INSTRUMENTATION BASIC

 INTRODUCTION :

It is the branch of engineering which deals with the measurement, monitoring, display etc. of the various of energy exchanges which take place during process operations. "In short Instrumentation is the study of Instrument."

INSTRUMENT :

Instrument is a devices which is used to measure, monitor, display etc. of a process variable.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Que. :  What are the process Variable ?

Ans. :   The process Variable are :

1. Flow

2. Pressure

3. Temperature

4. Level

5. Quality i. e. % D2, CO2, pH etc.

Que. :  Define all the process Variable and state their unit of measurement. ?

Ans. :   FLOW : Kg / hr, Litter / min, Gallon / min. M3 / NM3 / HR. ( GASES )

            PRESSURE : Force acting per unit Area. P = F/A

                               Units : Bar / Pascal / Kg / CM /, Pounds

LEVEL : Different between two heights.

            Units : Meters, mm, cm, %.

TEMPERATURE : It is the degree of hotness or coldness of a body.

                         Units : Degree Centigrade, Degree Fahrenheit, Degree Kelvin, Degree Rankine.

QUALITY : It deals with analysis

                 pH, % CO2, % 02, Conductivity, Viscosity.

D E F I N A T I O N.

DEAD ZERO SIGNAL :

The advantage is that it does not have to be biased to true zero. A "Live zero" gives the computer additional information, so that it can takes appropriate alarm action in case of a measurement failure, because it can discriminate between a transmitter operating, but transmitting a zero measurement and a failure, in the signal system.

Que. :  What is force balance and motions balance principle ?

Ans. : 

FORCE BALANCE PRINCIPLE :

"A controller which generates and output signal by opposing torque’s".

The input force is applied on the input bellows which novas the beam. This crackles nozzle back pressure. The nozzle back pressure is sensed by the balancing bellows which brings the beam to balance. The baffle movement is very less about 0.002" for full scale output.

MOTION BALANCE PRINCIPLE :

"A controller which generates an output signal by motion of its parts".

The increase in input signal will cause the baffle to move towards the nozzle. The nozzle back pressure will increase. This increase in back pressure acting on the balancing bellows, will expands the bellows, there by moving the nozzle upward. The nozzle will move untill motion (almost) equals the input (baffle) motion.

Advantages of force Balance :

1. Moving parts are fever.

2. Baffle movement is negligible.

3. Frictional losses are less.

AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER :

It is a device which measured the value of variable quantity or condition and operates to correct or lie it deviation of this measured value from a selected reference.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM :

It is any operable arrangement of one or more automatic controllers in closed loops with one or more processes.

SELF OPERATED CONTROLLER :

It is one in which all the energy needed to operate the final control element is derived from the controlled medium through the primary element.

RELAY OPERATED CONTROLLER :

It is one in which the energy transmitted through the primary element is either supplemented or amplified for operating the final control element by employing energy from another sources.

PROCESS :

A process comprises the collective function performed in and by the equipment in which a variable is to be controlled.

SELF REGULATION :

It is an inherent characteristic of the process which aids in limiting the deviation of the controlled variable.

CONTROLLED VARIABLE :

The controlled variable is that quantity and condition which is measured and controlled.

CONTROLLED MIDIUM :

It is that process energy or material in which a variable is controlled. The controlled variable is a condition or characteristic of the controlled medium. For e.g. where temperature of water in a tank is automatically controlled, the controlled variable is temperature and controlled medium is water.

MANIPULATED VARIABLE :

It is that quantity or condition which is varied by the automatic controller so as to affect the value of the controlled variable.

CONTROL AGENT :

It is that process energy or material of which the manipulated variation is a condition or characteristic. The manipulated variable is a condition or characteristic of the control agent. For e.g. when a final control element changes the fuel gas flow to burner the manipulated variable is flow the control agent is fuel gas.

ACTUATING SIGNAL :

The actuating signal is the difference at anytime between the reference input and a signal related to the controlled variable. This basically known as error signal.

DEVIATION :It is the difference between the actual value of the controlled variable and the value of the controlled variable corresponding with set point.

OFFSET :

It is the steady state difference between the control point and the value of the controlled variable corresponding with setpoint

CORRECTIVE ACTION :

It is the variation of the manipulated variable produced by the controlling means. The controlling means operates the final control element ( control value ) which in turn varies the manipulated variable.

REFERENCE INPUT :

It is the reference signal in an automatic controller.

SET POINT :

It is the position to which the control point setting mechanism is set.

CONTROL POINT :

It is the value of the controlled variable which under any fixed set of conditions the automatic controller operates to maintain.

D E F I N A T I O N.

ACCURACY :

A number or quantity which defines the limit of error under reference conditions.

ATTENUATION :

A decrease in signal magnitude between two points, or between two frequencies.

DEAD TIME :

The interval of time between initiation of an impact change or stimulus and the start of the resulting response.

DRIFT :

As undesired change in output over a period of time, which change is unrelated to input, operating conditions, or load.

ERROR :

The difference between the indication and the true value of the measured signal.

SPAN ERROR :

It is the difference between the actual span and the specified span and is expressed as the percent of specified span.

ZERO ERROR :

It is the error of device operating under the specified conditions of use when the input is at the lower range value.

STATIC GAIN :

It is the ratio of the output change to an input been change after the steady state has been reached.

HYSTERESIS :

The maximum difference between the upscale and downscale indications of the measured signal during a full range traverse for the same input.

INTERFERENCE :

Interference is any spurious voltage or current arising from external sources and appearing in the circuits of a device.

COMMON MODE INTERFERENCE :

It is the form of interference which appears between the measuring circuit terminals and ground.

NORMAL MODE INTERFERENCE :

It is the form of interference which appears between measuring circuit terminals.

LINEARITY :

The closeness to which a curve approximate a straight line.

RANGE :

The region between the limits within which a quantity is measured received or transmitted, expressed by stating the lower and upper range values.

REPEATABILITY :

The closeness of agreement among a number of consecutive measurements of the output for the same value of the measured signal under the same operating conditions.

REPRODUCIBILITY :

The closeness of agreement among repeated measurements of the output for the same value of the input made under the same operating conditions.

RESPONSE :

It is the general behavior of the output of a device as a function of input both with respect to time.

SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO :

Ratio of signal amplitude to noise.

TIME CONSTANT :

The time required for the output to complete 63.2 % of the total rise or decay.

SPAN :

The algebraic difference between upper and lower range values.

ZERO SHIFT :

Any parallel shift of the input output curve.