The material is organized so that modern concepts are presented to the student but details of the most advanced material are left to later chapters. The text material has been developed, refined, and classroom tested over the last 10-15 years at the University of Wisconsin and more recently at the University of Delaware. As part of the course at Wisconsin, a laboratory has been developed to allow the students hands-on experience with measurement instruments, real time computers, and experimental process dynamics and control problems.

Ogunnaike and Ray covers subjects such as root locus methods, tunings using frequency methods, and digital control.

Dr. Ogunnaike is also an excellent lecturer, so if you would like to take the course directly from him enroll at the University of Delaware - its well worth it.

I also recommend Essentials of Process Control by William Luyben to provide a good qualitative background in process control.


A practical introduction to process control   May 27, 1999
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

This book provides an excellent, practical introduction to process control from the view of Chemical Engineers.

The book begins by considering the development of dynamic process models. It covers practical questions such as which state variable (eg. height) should be controlled by which manipulated variable (eg. flowrate) by discussing the physical behaviour of the system, rather than the approach commonly used by control engineers of an electronics background.

The advantage of the book is that it then goes on to discuss tools such as Nyquist diagrams and Bode plots, and how they can be used to characterise a system's behaviour, in a simple and clear manner. It then addresses essential issues such as controller tuning.

Finally, the book briefly introduces advanced control topics, such as Kalman filters and Model based control, in simple terms which would give an interested reader a running start into these fields.

My only regret is that I have lost my personal copy!