RECRUITMENT SELECTION TEST QUESTIONS - INSTRUMENTATION CONTROL

1) What pressure would be indicated by an absolute pressure gauge that is lying on a work
bench not connected to anything?
a) 0 ………………………………………………………………………. ………..( )
b) 29……………………………………………………………………… ………..( )
c) 14.7………………………………………………………………………………(x)
d) 2.9……………………………………………………………………..................( )
Pabs = Patm + Pg,\\\ (Pabs = 14.7 psi + 0 psig)
2) Which of the following gives the correct description of a bubbler level measuring system
with the open end of the purge pipe at the bottom of the tank?
The air pressure in the purge pipe is……the pressure exerted by the liquid at the bottom of
the tank.
a) More than……………………………………………………………….( )
b) Equal to………;………………………………………………………...(x)
c) Twice……………………………………………………………………( )
d) Three times……………………………………………………………...( )
Pressure in the purge pipe should be the equal to the head of the liquid at the bottom to
produce bubbles.
3) The accuracy of a conventional boiler drum level differential transmitter is affected by
a) Differential pressure at the transmitter………………………………….( )
b) Drum water temperature………………………………………………...( )
c) Drum pressure…………………………………………………………...( )
d) All of the above………………………………………………………….(x)
4) Fundamental quantities are all physical measurement based on?
a) Mass, length and time……………………………………………………(x)
b) Density, viscosity, and specific gravity………………………………….( )
c) Flow, volume and temperature…………………………………………..( )
d) Pressure, density and specific gravity…………………………………....( )
MKS- fundamental quantities (M-meters for length, K-kilograms for mass, S-seconds for
time.
5) Which of the following is Litres per Minute the units of measurement?
a) Level……………………………………………………………………...( )
b) Flow………………………………………………………………………(x)
c) Pressure…………………………………………………………………...( )
d) Temperature………………………………………………………………( )
6) What happens to the velocity of a fluid as it passes through a restriction?
a) It increases………………………………………………………………………..( )
b) It decreases……………………………………………………………………….( )
c) It remains unchanged…………………………………………………………….( )
d) It first decreases then increases…………………………………………………..(x)
Pressure builds up near the orifice slowing the flow then increases as it passes.
7) Which parameters are required to accurately measure mass flow?
a) Volumetric flow…………………………………………………………………...( )
b) Temperature……………………………………………………………………..( )
c) Pressure…………………………………………………………………………( )
 d) All of the above…………………………………………………………………..(x)
PV=nRT, nR=no. of molecules, related to your mass, so all P,V,T affects mass.
8) The equation y = Ax + B describes a straight line but also describe which of the ff?
a) Two- position control……………………………………………………………( )
b) Floating control…………………………………………………………………..( )
c) Proportional control…………………………………………………………….. (x)
d) Proportional-plus-integral control………………………………………………..( )
LECTURE
9) A dead weight tester is used to calibrate?
a) The tension of springs……………………………………………………………( )
b) Boiler safety devices……………………………………………………………..( )
c) Pressure measuring devices………………………………………………………(x)
d) Weighbridges…………………………………………………………………….( )
LECTURE
10) Which of the following describes the statement “the contact closes when the temperature
exceeds 400 degrees C”?
a) T = 400…………………………………………………………………………..( )
b) T < 400…………………………………………………………………………..( )
c) T > 400…………………………………………………………………………..(x)
d) T 400…………………………………………………………………………….( )
11) How many possible binary code combinations does 4-bit binary have?
a) 4…………………………………………………………………………………( )
b) 8…………………………………………………………………………………( )
c) 16………………………………………………………………………………..( x)
d) 32………………………………………………………………………………..( )
= 0000 to 1111 = 1x2^3 + 1x2^2 + 1x2^1+1x2^0 = 8+4+2+1= 15 , 1 + 15 = 16
=0000,0001,0010,0011,0100,0101,0110,0111,1000,1001,1010,1011,1100,1101,1110,1111
12) Which of the following describes the structure of a reverse-bias diode?
a) The cathode attaches to the positive terminal…………………………………....(x)
b) The cathode attaches to the negative terminal…………………………………...( )
c) The cathode attaches to the anode.……………………………………………….( )
d) Electrons move from positive to negative.……………………………………….( )
rev. bias fwd bias

