 Process Control Laboratory

Spring 2016
Laboratory Instructor:
Dr. Martha Grover
e-mail: martha.grover@chbe.gatech.edu
Teaching Assistants:
Name
Amar Mohabir
Evan Roberts
Wenqin You
Chi-Ta Lee
Tristan Kernick
Yi Sun

Office: 1228 ES&T

Office hours: M, Th 3-4:30 in L1160 ES&T

Email (@gatech.edu)
amohabir3
eroberts9
wyou6
ctlee0112
tkernick3
suny7

Lab day
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
-

Grading
L1
L2
L3
L4
L5
L0 and L6

Location:

Process Control Laboratory, ES&T Building, Room L1160

Time:

M, Tu, W, Th, or Fr from 3-6 pm

TA office hours are during the regularly scheduled labs. Please come between 3:30-6 pm
for questions, so that the TAs can focus on getting the lab groups started between 3 and
3:30 pm. Yi Suns office hours are on Fridays from 3-5 pm in L1160 ES&T.
Laboratory Schedule
Week

L1

L0

L2

L1

L0

L1

Dates

Ja11

J18-

J25-

Feb1

Feb8

F15-

F22-

F29-

-15

J22

J29

-5

-12

F19

F26

Mar4

Group

L0

L2

L2

11

12

SB

L4

L6

LW

L4

SB

L6

L3

LW

L3

SB

L6

L5

LW

L5

SB

L3

L4

LW

L4

SB

L5

L3

LW

L5

SB

L4

L6

LW

L3

L1
L0

L2

L2

10

L1

L1

L6
L0

13

15

16

L3

L5

LW

L4

LW

L6

SB

L5

Mar7

M14-

M21-

M28-

Apr4

A11-

A18-

A25-

-11

18

M25

Apr1

-8

A15

22

29

Key: I = Introduction to the process control laboratory (L1160)

M = Introduction to MATLAB/Simulink (L2230)
L0-L6 = ID number of laboratory experiment to be performed that week
SB = Spring Break
LW = last week; final class days, reading period, and final exams

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14

ChBE 4412 Process Control Lab

Spring 2016

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

Note: Attendance is mandatory for all lab periods in which your group is assigned. No
lab group may begin the experiment until all members are present.
Experiments:
L0.
L1.
L2.
L3.
L4.
L5.
L6.

Identification of dynamics of multivariable linear system (heated bar)

Dynamics of interacting systems (tanks in series)
Dynamics and filtering of sensor data (temperature sensors)
Control of systems with time delays (heated bar)
Pairing selection and interactions in multivariable control systems (mixing tank)
Control of highly nonlinear systems (pH)
Control of batch process (fermenter)

Grading
Lab reports: 60% (12% for each report)
Design project: 40% (10% for each phase)
Design Project
The design project will be performed in groups, with the following four due dates:
Phase 1: February 3
Phase 2 February 24
Phase 3: March 16
Phase 4: April 20
Lab Quiz
In order to ensure that you understand the concepts of the experiment to be performed,
the Laboratory Quiz for the scheduled experiment must be completed on-line on TSquare before the start of the lab period. Each student should complete the quiz
independently. Each member of the group must pass the quiz; the minimum score is 4
out of 5. You may attempt the quiz three times. A group member will be penalized 20
percent of the lab report grade for not successfully completing the quiz after three
attempts. Groups with members who have not successfully completed the quiz must wait
until those members complete the quiz before starting the experiment.
Laboratory Attire
You must supply your own safety glasses and 100% cotton lab coat (flame-proof) and
bring them to each lab experiment. If you wear prescription glasses, you may either
attach side shields to them, or wear safety glasses on top of them. You must also wear
long pants and closed-toed shoes. No food or drink is permitted in the laboratory.
Lab Reports
The laboratory reports are due by 3 pm exactly two weeks after the lab was performed.
Reports must be submitted electronically to www.t-square.gatech.edu. Late reports will
be penalized by 20% if they are submitted by 6 pm, 50% if they are submitted later that
day, and no credit will be given if they are not submitted by midnight on the due date.

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ChBE 4412 Process Control Lab

