01.

Introduction to Process Instrumentation and Control

Mohammad Nasim Ul Gani

Deputy Chief Engr. (Elect.)
ICE Department
PROCESS PARAMETERS
The physical variables which is measured and sometime controlled are known as process
parameters.
► Pressure, level, flow, temperature are the main process parameters measured in the industry
► pH, conductivity, humidity, density, turbidity, vibration, CO, CO 2, O2, H2 are also measured

INSTRUMENTS
Instrument: A device used directly or indirectly to measure or control a variable or both.
Instrumentation: When a machine or a process is furnished with instruments for measurement
and control is called instrumentation. In fact, instrumentation is the application of instruments.

Types of Industrial Instruments

► Measuring Instruments.
(Example Temperature indicator, Pressure gauge, Temperature recorder, Flow counter etc.)
- Measuring instruments with indicating system
- Measuring instruments with transmitting system
- Measuring instruments with recording system
- Measuring instruments with counting system
► Controlling instruments Example: Controller
► Safety & interlock instruments

Classification of Industrial Instruments on the basis of driving power

- Electronic instrument (uses electricity)
- Pneumatic instrument (uses pressurized air)

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Instrumentation & Control Engineering Department, TICI, Polash, Narsingdi-1611
Process Control
Keeping the process parameters or physical variables or process variables constant as per desired
value is called process parameter control. This is generally done by measuring the instantaneous
value of physical variable, comparing it with the desired value and using the difference to make a
correction, which reduces this difference.
Control Technology: The knowledge, way and system of controlling the parameters of a
process is called control technology and by control technology we mean that the process would
be controlled automatically or semi-automatically.
Types of Control
▪ Manual control- When the corrective action is carried out by the operator to operate the
process to a desired condition, then it is manual control.
▪ Automatic control: When the corrective action is carried out by the instruments, then it is
automatic control.

CONTROL LOOP
An arrangement of instruments connected together to control a physical variable or process
parameter to the desired value is called a control loop.

Elements of Control Loop

▪ Process; a variable of which has to be controlled
▪ Sensing / measuring system; measures the physical variable
▪ Transmitter; transmits measured signal to the controller
▪ Controller; generates control command according to the desired value
▪ Final Control Element; Carries out the control command

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Instrumentation & Control Engineering Department, TICI, Polash, Narsingdi-1611
Sensors: A device which provides a usable output in response to a specified measurand. A
sensor acquires a physical parameter and converts it into a signal suitable for processing (e.g.
optical, electrical, mechanical). Various types of sensors are used for industrial automation.
Some sensor for industrial automation are
1. Flow sensor
2. Level sensor (Ultrasonic level sensor)
3. Pressure Sensor
4. Temperature sensor (RTD, Thermocouple etc)
5. Proximity Sensor/Switch (Inductive, Capacitive, IR type proximity sensor)
6. Speed (Tacho generator, Encoder etc)
Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD):
RTD is a temperature measuring sensor. The change of resistance of a material with temperature
can be used to measure temperature over a very wide range. Material commonly used is nickel
and platinum. Pt-100 is commonly used as RTD. Here Pt-100 means the resistance of Pt is 100
at 0° C. The range for RTD is -200 to 850 deg. Centigrade.

Fig 6: 3 –wire RTD Working principle

Thermocouples: A thermocouple consists of two dissimilar metals or metallic alloys joined at a

point. An emf is generated due to the change in temperature and it is a measure of temperature
used in circuits.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Instrumentation & Control Engineering Department, TICI, Polash, Narsingdi-1611
Transmitter
Transmitters are the instruments those are used to transfer measurement data rapidly and
accurately from the measurement point to the central control room in the industry. The receiver
receives the measurement variables and display that measurement variables. Transmitters are two
types depending on power

1. Pneumatic Transmitter
2. Electronic Transmitter (SMART)

CONTROLLER
Controller is an instrument that receives input signal from the transducer or transmitter as
measured value (MV), compares this measured value with the desired value (SV) and produces
an output signal for the correcting element / control value.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Instrumentation & Control Engineering Department, TICI, Polash, Narsingdi-1611
 Types of Controller: Controller can be classified in many different ways.

On the basis of driving power

a) Pneumatic controller
b) Electronic controller
On the basis of working principle
(a) On-Off controller
(b) Proportional controller
(c) Proportional plus Integral (PI) controller
(d) Proportional plus Derivative (PD) controller
(e) Proportional plus Integral plus Derivative (PID) controller

Corrective Elements:
Control Valve
A valve with a pneumatic, hydraulic, electric or other externally powered actuator that
automatically opens or closes the valve fully or partially by signals received from controlling
instruments is called control valve.
Functions of control valve: Control valve controls fluid flow to control other process parameter
such as pressure, temperature, level, flow etc. A control valve functions as variable resistance in
a pipeline. Control valve directly controls the fluid flow and because of that it is called final
control element.

Fig 9: Control valve

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Instrumentation & Control Engineering Department, TICI, Polash, Narsingdi-1611
Different Parts of a Pneumatic Control Valve:
The main parts of a pneumatic control valve are the followings:
 Valve actuator
 Bonnet
 Valve body

DIFFERENT METHOD OF CONTROL TECHNIQUE

Conventional Control System:
In this system the control components such as Relay, Timer, Counter, various control switches
etc. are permanently connected with each other according to the requirement of the process.
For continuous control of the process parameters different instruments such as measuring,
indicating, transmitting, controlling instruments are physically connected with each other to
control the process.

On the other hand, ON-OFF control, sequential logic operation, process operation and safety
may be done by permanently connecting the electrical/electronic/pneumatic/hydraulic relays,
timers, counters, switches and actuators.
PLC (or DCS) based Computerized Control System:
PLC (or DCS) and Computer together are often used in sequential logic operation of the
process Except field connections, the instruments and logic connections can be done by
software program.
For continuous control of the process, advanced Programmable Logic Controller (PLC),
Distributed Control System (DCS), etc. are used.
On the other hand, automation, sequential logic operation and safety of the process can be
done by normal Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).

Signal used in instrumentation & control

Analog Signal:
Many measurable quantities are analog in nature such as pressure, temperature, level, flow,
speed etc. An analog quantity is one that has continuous values
Analog signals available in the form of pneumatic pressure, voltage, current, resistance etc.

Pneumatic Signal: 6/4 mm Copper, Stainless Steel, Vinyl or Poly-vinyl tubes are used for
pneumatic signal transmission. This type of transmission is not suitable for long distance. 0.2 to
01 bar is one example of standard Pneumatic Signal.

Digital Signal
ON-OFF, pulse are the common example of digital signal.

Voltage signal: Many instrument,( for example thermocouple) uses this type of signal.

Current signal: Some instrument,( for example electronic controller) uses this type of signal. 4
to 20 mA is one example of standard current Signal.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Instrumentation & Control Engineering Department, TICI, Polash, Narsingdi-1611