Process Control in Biomanufacturing

Mary Jane Kurtz

&

George Taliadouros

Minuteman Regional High School

Bioman Conference July 2009

What is Process Control?• Use of instruments to carry out a process

• Input information : measured variables temperature, oxygen, pH

• Output directions: manipulated variables heat, pressure gauge, valve

Motion and Process Control

• Motion control – position or velocity• Process control – temperature, pressure,

flow, level, pH,humidity, chemical compounds

• Two types of control of either of these– Batch processing– Continuous processing

Driving a Car: An Everyday Example of Process Control

• Control Objective

• Measured variable

• Manipulated variable (or controlled variable)• Sensor

• Actuator

• Controller

• Disturbance

• Maintain car in lane

• Location on the road

• Steering of car

• Driver’s eyes

• Driver’s arms/steering wheel

• Driver

• Curve in the road

Open Loop Control

• Valve controls flow of water: Open Loop

Closed Loop Control

• Control Process : Closed Loop

Process Control Diagram

Error detector

Error signal controller

Controlleroutput signal

Actuator

Energy or Fuel

Manufacturingprocess

Controlled variable

Measured variable

Disturbances

Measurement devices

FeedbackSignal

Set Point +-

Importance of Process Control for the Bio-Process Industries

• Improved product quality

• Faster and less expensive process validation

• Increased production rates

Biomanufacturing Tanks

DO Control in a Bio-Reactor

Air

AC

Variable SpeedAir Compressor

AT

Setpoint

Controlling a Process• Using Robolab you will learn how to control a

process using a computer

• You will begin with a simple task : How to start and stop a fan

• How to control the variables in the process

• Finally, you will be create a program that will control a greenhouse

RBX Controls• Inputs are measured

variables seen as numbersTemperature sensor

Touch sensor

Light sensor

• Outputs are manipulated variables seen as lettersMotor

light

Time to Try it Out !!!

Go to Robo Lab station and try to make a fan