Multifunction Process Control Teaching System

Product Description

Description of Multifunction Process Control Teaching System

The contains everything that is needed to perform a range of single-loop process control experiments in conjunction with a PC.

It includes a variable volume process tank, a hot water tank with electric heater and indirect heating/cooling coil, a hot water pump, two non-dedicated pumps, three on/off solenoid valves and a proportioning valve. The instrumentation includes temperature sensors, two differential water pressure sensors, a mechanical level sensor (float switch) and an electronic level sensor (conductivity). The inlets and outlets of the various pumps, valves and tanks incorporate self-sealing quick release fittings. This allows the configuration to be quickly changed, offering a wide variety of different loops.

This is includes a computer interface (USB), and all of the parameters can be controlled directly from the computer, i.e. the pump speeds, the valve positions and the heater power. The computer also displays the readings from the various measurement sensors. The software supplied with the unit includes on/off, time proportioned and proportional/integral/derivative (PID) algorithms where all the parameters are easily accessed and adjusted by the user. This approach means that a separate electronic console is unnecessary for most applications.

The flexible nature of the system also allows for a wide variety of different disturbances to be applied to the loops to allow the effectiveness of the control parameters to be compared. As all these disturbances are under software control, they can be repeated precisely during the optimisation process, thus allowing an excellent degree of fine-tuning to be implemented. A pressure regulating valve with filter is also included to isolate the equipment from fluctuations in the water supply pressure.

Specification of Multifunction Process Control Teaching System

• A multi-function process control teaching system, capable of demonstrating level, flow, pressure and temperature control loops
• Desk top mounted and includes a built in USB computer interface
• Options include: reactor vessel with conductivity measurement, pH measurement, pneumatic control valve and electronic console
• Includes the following process control demonstrations:

Process principles

• Calibration of sensors (via PC software)
• Inflow control
• Outflow control
• Direct heating
• Indirect heating
• Batch and continuous operation
• Effect of sensor lag (e.g. thermometer pocket)
• Effect of system time constant (e.g. volume change)
• Effect of dead time (e.g. holding tube)
• Effect of mixing/stirring

Measured Variables

• Level on/off switch (fixed hysteresis)
• Level differential on/off switch (adjustable hysteresis)
• Level proportional pressure sensor (slow system response)
• Flow Proportional turbine sensor
• Temperature on/off switch (fixed hysteresis)
• Temperature proportional thermocouple sensors
• Static pressure proportional sensor (fast system response)
• Differential pressure proportional pressure (fast system response)
• pH proportional sensor