The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Combined feedforward-feedback control of a fluidized-bed reactor
Author:	Mitchell, Reginald Eugene
View Online:	njit-etd1970-028 (vi, 95 pages ~ 9.8 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Chemical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Hanesian, Deran (Committee chair) Huang, Ching-Rong (Committee member) Perna, Angelo J. (Committee member)
Date:	1970-06
Keywords:	Fluidization
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Feedforward control, feedback control, and combined feedforward-feedback control were studied on an analog computer to evaluate their effectiveness in controlling a fluidized-bed reactor used for the decomposition of cumene. Proportional, proportional-integral, proportional-derivative, and proportional-integral-derivative modes of control were investigated. Step changes in set-point and load were used as disturbances. The Ziegler-Nichols method and the process reaction curve method of Cohen and Coon were compared in determining values of KC, Ti, and Td which gave optimum control of the fluidized-bed reactor. Control equation were obtained from the block diagrams of the systems and solved on an EAI TR-20 Analog Computer. It was found that tighter control of the fluidized-bed reactor was maintained when feedforward control was combined with feedback control for all modes of control studied. The Cohen and Coon reaction curve method and the Ziegler-Nichols method resulted in values of Kc, Ti, and Td which gave equally good control.