Process Control & Instrumentation

BASIC CONCEPTS

MAPUA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

School of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry
 OUTLINE
• Process Control Definition & Objective
• 4 Basic Components in a Feedback Control
Loop
• Open & Closed Loop Systems
• Loop Components
 PROCESS CONTROL
• Definition
– the physical regulation of a
process to maintain a
particular process variable
as close as possible to a
desired value.
 IMPORTANT TERMS
• Controlled Variable (CV)
– the process variable being controlled.
– e.g., outlet temperature of a heat exchange
equipment, liquid level inside a drum, fluid flow rate
in a pipeline, pressure inside a process vessel
 IMPORTANT TERMS
• Set Point (SV)
– the desired value of the controlled variable.
– based on design operating conditions and/or product
specifications
– an external input to an automatic control loop
 IMPORTANT TERMS
• Process Variable (PV)
– the measured value of the controlled variable.
– feedback coming from a measuring element going to
the controller
– actual condition of the process
 IMPORTANT TERMS
• Manipulated Variable (MV)
– the process variable being adjusted by the controller
to maintain the controlled variable at the set point.
– often, not the same as the controlled variable
– almost always, fluid flow
 IMPORTANT TERMS
• Load Variable (Disturbance)
– any process variable that could cause a disturbance
in the process that is outside of the control of the
controller.
– another external input, aside from the set point, to an
automatic control loop
 4 BASIC COMPONENTS IN A
FEEDBACK CONTROL LOOP
Operator

Set Point (SV)

3. Controller

Process Variable (PV) Controller Output

2. Measuring Element 4. Final Control Element

Controlled Manipulated
Variable (CV) Variable (MV)

Load
1. Process
Refining Process (Plant)
Variable
 FEEDBACK CONTROL LOOP
• Open Loop • Closed Loop
– one of the component is – continuous flow of signal
disconnected from the around the loop
loop – there is instantaneous
– no instantaneous feedback from the
feedback from the process
process – controller is on automatic
– controller is on manual mode
mode
 OPEN LOOP
Operator

Controller Output

3. Controller (Manual Mode)

Process Variable (PV) Controller Output

4. Final Control Element

Controlled Manipulated
Variable (CV) Variable (MV)

Load
1. Process
Refining Process (Plant)
Variable
Previous
 CLOSED LOOP
Operator

Set Point (SV)

3. Controller

Process Variable (PV) Controller Output

2. Measuring Element 4. Final Control Element

Controlled Manipulated
Variable (CV) Variable (MV)

Load
1. Process
Refining Process (Plant)
Variable
Previous
 PROCESS
• the loop component being controlled
– may be mechanical, electrical, chemical, thermal,
hydraulic, or pneumatic
– follows the same laws of physics and dynamics
 MEASURING ELEMENT
• measures the actual value of the controlled
variable
– provides feedback about the actual condition of the
process to the controller
– consists of a Primary Element and a Transmitter
 FINAL CONTROL ELEMENT
• a device that serves as the handle in the
process for the controller to do the
necessary adjustment in the manipulated
variable (MV)
– e.g.,
pneumatic spring-diaphragm actuated control v
alve
, metering pump, compressor turbine
 Primary Element
• a device located in the process unit out in
the field that converts some intrinsic
property of the process into a measurable
signal.
– e.g., orifice, thermocouple
 Transmitter
• a device that converts the signal from the
primary element into a
standard instrument signal.
– e.g., temperature transmitter, DP transmitter
 Standard Instrument Signal
• Pneumatic System
– uses air signal for transmission
• Range: 3 - 15 psig
• Symbol:
• Electronic System
– uses current signal for transmission
• Range: 4 - 20 mA
• Symbol:
 Temperature Measurement
• Thermocouple
– based on Seebeck Effect: an emf is generated when
opposite junctions of certain dissimilar pairs of wires
are exposed to different temperatures.

ISA TYPE A (+) B (-) Span

E CHROMEL CONSTANTAN 0 – 1200 OF
J IRON CONSTANTAN 0 – 1200 OF
K CHROMEL ALUMEL 0 – 2000 OF
T COPPER CONSTANTAN 0 – 600 OF
CONS TA NTA N
THERMOCOUPLE
 Flow Measurement
• Orifice Plate - DP Transmitter
– based on Bernoulli’s relationship between pressure
and velocity
• increase in velocity is accompanied by a decrease in
pressure, as the static head is converted into velocity
head
• Actual Flow Reading = Square Root of the signal
from the DP Transmitter x Full-Scale Range of the
Flow Indicator
DP TRANSMITTER

ORIFICE PLATE
ORIFICE PLATE

FLANGE
 Pneumatic Control Valve
• can be classified
according to its fail-safe
position - the position
(either fully open or fully
close) of the valve if
instrument air supply fails or
is cut-off
FAIL-OPEN VALVE
•fully opens upon
instrument air supply
failure
•also called an air-to-close
valve
FAIL-CLOSE VALVE
•fully closes upon
instrument air supply
failure
•also called an air-to-open
valve
 CONTROLLER
• compares the measured value (PV) of the
controlled variable with the set point (SV)
and makes the necessary control
adjustment in case there is a deviation, or an
“ERROR” (e), between the two signals
– based on feedback mechanism
– can be DIRECT-ACTING or REVERSE-ACTING
 Direct-Acting Controller
• the sign of the controller output is the same
as the sign of the process variable.
– controller output tends to increase (+) when the
process variable is increasing.
– controller output tends to decrease (-) when the
process variable is decreasing.
 Reverse-Acting Controller
• the sign of the controller output is the
opposite of the sign of the process variable.
– controller output tends to increase (+) when the
process variable is decreasing.
– controller output tends to decrease (-) when the
process variable is increasing.
SINGLE-LOOP
CONTROLLER
DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEM