Chemical process control automates chemical operations safely. It has five main categories and three control options, and can be continuous or discrete. The primary tasks are heating, evaporation, distillation, drying, and reaction. Feedback, feed-forward, and computer controls are used. Engineers use data to improve processes.
Chemical process control safely automates a process, or set of operations, for a chemical. There are many types of process controls and most are unique to a specific engineering manufacturing process. The primary purposes of chemical process control are the production and handling of chemicals, such as sulfuric acid. Operations are commonly divided into five main categories and are controlled with three options. All stages of a chemical control process also behave continuously or discretely, which means that the operation can always be smooth or run in batches.
The most important characteristic of the chemical control process is whether it is discrete or continuous. All calculations for operations, measurements and controls are based on chemical flow. Predicting continuous flow is difficult and requires engineering skills, but discrete operations are more common. Baking a cake is done in discrete steps, normally one cake at a time, but a factory may choose a continuous process. Using a much larger oven and conveyor belt, it becomes possible to automate a continuous flow of cakes.
It is often beneficial for an operation to perform at least one of the five primary tasks of chemical process control. These tasks are heating, evaporation, distillation, drying and reaction. Any configuration has a variety of design options for accomplishing these tasks. For example, drying can be done with air, heat, and other chemical options. Operations are used in conjunction with process measurements.
Process control is done in three different ways: feedback, feed forward and computer controls. Feedback process control involves setting a point for a measurement and stopping the system when that point is reached. Feed-forward means that the set point causes the system to boot, while computers have different digital control options. Power plants commonly use feedback controls for temperature control, feed-forward controls for chemical flow, and computerized controls for system monitoring. The central control room is covered by digital instruments and controls in many chemical plants, all for the purpose of controlling the process.
Taking measurements for process control has the most variety when types of chemical process control are discussed. The combination of operations, flow types, measuring instruments, and control systems all contribute to the ultimate type of chemical process control. Engineers use recorded data and mathematical tools to predict the design of a chemical process control and determine ways to improve those already in use.
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