Feed-Effluent Heat Exchanger Control
This experiment is an open-loop unstable thermal process. The apparatus mimics the dynamic behavior of a feed-effluent heat exchanger and reactor system. An exothermic adiabatic tubular reactor is simulated by using a vessel with an electric heater, making the system safer and cheaper to operate while retaining the essential open-loop unstable transient behavior. This experiment and recent operating experience with it in this laboratory course are described in "A feed-effluent heat exchanger/reactor dynamic control laboratory experiment" by W.L. Luyben, in Chemical Engineering Education, Winter 2000.
Control techniques studied:
- Feedback stabilization