Automation in Environmental

Engineering
dr in!. Patryk Wjtowicz
Automation - definition
Automation is the use of control systems,
equipment and information
technologies to reduce the need for human
participation in controlling processes
Automation - definition
Automation - 1. The implementation of
processes by automatic means. 2. The
theory, art, or technique of making a
process more automatic. 3. The
investigation, design, development, and
application of methods for rendering
processes automatic, self-moving, or self-
controlling. 4. The conversion of a
procedure, a process, or equipment to
automatic operation
Some more definitions
Automatic control - The type of control in
which there is no direct human action on
the controlling device
Automate - To convert a procedure, a
process, or equipment into an automatic
operation
and more definitions...
Automatic - 1. Self-acting or operating by
its own mechanism when actuated by
some impersonal influence, as, for
example, a change in current strength,
pressure, temperature, or mechanical
configuration 2. A machine that operates
automatically. 3. Functioning without
intervention by a human operator under
specified conditions, as of a process or
device
and more definitions... contd
Regulation - The control of flow or of some other process
variable
Control - 1. One or more of the components in any mechanism
that is responsible for interpreting and carrying out manually
initiated directions. 2. In some applications, a mathematical
check. 3. Instructions that determine conditional jumps often
are referred to as "control instructions," and the time
sequence of the execution of these instructions is called the
"flow of control." 4. Any manual or automatic device for
regulating a machine to keep it at normal operation. If
automatic, the device is motivated by variations in
temperature, pressure, water level, time, light, or other
influences. 5. Maintaining a desired set point of steam
temperature during operation

(The Automation, Systems, and Instrumentation Dictionary. 4
th
ed. ISA 2005
Control systems
Control system - a device or set of devices
to manage, command, direct or regulate
the behavior of other devices or systems
There are two common classes of control
systems, with many variations and
combinations: logic (sequential controls),
and feedback (linear controls) and fuzzy
logic
Logic control
Logic controllers may respond to
switches, light sensors, pressure switches
etc. and can cause the equipment to start
and stop various operations.
In logic control systems we
use programmable logic controllers (PLC)
or microcontrollers
Onoff feedback control
Onoff controller (a bangbang controller),
also known as a hysteresis controller, is a
feedback controller that switches only
between two states (e.g. on and off)
Typical examples are thermostat and air
compressor
In thermostat we have negative-
feedback control: when the temperature goes
below a set point, the heater is switched on
In air compressor when the pressure drops
below the certain threshold, the pump is
powered on
Positive and negative feedback
Negative feedback - Returning part of an
output signal and using it to reduce the
value of an input signal
Positive feedback - a closed loop in which
any change is reinforced until a limit is
eventually reached. (e.g. signal
amplification)
Linear control
Linear control systems
use linear negative feedback to produce a
control signal mathematically based on other
variables, in order to maintain the controlled
process within an acceptable or desired
operating range
The output from a linear control system into
the controlled process may be in the form of
a directly variable signal, such as a valve
open may vary between 0 and 100% or turn it
on or off (pulse-width modulation)
Fuzzy logic
Fuzzy logic combines easy design of logic
controllers while still controlling
continuously-varying systems
Fuzzy logic is a reasoning approach and
computing method that is used to model
linguistic expressions (such as "somewhat
more than") that have nonbinary truth values
Basically, a measurement in a fuzzy logic
system can be partly true, that is if yes is 1
and no is 0, a fuzzy measurement can be
between 0 and 1.
Piping and instrumentation diagrams
Piping and instrumentation (PI) diagrams
are of fundamental importance in process
automation
P&I diagrams depict, from a process point
of view, measurements and control
schemes in relation to items of plant and
their interconnecting pipework. They are
represented by means of symbols and tag
numbers.
Symbols
Symbols are used to represent individual
elements such as sensors and valves, or
combinations of elements such as
measurement channels or control loops.
Symbols are linked together by signal
lines.
Tag numbers are written inside circles,
referred to as bubbles or balloons.
Letter codes and reference numbers
Letter codes indicate the function of the
elements and are generic.
Reference numbers are specific to
particular elements and are used for
identification purposes.
Simple P&I diagram of flow control loop
Note that the elements of the loop are shown in their correct positions in a
functional sense, i.e. the control valve is downstream of the pump and the
flow measurement is between the valve and the pump. However, the
symbols do not necessarily indicate their relative positions in a physical
sense, e.g. the flow measurement and valve could be a long way from the
pump.
Arrows are normally put on the signals to indicate the direction of flow of
information. They may be omitted in obvious and simple diagrams
Graphical representation of signal types
Detailed P&I diagram of flow control loop
sight-glass
orifice control
valve
Detailed P&I diagram of flow control loop
The pressure drop across the orifice plate is measured using a
!p cell FT 47 which transmits the flowrate as an electrical
signal to the totaliser FQR 47, the low level switch FSL 47 and
the controller FIC 47.
If the flow drops below some pre-set lower limit the flow
switch FSL 47 will activate a low level alarm FAL 47.
FV 47 is a pneumatically actuated diaphragm type of
regulatory valve. It has a positioner attached, as indicated by
the box on the stem of the valve symbol
Bubbles
Information about the location of an element is
indicated by the presence or otherwise of a line
through its bubble.
No line means that the element is field mounted,
i.e. it is installed on or adjacent to a pipe, vessel
or some other item of plant.
Bubbles
A single line through the bubble, as with FAL
47 and FIC 47, means that the element is
located in a central control room.
A double line, as with FQR 47, means that it
is panel mounted elsewhere, say on a field
termination cabinet.
Tags
There are several national standards which
relate to the representation of
instrumentation and control schemes. The
most important English language ones are BS
1646 and ISA S5.1 (ISA - The Instrumentation,
Systems, and Automation Society)
Recommended and commonly used in
practice is notation according to ISA standard
Note that the basic symbols and letter code
structure are essentially the same for all
standards
Letter codes
Letter codes are configured according to
function.
The first letter corresponds to the measured
variable and, if necessary, may be qualified
by a modifier.
Succeeding letters describe an elements
readout or control functions; these may
themselves have modifiers.
The first letter of all elements within a loop
is that of the measured variable (i.e. F for
Flow).
ISA letter codes for tag numbers
If a loop contains two or more elements with the same
function they may be distinguished by means of
suffixes (e.g. A , B ...)
Sometimes the letter code is insufficient to give an
adequate description of the function of an element.
Additional information may be provided, either in a
box attached to its bubble or as adjacent text.
For example, FT 47 has a square root function to
compensate for the square relationship inherent in the
flow measurement by the orifice plate. The total flow
computed by FQR 47 is obtained by means of an
integral function
Additional functions for use with tag
numbers
Function designation
Function designation
Decoding letter codes in diagrams
Example:
FQR 47




