INSTRUMENTATION & PROCESS CONTROL INTRODUCTION TO INSTRUMENTATION Instrumentation is carried out to monitor the key process variables during

plant operation. And instruments may be incorporated in automatic control loops or used for the manual monitoring of the process operation. They may also be and automatic computer data logging system. Instruments monitoring critical process variables will be fitted with automatic alarms to alert the operators to critical and hazardous situations. Process Control Objectives The primary objective of the designer when specifying instrumentation and control schemes are: To keep the process variables within known safe operating limits. To detect dangerous situations as they develop and to provide alarms and automatic shut-down system. To provide interlocks and alarms to prevent dangerous operating procedures. Production rate : To achieve the desired output of the product. Product quality : To maintain the product composition within the specified quality standards. Cost: To operate at the lowest production cost, commerce with the other objectives. In a typical chemical processing plant these objectives are achieved by a combination of automatic control, manual monitoring and laboratory analysis.

ELEMENTS OF CONTROL SYSTEM In almost every control configuration, we can distinguish the following hardware elements. 1. The chemical process 2. Measuring element or sensors 3. Transducers 4. Transmission lines 5. Controllers 6. The final control element The Chemical Process: It represents the material equipment together with physical or chemical operation that occurs. In this discussion, the process is fermentation. The Measuring instruments or the Sensors: Such instruments are used to measure the disturbances, the controlled output variables, or the necessary secondary output variables and are the main sources of information about what is going on in the process. The measuring means depend upon the types of variable, which is to be measured, and these variables must be recorded also. Following are some typical sensors, which are used for different variables measurements. Pressure sensors Temperature sensors Flow rate sensors Level sensors Characteristics example of these types of sensors is as follows. Thermocouples or resistance thermometers for measuring the temperature, also used for severe purpose some radiation detectors may also be used. Venturi meters also flow nozzles for flow measurements. Gas chromatograph for measuring the composition of the stream.

A good device for the measurement depends upon the environment in which it is to be used. Like a thermometer, it is not a good measuring device, as its signal is not rapidly transmitted. So signal transmission is very important in selecting the measuring device. So the measuring device must be rugged and reliable for an industrial environment. Transducers Many measurements can not be used for control until they are converted to physical quantities such as electric voltage and current a pneumatic signal. For example, stream gauges are metallic conductors whose resistance changes when mechanical strain is imposed on it. Thus they can be used to convert a mechanical signal to electric one. Transmission Lines: These are used to carry measurements signal from measuring device to the controller. In the past, mostly transmission lines were pneumatic nature that they are using the compressed air or liquid to transmit the signal but with the automation of industry and advent of electronic controllers, electric lines have over-ruled the pneumatic operations. Many times the measurements coming from a device are very weak and these must be amplified to get the things right. So it is very often to find amplifies in the transmission lines to the controller. For example the output of a thermocouple is only a few milli-volts so they must be amplified to few volts to get the controller. Controller: This is the hardware element that has intelligence. It receives the information from the measuring device and decides what action must be carried out. The older controllers were of limited intelligence, could perform very limited and simple operations and could implement very simple control laws. The use of digital computers in this field has increased the use of complicated control laws. The Final Control Element : This is the hardware element that implements the decision taken by the controller. For example, if the controller decides that flow rate of the outlet stream should be increased or decreased in order to keep the level of the liquid in a tank then the final control element which is a control valve in this case implements the decision by slightly opening or closing the valve.

MODES OF CONTROL There are various modes in which the process can be controlled. The different modes depend upon the types of controllers and the action it takes to control any process variable. Actually the controller action is dependent on the output signal of the transmitter (sensor with transducer). This signal is compared with the set point to the controller and the error between these two is used to control the process. Different controllers react in different manner to control this off-set between the controlled variable and the set point. On the prescribed basis, following are the different types of control actions. On-off control Proportional control Integral control Rate or derivative control Composite control Also there are combined control actions of different types of controllers. Actually in different operations, it is very rare that only one of the above control actions is found but a composite control action is the more often practice. Following are typical composite control modes, which are usually used (37). Integral-Integral controller (PI-controller) Proportional-Derivative controller (PD-controller) Proportional-Integral-Derivative controller (PID-controller). CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTROLLER In general the process controllers can be classified as Pneumatic controllers Electronic controllers Hydraulic controllers While dealing with the gases, the controller and the final control element may be pneumatically operated due to the following reasons. 1. The pneumatic controller is very rugged and almost free of maintenance. The maintenance men have not had sufficient training and background in electronics, so pneumatic equipment is simple. 2. Pneumatic controller appears to be safer in a potentially explosive atmosphere which is often present in the industry.

