UWA Handbook 2025

Unit Overview

Description

This unit provides students with an introduction to process dynamics and control. This includes the mathematical foundations of control theory, understanding of dynamic mass and energy balances using process simulation, and how disturbances affect process operation. Students will gain understanding of common process control loops and control systems relevant for process engineering.

Topics include feed-back, feed-forward, cascade and ratio controls, safety in process control design and operation and control strategies of common process unit operations (distillation, reactors, separators, etc). Control strategies of single loop and multi-loop systems will be developed and students will learn to design and tune PID controllers for overall process control and safety to meet set process criteria for product quality and process stability. Students will obtain practical understanding on the control of both batch and continuous processes, the application of industry control standards, and the impacts of unit control when units are connected in series and/or in parallel.

The students will be expected to produce professional control design documents such as Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) and demonstrate capability to tune a process control system through the use of industry standards process simulation software.

Credit

6 points

Offering

Availability	Location	Mode	First year of offer
Not available in 2025	UWA (Perth)	On-campus

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) demonstrate understanding and application of the fundamental mathematics of process control theory to tune process control meeting product quality and stability criteria; (2) analyse and interpret responses of process control system disturbances using control theory; (3) simulate the dynamic control of common unit operations using analytical and numerical methods, and industry standard process simulation software; applying industry standards where applicable; (4) demonstrate understanding of advanced control theory concepts, such as multi-loop control, and how they apply to process engineering; (5) design and apply unit/process control strategies to ensure required safety levels are met in all phases of process unit/plant operation; and (6) engage with industry professionals through the use of appropriate written and oral communication and the construction and use of industry standard drawings (PIDs etc).

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) assignments; (2) tests; and (3) exam. Further information is available in the unit outline.

Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)

Professor Hui Tong Chua

Unit rules

Prerequisites

Enrolment in 62550 Master of Professional Engineering (Chemical Engineering specialisation)
or
Enrolment in

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) or an associated Combined Degree MJD-ECHEM Chemical Engineering

and Successful completion of

GENG2000 Engineering Practice 2

and Successful completion of

96 points

Incompatibility

GENG3402 Control Engineering GENG4402 Control Engineering

Contact hours

Lectures: 2 hrs per week
Workshops: 3 hrs per week