Basic Process Control System

Christy Jane P. Sanchez

MSEE-ICE
Learning Objective

 know the importance of Process Control

 Identify different Kinds of Variables
 Differentiate the three Basic Component of
Control System
 Identify Process Control Diagram
 Identify three principle type of signal
 Differentiate Regulatory and servo control
 What if….

….you drive your car with

your eyes shut?
 Basic Process Control System
(BPCS)
 system which handles process control and monitoring for
a facility or piece of equipment.
 responsible for the proper operation of the plant, and in
many instances is used in the first layer of protection
against unsafe conditions.
 Importance of Process Control

energy savings - energy wastage is reduced when your plant and machinery are
efficiently operated
improved safety - control systems automatically warn you of any abnormalities
which minimises the risk of accidents
consistent product quality - variations in product quality are kept to a minimum
and reduce your wastage
lower manufacturing costs - detecting faults early means throughput, yield and
quality are maintained
improved environmental performance - systems can give you an early warning
of a rise in emissions
  Why we need to control a process?
 Because processes are dynamic – changes
always occurred

 What does a control system do?

 Maintain certain variables within some limit
e.g temperature in a room

*dynamic
time-dependent behavior of a process.
There are many applications where part or
all of a process has to be controlled. e.g.

 temperature
 pressure
 flow
 level
 composition
 others
 Automatic Control

 Maintaining the process variables (temperature,

pressures, flows, compositions) at some desired
operating value.

 Systems that control the variables without requiring

intervention from the operator.
 System

input
output
SYSTEM
 Kinds of Variables

 Controlled variables – the variable that must be maintained at the

desired value (set point)

 Manipulated variables – the variable that need to be regulated in

order to maintain the controlled variable at the set point

 Disturbances – variables that tend to drive the controlled variable

away from the set point

 Uncontrolled variables. Variables in the process that are not

controlled.
 An Everyday Example of Process
Control
Control Objective (Setpoint):
Maintain the temperature in the room (27oC)

Controlled variable:
Temperature in the room

Manipulated variable:
Speed of the fan

Disturbance:
Weather
 An Everyday Example of
Process Control
Driving a Car
Control Objective (Setpoint):
Maintain car in proper lane.

Controlled variable-
Location of car on the road

Manipulated variable-
Orientation of the front wheels

Disturbance-
Curve in road
 HEAT EXCHANGER

Steam in

Fluid in Fluid out

Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired

Steam out
 HEAT EXCHANGER

Steam in
(Manipulated variables)
(Controlled variables)
Fluid in Fluid out
Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired
(Load disturbances )

Steam out

(Uncontrolled variables)
 Three Basic Component of Control
System
 Measurement (M)
measure the variable to be controlled.
sensor-transmitter combination

 Decision (D)
Controller decides what to do to maintain the variables at its desired value
feedback controller

 Action (A)
System must take an action based on controller’s decision
control valve (final control element)
 Another important term

◦ Set point (SP)-desired value of the control variable.

◦ Open loop system - The behavior with no controllers in the

system

◦ Closed loop system– the controller is connected to the process,

comparing the set point to the controlled variable and determining
and taking corrective action
 Action
SP Decide
Steam in
TC

TT Measure
Fluid in Fluid out
Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired

Steam out

Measured = T desired (sensor transmitter)

Control = Steam in
Action = valve (final control element)
Process & Instrumentation Diagram

Symbols
Instruments / control devices:

A circle representing locally A circle with horizontal line A circle with horizontal lin
mounted instrument representing control room inside a square representin
panel mounted instrument. its function in DCS.

© Abdul Aziz Ishak, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (2009)

Process & Instrumentation Diagram

Final control elements

Control
valves =

Manual = O
valve R Not darkened 
Always open

Manual = O
valve
Darkened  Always
R closed

Solenoid =
valve

© Abdul Aziz Ishak, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (2009)

Process & Instrumentation Diagram
Naming rule

1 2 3 4
Measurement Device Device / Condition Condition
P Pressure C Controller C Controller H High
T Temperature T Transmitter T Transmitter L Low
L Level R Recorder R Recorder
F Flow I Indicator H High
A Analysis A Alarm L Low
S Switch / Safety V Valve
G Gauge

Complete guide on P&ID symbols & notations are available from ISA 5.1 (R1984)
Examples
 

PC Pressure Controller PCC

PIC Pressure Indicating Controller PTC
LG Level Gauge PTR
No such
FR Flow Recorder PIR
devices yet.
TAL Temperature Alarm Low TRR
TALL Temperature Alarm Low Low TRA
TAHL Temperature Alarm High Low TAV

© Abdul Aziz Ishak, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (2009)

 Transmission signal
 3 principle type of signals in process industries

Signal Range Symbol

Pneumatic 3 – 15 psig

Electrical 4 – 20 mA
1 to 5 V

Digital/discrete

 Usually signal is in percent

 Example 0-100% = 3-15 psig

 Signal are used by devices – transmitters,
controllers, final control element to
communicate.
 Change type of signal using transducer /
converter

 Example of transducer
 Current to pneumatic (I/P)
 Digital-to-analog (D to A)
 Pneumatic to current (P/I)
 Steam in
TC
(Manipulated variables)

TT
Fluid in Fluid out
Heat Exchanger
Ti T desired

(Load disturbances ) (Controlled variables)

Steam out
(Uncontrolled variables)
Process control loop

Pressure
Flow
Level
Process Temperature
pH

dP cell
Capacitance I/P
Sensor Radar, Sonic
Magnetic
Resistance
IR/Laser

Transmitter 4-20 mA
1-5 Vdc

Controller PID
Fuzzy logic

4-20 mA
Transducer 3-15 psig

Linear
Control valve Equal percentage

© Abdul Aziz Ishak, Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (2009)

 Regulatory and servo control

 For process that the controlled variable deviates from set point
because of disturbance – regulatory control

 For process that the most important disturbance is the set

point itself – servo control
 References

 https://stiautomation.net/basic-process-control-systems/
 https://www.scribd.com/presentation/291180321/1-INTRODUCTION-TO-
PROCESS-CONTROL-1-ppt?
fbclid=IwAR2DysxO7Nhh7CbaqIdSCX0KAlTZxRoohilI1lAVXUFimxwLPZDf
klqK_p0
 https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/process-control-systems-industrial-
processes