3. Transmissions distances are short pneumatic and electronic transmissions system are generally equal up to about 200 to 300 feet. Above this distance electronic system beings to offer savings. SELECTION OF CONTROLLER Actually in industry, only P, PI and PID control modes are the usual practice. The selection of most appropriate type of controller for any particular environment is a very systematic procedure. There are many ways and means that how a particular type of system may be controlled through which type of controller. Usually type of controller is selected using only quantitative considerations stemming from the analysis of the system and ending at the properties of that particular controller and the control objective. Proportional, Integral and Derivative control modes also affect the response of the system. Following is the summarized criterion to select the appropriate controller for any process depending upon the detailed study of the controller and control variable along with process severity. 1. If possible, use a simple proportional controller: Simple P-controller can be used if we can achieve acceptable off-set with not too high values of gain. So for gas pressure and liquid level control, usually a simple proportional controller may be used. 2. If a simple P-controller is not acceptable, use PI-controller: A steady-stat error always remains for proportional controller so in systems where this off-set is to be minimized, a PI-controller is incorporated. So in flow control applications, usually PI-controller is found. 3. Use a PID-controller to increase the speed of the closed loop response and retain robustness: The anticipatory characteristic of the derivative control enables to use somewhat higher values of proportional gains so that off-set is minimized with lesser deviations and good response of the system. Also it adds the stability to the system. So this type of control is used for sluggish multi-capacity processes like to control temperature and composition. In short best controller is selected on following basis; 1. Severity of process 2. Accuracy required 3. Cost CONTROL LOOPS

For instrumentation and control of different sections and equipments of plants, following control loops are most often used. 1. Feed backward control loop 2. Feed forward control loop 3. Ratio control loop 4. Auctioneering control loop 5. Split range control loop 6. Cascade control loop Feed Back Control Loop: A method of control in which a measured value of a process variable is compared with the desired value of the process variable and any necessary action is taken. Feed back control is considered as the basic control loops system. Its disadvantage lies in its operational procedure. For example if a certain quantity is entering in a process, then a monitor will be there at the process to note its value. Any changes from the set point will be sent to the final control element through the controller so that to adjust the incoming quantity according to desired value (set point). But in fact change has already occurred and only corrective action can be taken while using feed back-control system. Feed Forward Control Loop: A method of control in which the value of a disturbance is measured, and action is taken to prevent the disturbance by changing the value of a process variable This is a control method designed to prevent errors from occurring in a process variable. This control system is better than feed back control because it anticipates the change in the process variable before it enters the process takes the preventive action. While in feed back enter system action is taken after the chance has occurred. Ratio Control : A control loop in which, the controlling element maintains a predetermined ratio of one variable to another. Usually this control loop is attached to such as system where two different streams enter a vessel for reaction that may be of any kind. To maintain the stoichiometic quantities of different streams this loop is used so that to ensure proper process going on in the process vessel.

Auctioneering Control Loop This type of control loop is normally used for a huge vessel where, readings of a single variable may be different at different locations. This type of control loop ensures safe operation because it employs all the readings of different locations simultaneously, and compares them with the set point, if any of those readings is deviating from the set point then the controller sends appropriate signal to final control element. Split Range Loops : In this loop controller is per set with different values corresponding to different action to be take at different conditions. The advantage of this loop is to maintain the proper conditions and avoid abnormalities at very differential levels . Cascade Control Loop This is a control in which two or more control loops are arranged so that the output of, one controlling element adjusts the set point of another controlling element. This control loop is used where proper and quick control is difficult by simple feed forward or feed backward control. Normally first loop is a feed back control loop. We have selected a cascade control loop for our heat exchanger in order to get quick on proper control. CONTROL LOOP FOR REACTOR : In the reactor it is very important to control the temperature of the column. Because with the rise in temperature in the column may be desired reaction cannot be obtained. So using of the temperature control in the rector can solve this problem .In the column the temperature is controlled by the steam entering in the column. The control loop used for slurry bubble column may be Cascade Control System Auctionary Control System

Vapours

TT Water Out

TC

TT

TC

Syn Gas

Cooling Water

CONTROL LOOP FOR CONDENSER: The control loop used for condenser may be Feed Forward Control l Loop Feed Backward Control Loop The controlling parameter for condenser is temperature and for this purpose we use feed backward control loop in which disturbance is passed through the system and compare with the set point and the valve of cold water is controlled accordingly.

Water

SP TC

TT Vapors Condenser

Liquids

CONTROL LOOP FOR COMPRESSOR: The compressor is use to obtain the require pressure for the column so pressure controller is used to check the pressure of the stream. The controlling parameter for compressor is pressure and for this purpose we use feed backward control loop in which disturbance is passed through the system and compare with the set point and the valve controlled accordingly.
PC

PT

Compressor

CONTROL LOOP FOR GRAVITY SETTLER: The gravity settler works on the principle of gravity and get separated on their density difference.