Written midterm 2 - 2014

Midterm date:

13 March 2014

• Date: Thursday, 13 March
• Starting time: 18:30
• Duration: 2 hours
• Locations:
  • T29, room 101: last names A to L
  • T29, room 105: last names M to Z

What will be covered in the midterm?

The midterm will cover all material in the course, up to, and including 10 March 2014. This corresponds to material in Chapters 1 to 9 in Marlin's book. The midterm will focus mainly on the material since the previous midterm, however, all material will be required.

1. Overview of Process Control
2. Process Control objectives
3. Dynamic models, solving them and interpreting them
4. The PID controller
5. Determining model parameters from experiments

Highlights from the newer material include:

• second order systems
• controller objectives
• representing real systems in deviation form on a block diagram with transfer functions
• closed loop response to the CV from either the SP or from disturbance \(d\)
• the PID controller: understanding what each mode in the controller does
• using Simulink
• how to tune the controller using the Ciancone rules, and what the tuning values do to the closed loop response
• system identification using the Process Reaction Curve method

Answering questions in the midterm

• You may bring in any printed materials to the midterm; any textbooks, any papers, etc.
• You may use any calculator during the midterm.
• You may answer the questions in any order in the answer booklet.
• Time saving tip: never repeat the question back in your answer.
• If anything seems unclear, or information appears to be incomplete, please make a reasonable assumption and continue with the question.

How to prepare for the midterm

• Understand the concepts being learned. My courses are never about finding the right equation, plugging values in and solving. You will obviously need to use equations, but the end goal is demonstrate your understanding of the material, and that you can apply it to new situations.
• Read the questions carefully: they are usually worded precisely. The biggest point where students lose marks is to answer only one part of the question.
• Work through many of the practice questions on the website. They have full solutions.
• Work through all the tutorial problems again, making sure you understand the core concepts. The tutorials are posted on the course home page.