Numbering of elements is in accordance with
some plant based convention. There are two
approaches, serial and parallel, of which
serial is the most common

Measured or Initiating Variable:
F - Flow
Modifier:
Q Totalizer, (integrate)
Readout or Passive Function:
R Record
Serial vs parallel numbering
In serial numbering each channel, loop or
scheme has assigned a unique number
In parallel numbering convention, blocks
of numbers are allocated according to
instrument type or function, depending on
its letter code. This results in similar
elements in different loops having
contiguous numbers
Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
A solid line across the symbol means that the function has a
shared, screen based display: the absence of a line means that
the function is inaccessible to the operator.
Visible (on screen
display)
Distributed Control Systems (DCS)
A solid line across the symbol means that
the function has a shared, screen based
display: the absence of a line means that
the function is inaccessible to the
operator.
Block diagrams
Block diagram depicts the structure of a
system and shows the functional
relationship between its various elements
Symbols and notation used in block
diagrams
Block relate to the elements and
represent functions (combinations of
conversion or scaling, factors and
dynamics)
Lines between the blocks represent signals
Arrows indicates direction of flow of
information
Addition or subtraction of signals is
represented by circles with signs (no sign =
+)
Block diagrams
Typical feedback control system (level
control system)
The general layout of the block diagram
By convention the controlled variable
comes out on the right hand side and
external inputs are normally shown
entering from the left
Signals are represented by single arrows
(e.g. they can be physically two or more
wires of electrical wiring)
The size of the blocks in diagrams doesnt
relate to the physical size of the elements
Block diagram of level control system
Block diagram of level control system
h
r
- Reference (set point) (SP)
e Error or deviation (E)
u Controller output (output signal) (OP)
f
0
- Manipulated variable (MV)
f
1
Disturbance variable (DV)
h Controlled (process) variable (CV or PV)
h
m
Measured variable (input signal) (IP)

Block diagram of level control system
The controlled variable (level h) is measured and fed
back to the controller where it is compared with the
reference signal h
r
(set point), to produce the error
signal e (deviation from set point)
The controller produces an output u (as a function of
error) which manipulate valve opening and the outlet
flow f
0

The resultant level in the tank (h) depends upon the
combined effect of its outlet flow and any
disturbances in its inlet flow f
1
.
Comprehensive block diagram of level
control system
Sub-systems
The control, manipulation and plant sub-
systems are often referred to as the
feedforward path, and the measurement
sub-system is referred to as the feedback
path
Process and load - definition
Process is defined to be the way in which the
manipulated variable (MV) affects the controlled
variable (CV)
Load is defined as the relationship between a
disturbance (DV) and the controlled variable
(CV).
There may be various sources of disturbance there
may be several different loads
According to the principle of superposition, the
net change in controlled variable is the sum of the
individual effects of the process on the
manipulated variable and the loads on the
disturbance variables.
Modes of operation
Most controllers have an auto and manual
modes
In automatic the controller output varies
according to how the PID handles the error
In manual mode the output is not related
to the error and can be adjusted by hand
to any desired value
PID
PID controller - ProportionalIntegral
Derivative controller is a generic control
loop feedback mechanism (controller)
PID controller calculates an "error" (E -
deviation) value as the difference between
a measured process variable and a
desired setpoint (SP)
The controller attempts to minimize the
error by adjusting the process control
inputs
Open vs closed control loops
The operation of a control loop may be
described as being either closed or open
Closed loop - all the elements of a loop
are functioning interconnected and the
controller is in auto such that automatic
control occurs
When a controller is switched into manual
the loop is opened