Exercise 1-2

Ratio Control

EXERCISE OBJECTIVE Familiarize yourself with the two main methods of ratio control and try one of
them on the system.

DISCUSSION OUTLINE The Discussion of this exercise covers the following point:

ƒ Ratio control
Flow Fraction Controller (Method 1). Ratio Relay Controller (Method 2).

DISCUSSION Ratio control

Ratio control is an elementary application of feedforward control. Ratio control is

almost exclusively applied to flow-rate control. The mixing of two or more fluids in
a specified proportion in order to control the composition of a resultant mixture is
a common application of ratio control. The air-to-fuel ratio in a combustion engine
can be controlled with such a scheme, as can be a batch of processed food
prepared according to a strict recipe, or a chemical reaction requiring a specific
stoichiometric balance.

In the simple case where only two process variables ‫ ܣ‬and ‫ ܤ‬are considered,
ratio control aims to maintain the proportion of these variables. The aim is to
control the ratio, not the individual variables. Equation (2-14) defines the ratio ܴ
of two process variables:

‫ܣ‬ (1-15)
ܴൌ
‫ܤ‬

There are two prevailing methods to implement ratio control in a process. Both
methods require constant monitoring of ‫ ܣ‬and ‫ܤ‬. In the examples below, used to
illustrate these two methods, ‫ ܣ‬is the flow of the load stream and ‫ ܤ‬is the flow of
the manipulated stream.

Flow Fraction Controller (Method 1)

The flow fraction controller method involves calculating the instantaneous ratio
of the process ܴ௠ by dividing the measured flow rate ‫ܣ‬௠ by the measured flow
rate ‫ܤ‬௠ . A divider element, which is usually included in the controller, performs
the division of the two flow rates. The ratio controller then compares ܴ௠ to the set
point ܴௌ௉ and adjusts its output to change the opening of the control valve to
preserve the ratio.

This method is simple and directly calculates the ratio, which becomes the
controlled variable.

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Procedure Outline

‫ ܣ‬- Load stream

‫ܣ‬௠
ܴ௠
ܴௌ௉

‫ܤ‬௠

‫ ܤ‬- Manipulated Mixed stream

stream
Figure 1-11. Ratio control - Method 1 - Flow fraction controller.

Ratio Relay Controller (Method 2)

The ratio relay controller method is similar to the flow fraction controller method,
but uses a ratio relay that receives the flow rate measured for ‫ ܣ‬and uses it to
compute what the flow rate of ‫ ܤ‬should be to keep the ratio ܴ constant. The
output of the ratio relay is used as the set point for the controller, this set point is
equal to ‫ܤ‬ௌ௉ ൌ  ‫ܣ‬௠ Τܴ. The controller compares the set point, ‫ܤ‬ௌ௉ , to the actual
flow rate measured for ‫ ܤ‬and adjusts its output to keep the flow of the
manipulated stream at the set point, thus keeping the ratio constant.

‫ ܣ‬- Load stream

‫ܣ‬௠ ܴ

‫ܤ‬ௌ௉

‫ܤ‬௠

‫ ܤ‬- Manipulated Mixed stream

stream

Figure 1-12. Ratio control - Method 2 - Ratio relay controller.

More elaborate ratio control designs can be implemented and may involve
feedback control of the load-stream flow rate, or even an analysis of the
composition of the mixed stream which could have a feedback effect on the
constant ܴ of the ratio relay.

PROCEDURE OUTLINE The Procedure is divided into the following sections:

ƒ Setup and connections

ƒ Adjusting the differential-pressure transmitters
ƒ Controlling the flow loop

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Procedure

PROCEDURE Setup and connections

1. Connect the equipment according to the piping and instrumentation

diagram (P&ID) shown in Figure 1-13 and use Figure 1-14 to position the
equipment correctly on the frame of the training system.

Table 1-7. Material to add to the basic setup for this exercise.

Name Model Identification

Differential-pressure transmitter (high-pressure range) 46920 FIT 1-B
Differential-pressure transmitter (low-pressure range) 46921 FIT 1-A
Venturi tube 46911 FE 1-B
Orifice plate 46912 FE 1-A
Color paperless recorder 46972 UR
Three-valve manifolds (2) 85813 -
Controller * FIC 1

SP

Figure 1-13. P&ID - Ratio control loop.

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Procedure

Air from the pneumatic unit

(140 kPa (20 psi))

Figure 1-14. Setup - Ratio control loop.

a The paperless recorder (UR) is not displayed in the P&ID above. See
Figure 1-10 of Ex. 1-1 for the suggested electrical connections.

2. Connect the control valve to the pneumatic unit.

3. Connect the pneumatic unit to a dry-air source with an output pressure of at

least 700 kPa (100 psi).

4. Wire the emergency push-button so that you can cut power in case of
emergency.

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Procedure

5. Do not power up the instrumentation workstation yet. You should not turn the
electrical panel on before your instructor has validated your setup—that is
not before step 10.

6. Connect the controller to the control valve and to the differential-pressure

transmitters. You must also include the recorder in your connections. On
channel 1 of the recorder, plot the output signal from the controller, on
channel 2, plot the signal from the transmitter connected to the orifice
plate (FIT1-A), and on channel 3, plot the signal from the transmitter
connected to the Venturi tube (FIT1-B). Be sure to use the analog input of
your controller to connect the differential-pressure transmitters.

