THE PROCESS PLANT

PROCESS TANK AND SUMP TANK

The process control laboratory is composed of two major sections, the process tank and the sump tank.

  • The PROCESS TANK is designed for teaching the process control principles.

  • The SUMP TANK has pipelines for process water supply and for water draining out from the process tank.


INSTRUMENTATION

Components in the PROCESS TANK (pressurized vessel)

  • Level sensor and Metric scale for measuring the water level (cm or mm)

  • Float switch (to detect the level of water within the pressurized tank)

  • Heating element

  • Temperature sensor (PT100) and Thermometer for measuring the temperature inside the process tank (°C)

  • Pressure sensor and Pressure gauge for measuring the pressure (bar)

  • 4 types of Valves (3 manual and 1 controlled)

Components in the SUMP TANK (water tank)

  • Delivery valve (the main water supply valve)

  • Turbine Flow Meter (volumetric measuring turbine)

  • Motor pump with thermal protection

  • Visual Flow Meter (indicator for flow rate)

  • Manual valve (for reducing the water flow)

  • Motor valve (for controlling the water flow)


INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL SUMMARY


The CONTROL MODULES include interface signal conditioners for sensors, power drivers for actuators and basic control logic (that behave as either a regulating device or a state-oriented device):

INPUT

Level transducer

Flow transducer

Temperature transducer

Pressure transducer

CONTROLLERS

ON-OFF

ON-OFF with hysteresis

PID (P, P-I, P-D, P-I-D)

PLC Module

OUTPUT

Linear driver for PUMP

Driver for MOTOR VALVE

PWM driver for HEATER

ON-OFF driver for SOL VALVE

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SIGNAL, POWER AND CONTROL MODULES


  • The process plant has an associated panel that shows the entire process diagram using standard symbols. This is very useful for the students in understanding the basic concepts of process control.

  • The trainer is provided complete with a detailed educational manual. Following the experiments, the student will be guided step by step into learning how: to calibrate a sensor, to obtain the characteristic of a static process and time constant, to control a process by ON-OFF, Proportional, Proportional-Integral and Proportional-Integral-Derivative controllers.

  • The control panel is developed to give the possibility to be connected to a programmable logic controller (DL 2210B) or a personal computer with suitable interface module and software (DL 1893 and DL 2314SW).


WHAT DO STUDENTS LEARN IN PRACTICE

  • Sensors, transducers, signals

  • Instrumentation electrical connections

  • Calibration of sensors

  • Studying the dynamic characteristics of each process

  • Obtaining the characteristic of a static process and time constant

  • Control principles

  • Controlling processes with ON-OFF, P, PI, PID controllers

  • Using seal-in contacts in PLC programs

  • Using timers to control the PLC output

  • Controlling the output signal with periodic signals

  • Using counters to control the PLC output

  • Using multiple functions to change the system operation

  • Controlling processes through PLC PID Controller