Multi Zone Process Monitor
Here is an ancestor of the product in the earlier post. It is a Process Scanner and Indicator. There was no control, but there were individual alarms for each channel.
This is a original design of mine, obsolete now due to size and technology. The inspiration of the product concept was from a Omega Catalog Item. Even today i use the Omega catalog for inspiration, but i do not design complete products, only circuit sections.Read more about Control Instruments at my pages here
This could take current or voltage inputs from many remote transmitters, 4-20mA or 0-1 V Inputs. Then it would display the calibrated value in a LED display. The Zone number was a digital display. This serves as a monitor of process values. It had a analog output with a digital channel byte-word output for interface with other instruments.
Industrial Process Control Circuits
This uses the CD4051-52 for the analog switching. Operating this at +/- 7.5V gives best isolation from channels and low ON resistance. Now you have many types of devices to do this.
When a large area or object has to be heated, many heaters are used. This device can monitor and display the temperature at various points. The Operator then can make adjustments in heating or cooling so that he can maintain Uniform temperature or a Temperature Gradient as specified by the Process.
There are many ways, these scanners are used. Many different parameters like pressure, temperature, level are measured with different sensors and converted to a 4-20 mA level using transmitters for each sensor. Then many parameters can be measured in one equipment, when it needs only periodic attention. As the scan rate can be set from 1 to 50 seconds, the operator will be able to keep a tab on the values or record it. This reduces the real estate required on the control panel. Then the control room can be small, as it has to be at a vantage point, with a birds view of the entire factory floor.
Complete Distributed Process Control System
Process Automation is needed to ensure quality of the output and safety of plant and environment. The most important thing is to make it energy efficient.
Here you can see a scaled down version of the real thing, these are ways Paper, Oil and some Materials are processed in Big Factories. Study the control of processes like Level, Flow, Temperature, Pressure and the needed Actuators used to monitor and manage a stable multi-loop system.
Instrumentation for Process Control
A Resource of Value for Industrial Engineering. Here is an Online Textbook for learning advanced process control concepts.
The Process Control Education Web Site
Industrial Automation enables Higher skill levels for workers and reduces danger of accidents too. Now the emphasis is for Energy Efficient Industrial Production, not only to save Energy Costs but as a Social Responsibility.
Industries should not pollute water bodies and the atmosphere, this brings us to new process control area of Air and Water Quality Measurement and regulation.
The Reference includes Sample Process Control Course, Instrumentation for Process Control, WEB-Based Educational Resources for Process Control and Process Operability.