Instrumentation

Leo SaLemi
September 2008

What is it?
Definitions of Instrumentation from the Web: The use of rods, screws, plates, hooks, wires, bolts, etc. to correct and stabilize abnormalities of the spine. The art of composing, orchestrating, or arranging for an instrumental ensemble. An electrical or pneumatic device placed in the field to provide measurement and/or control capabilities for the system.

Objectives for this course

Learning the fundamentals of industrial instrumentation Terminology and Symbols Measuring Means
Pressure, Temperature, Level, Flow

Controlling Means
Simple Closed Loop Control PID Loop tuning

Resources
Text Book:
Industrial Control Electronics 3rd edition by Terry Bartelt, Published by Thompson (Delmar Learning) ISBN 1 4018 6292 6

ISA (Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society) The International Society for Automation - Setting the Standard for Automation
www.isatoronto.org

Other web links: see notes

Automation Technology
Instrumentation plays an important role in almost every aspect of Automation Technology.

Industrial Automation Manufacturing Automation Process Automation Building Automation

Everyone needs to measure and/or control something and thats what instrumentation is all about.

Measurement
Things that are measured include: Pressure, temperature, level, flow, humidity, speed, motion, position, weight, density, conductivity, pH, light, quality, quantity, and more. Devices that process or do the measuring are called: Sensors, transducers, transmitters, indicators, displays, recorders, data loggers, and data acquisition systems.

Controllers
These are the devices that do the controlling: Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) Programmable Automation Controllers (PAC) Distributed Control Systems (DCS) Proportional, Integral, Derivative (PID) Controllers Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Building Automation Controllers (BAC) Energy Management Systems (EMS)

Control Elements
These are the devices the controller operates:

Pneumatic valves, solenoid valves, rotary valves, motors, switches, relays, variable frequency drives.

Overview of Process Automation

The process is that portion of an automation operation which use energy measurable by some quality such as pressure, temperature, level, flow, (and many others) to produce changes in quality or quantity of some material or energy.
Input Energy or Material

PROCESS Some Quality or Quantity of the Material or Energy

Desired Result

Example of a Temperature Process

The objective of this process is to maintain a constant water bath temperature.
Water Bath Temperature

Heating Element

Temperature Process Terminology

This is a Temperature Process

The measuring means is the thermometer. (Temperature Indicator- TI)

The process temperature is maintained at a desired point (Set Point SP) Steam (Control Agent) is used to vary the temperature by opening and closing the control valve (Final Control Element)
Water Bath Temperature

Heating Element

Level Process
The control objective is to maintain a constant liquid level of oil inside the tank (e.g. 100 gallons +/- 20 gallons). The hand valve is opened and closed as required to maintain the desired tank level.

Oil Stock

Level Indicator

Oil Feed to next process

Terminology used to describe the process

PROCESS: Level CONTROLLED VARIABLE: Head pressure at bottom of tank CONTROL POINT: The level of oil in the tank (Set Point = 100 gallons) MEASURING MEANS: Level Indicator (Head Pressure) CONTROL AGENT: Volume of oil stock MANIPULATED VARIABLE: Flow rate of oil (gpm)

Oil Stock

Level Indicator

Oil Feed to next process

Basic Model of a Process

The process is maintained at the desired point (SP) by changing the FCE based on the value of the PV
Manipulated Variable PROCESS

Control Agent

FINAL CONTROL ELELMENT

(valve)

Controlled Variable (Temperature, pressure, level, flow)

Measuring Means

Desired Result

Actuating Input

pH, conductivity, humidity, density, consistency, etc.

(transmitter)

Process Variable (PV)

Process equilibrium (balance) is when the input energy maintains the output at a constant desired point.

Basic Model of a Process

The measuring means provides the standardized signal that represents the condition of the process, i.e. is the process at the desired point?
FINAL CONTROL ELELMENT
(valve) Manipulated Variable PROCESS

Controlled Variable (Temperature, pressure, level, flow)

Measuring Means

Control Agent

Desired Result

Actuating Input

pH, conductivity, humidity, density, consistency, etc.

(transmitter)

Process Variable (PV)

Measuring Means
Pressure Strain gauge Piezo-electric Capacitance Bourdon Tube
Transmitters

Pneumatic 3-15 PSI Electrical

Level

Flow

Mechanical Floats Guided Wave Weight (load cell) Ultrasonic Differential Pressure

Pressure Transmitter

Level Transmitter
Differential Pressure Cell Flow Transmitter

Current 4 20 mA 0 20 mA 10 50 mA Voltage
05V

Temperature pH Humidity Density Speed Thermocouples RTDs / Thermistors Filled Systems Bi-metallic Head meters (orifice, venturi) Coriolis, velocity, Mass,

Temperature Transmitter

15V 0 10 V Digital ON/OFF Field Bus ModBus ProfiBus HART

Open Loop Control

Open loop (or manual control) is used when very little change occurs in the Process Variable (PV)
Control Agent
FINAL CONTROL ELELMENT
(valve) Manipulated Variable PROCESS

Controlled Variable (Temperature, pressure, level, flow)

Measuring Means

Desired Result

Actuating Input

pH, conductivity, humidity, density, consistency, etc.

(transmitter)

Process Variable (PV)

Corrective action is provided by manual feedback

Closed Loop Control

Closed loop or feedback control provides a corrective action based on the deviation between the PV and the SP
FINAL CONTROL ELELMENT
(valve)

Manipulated Variable
PROCESS

Controlled Variable
(Temperature, pressure, level, flow)
pH, conductivity, humidity, density, consistency, etc.

Control Agent

Desired Result
Measuring Means

(transmitter)

Automatic

Manual

CONTROLLING MEANS Controller Output (3-15 psi, 4-20mA etc) SP Controller Input (PV) (3-15psi, 4-20mA etc)

Controlling Means
Controllers provide the required control action to position the FCE at a point necessary to maintain the PV at the desired SP. PID (single loop feedback controller) DCS (distributed controllers) PLC (programmable logic controllers)

Single Loop Feedback Control

The TT provides the signal (PV) that represents the condition of the process being controlled. The TIC compares the PV to the SP and opens and closes the FCE to maintain the process at equilibrium.
Temperature Controller and Recorder

1.
Temperature Transmitter

2.
3 1 4

3.
Sensing Bulb

4.

Measuring Means Controlling Means Final Control Element Temperature Process

Steam Pneumatic Control Valve

Heat Exchanger

Summary
Process automation makes use of instrumentation to maintain the process at some desired condition. Common instrumentation used in a process loop are the measuring means (usually transmitters), the controlling means (usually a PID controller), and the Final Control Element (usually some type of valve) The measuring means provides the feedback signal (PV) used in the process loop. The controlling means operates the FCE based on the difference between the PV and the SP. Process equilibrium is maintained when the difference between the PV and SP is zero or constant (offset?)

NEXT?
What are What is PID? transmitters? What are P&ID symbols? What types of FCE are there? What am I doing here?

What is a?
How do I tune a loop? Check out FIC TT What is Integral action? LRC PRV Should I use a 3-15 psi or 4-20 mA valve?

How do I measure?

Pressure Level Temperature Flow