7. Figure 1-10 shows how to connect the different devices together.

Analog input Analog output

In1 In2 Out1 Ch1 Ch2 Ch3

24 V

Figure 1-15. Connecting the instruments together for feedforward control.

8. Before proceeding further, complete the following checklist to make sure you
have set up the system properly. The points on this checklist are crucial
elements to the proper completion of this exercise. This checklist is not
exhaustive, so be sure to follow the instructions in the Familiarization with the
Training System manual as well.

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Procedure

 The Venturi tube, the orifice plate (ߚ ൌ ͲǤͷͷ), and the three-valve manifolds

f are used according to the guidelines stated in the Familiarization with the
Training System manual.
 The hand valves are in the positions shown in the P&ID.
 The control valve is fully open.
 The pneumatic connections are correct.
 The controller is properly connected to the differential-pressure transmitters
and to the control valve.
 The paperless recorder is connected correctly to plot the appropriate
signals on channel 1, channel 2, and channel 3.

9. Ask your instructor to check and approve your setup.

10. Power up the electrical unit, this starts all electrical devices as well as the
pneumatic unit. Activate the control valve of the pneumatic unit to power the
devices requiring compressed air.

11. With the controller in manual mode, set the output of the controller to 0%.
The control valve should be fully open. If it is not, revise the electrical and
pneumatic connections and be sure the calibration of the I/P converter is
appropriate.

12. Test your system for leaks. Use the drive to make the pump run at low speed
to produce a small flow rate. Gradually increase the flow rate, up to 50% of
the maximum flow rate that the pumping unit can deliver (i.e., set the drive
speed to 30 Hz). Repair any leaks and stop the pump.

Adjusting the differential-pressure transmitters

13. Be sure to connect the impulse lines of the differential-pressure transmitters

to the two three-valve manifolds. Bleed the impulse lines and configure the
transmitters for flow measurement. Adjust the zero of the differential-
pressure transmitter.

Set the parameters of both transmitters so that a 4 mA signal is sent for a

flow of 0 L/min (0 gal/min) and a 20 mA signal for a flow of 40 L/min
(10 gal/min).

Controlling the flow loop

14. Set the pump to 30.0 Hz and wait for the flow reading to stabilize on both
flow transmitters. Be sure the control valve is fully open.

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Procedure

15. Read the output flow on both transmitters. Compare the two flow rates. If
they are not equal, explain why.

16. Configure your controller as a ratio relay controller. The connections for this
method of ratio control are shown in Figure 1-12 and Figure 1-13. With this
method, the output of the first flow transmitter (FIT1-A) is divided by a ratio
constant (ܴ) and the result is used as the set point (‫ܤ‬ௌ௉ ) for the controller.
Refer to the manual of your controller for details on how to make the
connections for ratio relay control.

17. Set the ratio constant to 2 (ܴ ൌ ʹ). With this ratio constant, the set point of
஺
the controller is half the value measured by FIT1-A (‫ܤ‬ௌ௉ ൌ ೘ ൌ ͲǤͷ ).


a Be careful, it may not be possible to enter 2 as a parameter in your controller.

Instead, you may have to multiply the value measured by FIT1-A by a factor
of 0.5.

18. Use HV5 to reduce the flow measured by FIT1-A to about 30% and wait for
the flow reading to stabilize.

19. Put your controller in automatic mode and activate the remote set point.

20. Fully open HV5 and observe how the controller reacts to this perturbation.

21. Use HV5 to create perturbations and the trial and error method to adjust the
P, I, and D parameters of your controller to obtain a quarter-amplitude decay
response.

22. Once your controller is tuned, use HV5 to create a perturbation and observe
the evolution of the system. Record and transfer the data to a computer. Plot
a graph of your results.

23. What should be the value of ܴ to obtain a flow rate measured by FIT1-B that
is 25% smaller than the flow rate measured by FIT1-A?

ܴ ൌ_________

24. Configure your controller to use the value of ܴ calculated at step 23.

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Conclusion

25. Create a perturbation in the set point using HV5. Observe the response
curve. Is your system still tuned? Briefly explain your answer.

26. If required, tune your system again.

27. Verify that:

ͳȂ ‘—–’—–
ൌ ͲǤ͹ͷ
ͳȂ ‘—–’—–

28. Now, configure your controller using ܴ =1.

29. Test your system with this value of ܴ. Can you obtain two equal flow
readings? Why?

30. Stop the system, turn off the power, and store the equipment.

CONCLUSION This exercise allowed you to experiment with the basics of ratio control. You
have learned how to configure your controller for ratio relay control and you have
observed the effect on the system of a change in the ratio constant.

REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Is ratio control closer to feedback control or to feedforward control? Why?

2. What is the aim of ratio control?

3. In the flow fraction controller method, what must be entered as the set point?

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Ex. 1-2 – Ratio Control  Review Questions

4. What is the main difference between the flow fraction ratio method and the
ratio relay method?

5. Is any value of ܴ acceptable for ratio relay control? Briefly explain your
answer.

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