Positive terminal (+) on the cathode and negative (-) on the anode
13) Which device converts alternating current to direct current?
a) A rectifier………………………………………………………………………..(x)
b) A ratio station……………………………………………………………………( )
c) A different amplifier……………………………………………………………..( )
d) A comparator…………………………………………………………………….( )
14) Which gate is most similar to parallel circuit?
a) AND gate…………………………………………………………………………( )
 b) NOT gate…………………………………………………………………………( )
c) OR gate…………………………………………………………………………...(x)
d) NAND gate……………………………………………………………………….( )
15) A load cell is used to measure
a) The output of generator…………………………………………………………..( )
b) A mechanical force……………………………………………………………….(x)
c) The charge in a lead acid battery…………………………………………………( )
d) Steam flow………………………………………………………………………..( )
16) What type of transducer converts the variable being measured into a voltage generated by a
crystal when it is mechanically stressed?
a) Reactive…………………………………………………………………………( )
b) Piezoelectric…………………………………………………………………….(x)
c) Inductive…………………………………………………………………………( )
d) Capacitive………………………………………………………………………..( )
17) What principal does a different pressure transmitter use to measure level?
a) Capacitance………………………………………………………………………( )
b) Conductivity……………………………………………………………………...( )
c) Hydrostatic head………………………………………………………………….(x)
d) Thermal energy…………………………………………………………………..( )
18) Which of the following is typical air path through a gas turbine?
a) Inlet assembly, compressor, combustion, turbine………………………………..(x)
b) Induction, combustion, firing, turbine, exhaust…………………………………..( )
c) Exhaust, compression, firing, induction………………………………………….( )
d) Induction, compression, firing, exhaust, turbine…………………………………..( )

