DELA CRUZ, LIEZYL (5CHEC)

CHE 516L: Process Control Laboratory

Individual Assignment:
1. Process control is the act of controlling a final control element to change the manipulated variable to
maintain the process variable at a desired set point. Instrumentation is the basis for process control in
industry. Effective process control is required to maintain safe operations, quality products, and business
viability. [1]
2. Advantages of Process Control:

Enhanced process safety

Satisfying environmental constraints
Meeting ever-stricter product quality specifications
More efficient use of raw materials and energy
Increased profitability [2]

3. Industrial Applications of Process Control Systems: [2]

Monitoring/controlling process parameters such as pressure, temperature, flowrate, viscosity

pH, humidity
Identify hazardous conditions in process plants
Instrumentation
Unit operations and chemical processes
Maintenance
Electronics: signal amplification, filtering, linearization, capacitance multiplier, gyrator, sine wave
oscillators, power supply regulators, level detection, voltage-to-frequency converters, voltage-todigital converters, and pulse amplitude modulation

4. Functions of ff. elements:

Sensors are devices that can detect physical variables, such as temperature, light intensity, or
motion, and have the ability to give a measurable output that varies in relation to the amplitude
of the physical variable.
Controllers are devices that monitor signals from transducers and take the necessary action to
keep the process within specified limits according to a predefined program by activating and
controlling the necessary actuators.
Actuators are devices that are used to control an input variable in response to a signal from a
controller.
Transducers are devices that can change one form of energy to another, e.g., a resistance
thermometer converts temperature into electrical resistance, or a thermocouple converts
temperature into voltage. [1]
Servo valve is a device that meters the flow of oil in response to an electrical input signal or
command to control position, velocity, pressure or force in some type of machine or device
(usually through a piston or cylinder). [3]

Solenoid valve is a device that uses a solenoid to control valve activation. They are considered
electromechanical control devices used to control liquid or gas flow. [4]

5. Control system is used to maintain process conditions at their desired values by manipulating certain
process variables to adjust the variables of interest. [2]
6. Elements of Control System:

Controller can be a person, a switch, a single loop controller, or DCS / PLC system.
Final Control Element is the physical device that receives commands from the controller to
manipulate the resource. Typical Final Control Elements used in these processes are valves and
pumps. Control element has an actuator, a power control circuit, and its own power supply.
Process have a dynamic behavior that is determined by physical properties; as such they cannot
be altered without making a physical change to the process. [5]
Set point is the desired value of the output parameter or variable being monitored by a sensor.
Disturbances are uncontrolled changes in the process inputs or resources.
Manipulated variable is the input variable or parameter to a process that is varied by a control
signal from the processor to an actuator.
Controlled or measured variable is the monitored output variable from a process.
Measuring element consists of a sensor, a transducer, and a transmitter with its own regulated
power supply. [1]

7. A loop is a sequence of instructions that is continually repeated until a certain condition is reached. In
open loop control, the controller output is not a function of the process variable. Particular set point to
be maintained is not of concern in this loop; the controller output is fixed at a value until it is changed by
an operator. In closed loop control, the controller output is determined by difference between the
process variable and the Set Point. Closed loop control is also called feedback or regulatory control. [5]
8. A feed-forward control system measures the disturbance variable and sends this value to a controller,
which adjusts the manipulated variable. A feedback control system measures the output variable,
compares that value to the desired output value, and uses this information to adjust the manipulated
variable. [6]
9. Flow Diagrams:
Block Flow Diagram (BFD) shows block or rectangles used represent a unit operation. The blocks are
connected by straight lines which represent the process flow streams which flow between the units. These
process flow streams may be mixtures of liquids, gases and solids flowing in pipes or ducts, or solids being
carried on a conveyor belt. [7]
Process Flow Diagram (PFD) shows the relationships between the major components in the system. PFD
also tabulate process design values for the components in different operating modes, typical minimum,
normal and maximum. A PFD does not show minor components, piping systems, piping ratings and
designations. [8]

RESOURCES
[1] Dunn, W. (2005). Fundamentals of Industrial Instrumentation and Process Control. New York: McGrawHill.
[2] LeBlanc, S., & Coughanowr, D. (2009). Process Systems Analysis and Control. Boston: McGraw-Hill
Higher Education.
[3] http://www.cmjservo.com/servo-valve.
[4] http://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/flow_control_flow_transfer/valves/solenoid_valves.
[5] Practical Process Control Fundamentals of Instrumentation and Process Control. (2005). Control
Station, Inc. Retrieved from http://lpre.cperi.certh.gr/auth/files/Instrumentation_Textbook.pdf.
[6] Bequette, B. (2002). Process Control. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall PTR.
[7] http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/bfd-block-flow-diagram-d_467.html.
[8] http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/bfd-block-flow-diagram-d_467.html.