Instrumentation and Control

Student Notes

Note
This document contains the important points discussed in the pre-recorded courseware. It will help in revising the
important concepts related to Instrumentation and Control course.

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 Instrumentation and Control

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MODULE 11 - COMPUTER-BASED CONTROLLER

This module provides overview of modern implementation of control systems using
computers.
Focus Topic
 Digital Applications
 Computer Based Controller
 Other Computer Applications
1. Introduction-Nearly all modern control system implementations are carried out
using computers.
The computer inputs measurement data, determines the error, solves the controller
mode equations to determine the feedback, and transmits this feedback to the final
control element. Modern computing has the ability to exchange information between
computers over networks: local-area networks (LAN), wide-area networks (WAN), and
a worldwide network (www).
2. Digital Applications-Basic digital electronics can provide the needed action. Two
Digital Applications:
i) Alarms -An alarm is defined as an on/off condition wherein a warning is issued
when some process variable passes a critical value.
ii) Two Position Control – Two position control can be developed using a
combination of comparators and digital logic circuits.
3. Computer Based Controller- The heart of nearly all modern control systems is a
computer-based controller. An application where a dedicated computer inputs
measurement data from the plant, performs all the calculations for controller modes,
and supplies the necessary output is referred to as direct digital control (DDC).
i) Hardware Configurations – Any microprocessor-based computer has a standard
array of devices as shown in Figure 6

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Smart Sensors have the controller computer embedded directly into a sensor
(figure7). The sensor and computer are housed directly at the site of the
measurement.
Multiple-Loop Controllers have a single computer operate as the controller of more
than one process-control loop.
ii) Software Requirements- Algorithms commonly employed to implement the
control equations.
Error- The computer accepts an input of the value, y, of the controlled variable
from an ADC or over the bus (network) from the sensor. The value will have been
encoded as a binary number.The error as percent of range,

Proportional mode action is defined as term that is directly proportional to the

error. This mode is provided through the software by an equation that is entirely
like the analog equations.

Integral Mode calculates a controller output that depends on the history of the
controlled variable error. This mode implementation in software involves the following
basic equations:

Derivative Mode derives a controller output that depends on the instantaneous rate
of change of the error. This mode is implemented in computer control by calculating
an approximate derivative of the error from the data samples.

PID Control Mode- With computer-based control, a composite mode is developed by

simply combining the three mode equations into the computation of the fractional
output. The principles of PID control, the proportional gain should multiply all three
forms.
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An alternative expression for the PID output can be constructed by using errors to
provide corrections to the current output. The simplified equation can be given as

And output can be determined from

4. Other Computer Applications- Computers also serve engineering and design

functions, financial analysis functions, and plant operations management functions,
apart from control applications.
Data Logger
i. An electronic device based on a digital processor, that records data over time
or in relation to location either with a built in instrument or sensor or via external
instruments and sensors.
ii. They are generally small, battery powered, portable, and equipped with a
microprocessor, internal memory for data storage, and sensors.
iii. It can Measure ,Store ,Transmit data to computer etc
iv. General features of a data logger are shown in figure 14.
v. The differences between various data loggers are based on the way that data
is recorded and stored.

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 Instrumentation and Control

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vi. Data logging devices can be sent to places that humans cannot easily get to.
vii. Graphs and tables of results can be produced automatically by the data logging
software.
viii. The main disadvantage of using a data logging system is the initial cost of
purchasing the equipment.
Supervisory Control
i. In computer supervisory control, the computer monitors measurements and
outputs the loop setpoints.

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