Spring 2016

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

In the event that the due date falls on an official school holiday in which classes are not in
session, the lab report will be due on the first school class day after the holiday. Lab
reports for experiments done during the last two weeks of classes are due by 5 pm on the
Tuesday of Week 16 (Last Week).
Under no circumstances is it allowable to refer to lab reports or lab quizzes from other
groups or from previous semesters. Such cases (and other cases of plagiarism) will be
reported to the Office of Student Integrity, typically with a recommendation of zero score
for the report (first offense) or failure in the course (repeat offense).
Policy on Regrading
Requests for regrading of a laboratory report or design project must be submitted to Dr.
Grover in writing within one week of the day the assignment is returned after being
graded. You must justify in writing the technical basis for the regrade.
Laboratory Report Format
I. General Information
Your experimental work is of no value if you cannot communicate it to others. A written
report is just one method to do this. The ability to write clear, concise, accurate, and
professional looking reports is as important as performing the laboratory work properly.
It is a skill that is highly valued by your future employer(s). Reports are therefore graded
for technical content as well as professional appearance. Reports should be written such
that any individual of average chemical engineering knowledge can read and understand
your report without difficulty. They should also be able to quickly scan it to find what
was done, the results obtained, and the significance of the work in the related field. These
requirements can only be met if the report is written with proper spelling, punctuation,
and grammar. The following guidelines should help you meet the requirements for
written reports in the Process Control Laboratory.
1. Typing is required for all reports. Sample calculations, however, may be written
neatly in ink and scanned.
2. Graphs should be professional in appearance with appropriate titles, legends, and
units. They should be completely readable in the bound report. Scales should be
chosen such that the accuracy of the data is not exaggerated.
3. All measurements should include units (SI is preferable, where possible).
4. The derivation of relevant equations should be referenced to the textbook, but
should not be repeated unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
5. References should be of the proper form with page numbers where appropriate.
6. Significant figures should be carried throughout the report.
7. The emphasis should be on conciseness without loss of important detail.

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ChBE 4412 Process Control Lab

Spring 2016

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

II. Organization of Report

While report forms will vary among different organizations and universities, the
following is to be used for all written reports in the Chemical Process Control
Laboratory.
1. The reports are to be submitted electronically. The first page should have the
names of the group members, the experiment title, the course number and section,
and the group number, as well as the date the experiment was performed and the
date the report is due. The submission should be in the Microsoft Word (.doc or
.docx). Only one member of the group should submit the report for the group.
2. Page numbers should be used beginning with the first page. Margins should be
kept at 1 inch on the right and left.
The following sections should appear in every report.
Title Page
Introduction and Theory
Experimental Procedure
Results and Discussion
Conclusions and Recommendations
References
Appendices: Sample Calculations
Relevant plots of your Original Data (unprocessed)
Other Information
In an effort to provide more detailed guidelines for the written reports, the following
descriptions are given for required sections in each report.
III. Title page
The title page should include the following information:
a. In the upper right hand corner
i.
The course number
ii.
The section
iii.
The instructors name
b. In the center of the page
i.
The experiment number
ii.
The experiment name
iii.
The names of group members
iv.
The group number
v.
The day of the week in lab
vi.
The date the lab was performed

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ChBE 4412 Process Control Lab

Spring 2016

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

IV. Introduction and Theory

This section should introduce the experiment, give some background as to its relevance
and applicability, and list the necessary equations. The theory and derivations should be
referenced to the text or Laboratory Manual (giving exact page references), and not
reproduced in the report. There are two exceptions to this: (i) The derivation is
specifically requested in the Laboratory Manual. (ii) The derivation is not available in the
textbook. Under these conditions, the derivation should be included in this section with
appropriate definition of nomenclature.
V. Experimental Procedure
This section should state that the experiment was carried out according to the procedure
outlined in the Laboratory Manual, and then discuss any deviations from the Laboratory
Manual that were necessary.
VI. Results and Discussion
This section should present the results of the experiment in a clear and concise form,
using graphs, diagrams, tabular data, etc. A thorough discussion of what is learned from
the results of the experiment should be presented in clear, concise, and logical format.
VII. Conclusions and Recommendations
These represent your opinion on 1) whether you have met your objectives, 2) the
reliability of your data, and 3) what the data actually means related to the theory. They
can be simple statements or involve a detailed discussion. When you make a judgment
the reasoning must come from your results. Do not conclude that you do not have enough
data. You never will. You must use your data for all its worth and make as many
justifiable conclusions as possible. Think before you write (Ask yourself "From what I
know about Chemical Engineering, what does this data really mean?"). Once you have
earnestly analyzed your data and discussed it, this section should be simple to write.
Questions to answer here include, but are not limited to: What needs to be changed in the
procedure/apparatus to improve results/accuracy next time? What different experiment(s)
could provide the necessary data in a simpler manner? What course of action should be
taken in the future to extend these results further? Focus on additional tests to further the
goals of the experiment. Do not recycle the usual recommendations that the equipment be
improved unless such conclusions are really justified.
VIII. References
A complete list of references used with page numbers where appropriate.
IX. Appendices
The appendices are specifically designed for all information that does not fit easily in the
main body of the report. This normally includes:
* A complete sample calculation with tables of intermediate results. Since only final
results are reported, these should be detailed enough for the grader to check for errors.
Equations should be referenced to the theory section or available literature.

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ChBE 4412 Process Control Lab

Spring 2016

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

Units should always be included and conversions shown. The calculations in the
appendix may be handwritten neatly in ink.
* Plots of any original (raw) data you wish to include.

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