Automatic Process Control Overview
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ScribdTranslationsAutomatic Process Control Overview
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ScribdTranslationsPROCESS CONTROL I
INTRODUCTION:
The goal of automatic process control is to maintain at a certain
operation value of the process variables such as: temperatures,
pressures, flows and compounds.
HISTORICAL REVIEW:
The first known control systems, already in the
antiquity, they are mechanisms intended for flow control
to regulate a water clock or liquid level control
in an oil lamp or in a wine vessel, which is
remains full despite the many glasses that are taken out. From
Indeed, the control of fluid flow is reduced to the control of the
fluid level, since a small hole will produce flow
constant if the pressure is constant. The control mechanism
of liquid level invented in ancient times and still
used to control the level is the float valve, similar to
the water tank of a standard toilet. The float
it is made in such a way that, when the level drops, the flow
the deposit increases and when the level rises, the flow
decreases and, if necessary, is cut.
In most process plants, there are hundreds of variables that need to be
maintain at a certain value and with this correction procedure it
it would require a tremendous amount of workers, therefore, it would be preferable to carry out the
automatic control, that is, to have instruments that control the
variables without the need for the operator to intervene. This is what it means
automatic process control.
To achieve this objective, a control system must be designed and implemented.
The four basic components of any control system are:
1. Sensor, which is also known as primary element.
2. Transmitter, which is known as a secondary element.
3. Controller, which is the 'brain' of the control system.
4. Final control element, often it is a control valve.
although not always. Other commonly used final control elements are
the variable speed pumps, conveyors, and electric motors.
The importance of these components lies in the fact that they carry out various operations.
basic operations that must be present in every control system;
son
[Link] (M): the measurement of the variable being controlled is generally done
through the combination of sensor and transmitter.
2. Decision (D): based on the measurement, the controller decides what to do to
keep the variable at the desired value.
[Link] (A): as a result of the controller's decision, an action must be taken.
action in the system, this is usually performed by the final control element.
IMPORTANT TERMS AND OBJECTIVE OF
AUTOMATIC PROCESS CONTROL
controlled variable, this is the variable that must be maintained or controlled within a certain value
desired. In the previous example, the controlled variable is the output temperature of the process
T(t).
control point, the value that the controlled variable is desired to have
manipulated variable is the variable used to keep the controlled variable in the
control point (fixation point or regime); in the example of the graph the variable
manipulated is the steam flow.
Disturbance or disorder is defined as any variable that causes the variable of
control deviates from the checkpoint
Open circuit or open loop refers to the situation in which the controller is disconnected from the
system, that is, the controller does not perform any function related to how to maintain the variable
controlled at the checkpoint.
Closed circuit control refers to the situation in which the controller is connected to the
process; the controller compares the setpoint (the reference) with the controlled variable and
determine the corrective action.
The objective of the automatic process control system is to use the manipulated variable to
keep the controlled variable at the setpoint despite disturbances.
REGULATOR CONTROL AND
SERVO CONTROL
The regulatory control terminus is used to refer to the systems.
designed to compensate for disturbances. Sometimes the
the most important disturbance is the control point itself, this
yes, the checkpoint can change depending on time (the
what is typical of batch processes), and consequently, the
controlled variable must be adjusted to the control point
The term servo control refers to control systems that have
were designed for that purpose.
In the process industry, regulatory control is quite more
common than the servocontrol, however, the basic method for the
the design of either one is essentially the same and therefore
Thus, the principles outlined in this book apply to both.
cases.