<<<<<AIR PATH
19) What type of a flow meter has a rotor mounted axially within a pipe between a set of
bearings?
a) Magnetic…………………………………………………………………………( )
b) Turbine…………………………………………………………………………..(x)
c) Water meter (manometer)……………………………………………………….( )
d) Venture tube……………………………………………………………………...( )
LECTURE
20) The output from a strain gauge is?
a) Voltage…………………………………………………………………………...( )
b) Current……………………………………………………………………………( )
c) Pressure……………………………………………………………………………( )
d) Resistance…………………………………………………………………………(x)
LECTURE
21) For fluid flow measurement with a Doppler meter, the flowing stream must.
a) Contain particulate matter…………………………………………………………(x)
b) Flow at a rate of 100 gallons per minute, or more…………………………………( )
c) Be conductive……………………………………………………………………...( )
d) Have a very low viscosity………………………………………………………….( )
 LECTURE
22) what is a difference between a thermo couple and a thermopile?........................................( )
a) A thermocouple consist of two or more thermopiles………………………………( )
b) Thermopile consist of two or more thermocouples………………………………..(x)
c) Thermocouples only measure heat conductivity…………………………………..( )
d) Thermopile is another name for thermocouple……………………………………( )
A thermopile is a group of thermocouples usually in for average reading of temperature
23) Which type of flow meter measures flow by measuring volume directly?
a) Coriolis……………………………………………………………………………..( )
b) Magnetic……………………………………………………………………………( )
c) Positive displacement………………………………………………………………(x)
d) Differential pressure………………………………………………………………..( )
LECTURE
24) What do the initials of RTD mean?
a) Reactive Tuning Deviation…………………………………………………………( )
b) Resistance Temperature Detector…………………………………………………..(x)
c) Resistance Done Dampening………………………………………………………( )
d) Resonant Temperature Device……………………………………………………..( )
LECTURE
25) What occurs if the temperature of the thermocouple measuring junction is lower than the
reference junction?
a) There is no EMF output……………………………………………………………( )
b) The output voltage polarity is reversed…………………………………………….(x)
c) The polarity stays the same but the voltage increases……………………………...( )
d) The EMF remains the same when temperature changes……………………………( )
LECTURE
26) How does an LVT type transducer produce a signal?
a) By positioning the core in variable transformer…………………………………….(x)
b) By deforming a piezoelectric crystal………………………………………………..( )
c) Through a pair of matched variable capacitors………………………………………( )
d) By stretching a strain gauge………………………………………………………….( )
27) In which of the following actions does an increasing signal pressure cause the actuator stem
to move upward, closing the valve?
a) Direct action, air- to- close………………………………………………………….(x)
b) Direct action, air-to- open…………………………………………………………..( )
c) Reverse action, air-to-close…………………………………………………………( )
d) Reverse action, air-to-open………………………………………………………….( )
28) How can a ground loop on a shielded cable be avoided
a) Attaching a safety ground to the instrument casing…………………………………( )
b) Grounding the shield at only one end of the circuit…………………………………(x)
c) Attaching a safety ground to the control panel………………………………………( )
d) Grounding the shield at two points with different voltage potentials………………..( )
29) What is used to change a 3-15 psi signal to 4-20 mA?
a) P/I transducer………………………………………………………………………(x)
b) E/I transducer………………………………………………………………………( )
c) I/P transducer………………………………………………………………………( )
 d) mV/I transducer…………………………………………………………………….( )
30) What does the clock pulse frequency of a microprocessor control?
a) Printer characters per second………………………………………………………..( )
b) Process system speed………………………………………………………………..( )
c) C.R.T. monitor frequency……………………………………………………………( )
d) Microprocessor operating cycle……………………………………………………..(x)
Higher clock rate of the microprocessor allows the CPU to operate at a much higher frequency than
the rest of the computer, hence faster microprocessor operation cycle.
31) What is the purpose of a drum on a steam boiler?
a) To allow the water to turn into steam………………………………………………(x)
b) To heat the steam before it goes to the turbine……………………………………..( )
c) To allow steam separation from water…………………………………………… ( )
Boiler drum is the vessel for boiling water and converting it to steam.
32) Which binary number is equal to hexadecimal 13AB?
a) 1011 1010 1011 0101………………………………………………………………..( )
b) 0001 0011 1010 1011………………………………………………………………..(x)
c) 1001 1110 1101 1010………………………………………………………………..( )
d) 1010 1100 1100 1010………………………………………………………………..( )
hexadecimal conversion:
13AB=1x16^3 + 3x16^2 + 10x16^1 + 11x16^0 = 4,096+768+160+11=5,035
straight binary conversion:
0001 0011 1010 1011= 1x2^12+1x2^9+1x2^8+1x2^7+1x2^5+1x2^3+1x2^1+1x2^0
=4,096+512+256+128+32+8+2+1 = 5,035
grouping binary:
0001 0011 1010 1011
1 3 A=10 B=11 >>>>>> 13AB
33) If, when a pressure transmitter is routinely calibrated each mount, no adjustments are
necessary what change to the routine calibration program do you think may be appropriate
a) Remove the transmitter from the calibration program………………………………( )
b) Decrease the time period between calibration……………………………………….( )
c) Increase the time period between calibration………………………………………..(x)
d) Move the transmitter to the most critical service……………………………………( )
The transmitter will be calibrated less frequently, or longer time duration.
34) F = ma defines which Newton’s Law………………………………………………………..( )
a) Law of thermodynamics…………………………………………………………….( )
b) Second law of motion……………………………………………………………….(x)
c) Third law of motion…………………………………………………………………( )
35) What does a high percentage of excess combustion air indicate?
a) Incomplete combustion of oil………………………………………………………( )
b) The boiler combustion efficiency is not optimised…………………………………(x)
c) A decrease in the flue gas oxygen………………………………………………….( )
d) An increase in flue gas carbon monoxide…………………………………………..( )
Boiler efficiency is less because too much air mixed with fuel, excess oxygen takes heat
from combustion, thus less efficiency.
36) Which of the following is an early example of an automatic turbine speed control?
 a) Pneumatic PID ……………………………………………………………………...( )
b) On/Off switching …………………………………………………………………...( )
c) A fly-ball governor …………………………………………………………………(x)
d) Manual Valve Positioning ………………………………………………………….( )
Old turbine controls uses fly ball governor to regulate the speed of the turbine by
regulating the fuel intake in proportional control.
37) When we change excitation current to a generator rotor, we change?

a) Active power generator or MW …………………………………………………....( )

b) Reactive power of generator or MVAR …………………………………………....(x)
c) Speed of Generator …………………………………………………………………( )
Increasing excitation current increases the generator voltage, hence, reactive power (P=VI)
38) What is measured in three element drum control?
a) Steam flow, feed water flow and drum level ……………………………………...(x)
b) Steam temperature, feed water flow, drum level …………………………………..( )
c) Feed water pressure, steam pressure, drum level …………………………………..( )
d) Drum pressure, feed pressure, steam pressure ……………………………………..( )
Three element boiler drum level control is a cascade control which looks at Steam flow,
feed water flow and drum level combination.
39) What is the relationship between gas turbine air inlet temperature and gas turbine base load
power output?
a) increased air temperature increases the base load power output …………………….( )
b) Increased air temperature has no effect on the base load power output …………..(x )
c) Increased air temperature reduces the base load power output ……………………...( )
Increased air temperature increases the base load power output, that’s why air pre-heater before
intake is added for added efficiency just before combustion of the turbine.
40) The advantage of using 4-20ma signal instead of 0~20ma is.

a) To detect loss of signal or broken wire …………………………………………….( x)

b) To remove noise ……………………………………………………………………( )
c) To reduce current consumption …………………………………………………….( )

LECTURE