Course Competencies

ChE 436 Competencies

Level 3

  • Students will be able to solve steady-state, overall, material and energy balances for systems which include one or more of the following: recycle, multiple units, chemical reactions.
  • Students will be able to tune a single feedback control loop.

Level 2

  • Students will learn aboout chemical processes, units, and corresponding equipment related to process control.
  • Students will be able to set up and solve simple transient material balances.
  • Students will be able to derive batch, CSTR, and PFR performance equations from general material balances.
  • Students will demonstrate familiarity with process control terminology and understand the following control strategies: feed-back control, feed-forward control, and cascade control; as well as the difference between linear and nonlinear systems.
  • Students will be able to write and solve ODE’s that describe the transient behavior of simple lumped-parameter systems.
  • Students will be able to fit data from step or pulse tests to approximate linear models.
  • Students will understand the concept of a transfer function in classical control and be able to use transfer functions (Laplace domain) to approximate the transient behavior of elements in a feedback control loop.
  • Students will be able to predict the closed-loop behavior and evaluate the stability of simple control loops.
  • Students will understand and be able to use tuning relationships for PID controllers.
  • Students will be able to use block diagrams to help determine system response characteristics.
  • Students will demonstrate familiarity and experience with the application of process control principles on an industrial control system.
  • Students will be able to use a process simulator to conduct process control.
  • Students will understand and have a basic knowledge of how safety and environmental considerations are incorporated into engineering problem solving.
  • Students will understand the principles involved in selecting a control valve.
  • Students will be able to design a simple feedback loop to control process equipment.
  • Students will be able to perform preliminary valve sizing and understand the interaction of the valve with other process components.

Level 1

  • Students will be able to set up and solve transient energy balances
  • Students will demonstrate familiarity and experience with chemical process equipment.
  • Students will understand the concepts involved in multiple single loops in applications like simple distillation column control.