5.

DIFFERENT MEASURING INSTRUMENT TYPES,

WORKING PRINCIPLE AND SELECTION CRITERIA

 Instrumentation is used in almost every industrial

process and system, where consistent and reliable
operations are required.

 Instrumentation provides the means of monitoring,

recording and controlling a process to maintain it
at a desired state.

 Measurement: the process of determining the

amount, degree, capacity by comparison (direct or
indirect) with the accepted standards of the system
units being used.

1
Instrument and Measurement system are used for
different application are:

 (i) Monitoring of process and operations: These type

of instrument simply indicate the value or condition
of parameter under study and do not serve any
control function.

 (ii) Control of processes and operation: there has

been a very strong association between measurement
and control.

2
 5.1.Pressure Measurement

 Pressure is the force per unit area that a liquid or

gas exerts on its surroundings, such as the force or
pressure of the atmosphere on the surface of the
Earth, and the force that liquids exert on the bottom
and walls of a container.

 Pressure measurements are one of the most

important measurements made in industry especially
in continuous process industries such as chemical
processing, food and manufacturing.

 Pressure measurement is a very common

requirement for most industrial process control
systems and many different types of pressure-sensing
and pressure-measurement systems are available.
3
 TYPES OF PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICES

 In industrial applications pressure is normally measured by means of indicating

gauges and recorders. These instruments are:
1. mechanical, Measurement Devices (Manometer)
2. Diaphragm and Bellows Gauges
3. Bourdon-Tube Pressure Gauge

Manometer:-
 An instrument for measuring local atmospheric Pressure.

 Manometers measure the unknown pressures by balancing against the

gravitational force of liquid heads.

 The various types of manometers are:

I. U tube manometer,
II. Inclined tube Manometer.

4
 TYPES OF PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICES

Pressure/Manometric Measurement:
 Is based on pressure ability to displace a column of a
liquid in a manometer (Pressure head calculations)

5
 TYPES OF PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICES

Pressure/Inclined Manometer:
 For low pressure measurement or high accuracy
applications.

6
 TYPES OF PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICES

Pressure/Bourdon Tube Measurement:

 Is based on the principle that a flattened tube
tends to straighten or regain its circular form in
cross-section when pressurized

7
 TYPES OF PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICES

Pressure/Bellows:
Are elastic vessels that can be compressed when pressure is
applied to the outside of the vessel, or extended under
vacuum. When the pressure or vacuum is released, the
bellows will return to its original shape.

Bellows elements can measure absolute pressure, gauge

pressure, vacuum, or differential pressure.

8
 TYPES OF PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICES
Pressure/Diaphragm:
 Pressure exerted by the fluid causes elastic deflection of the
diaphragm.

 Diaphragm is elastic material which displaces, when it is applied to

pressure.

 diaphragm is a metallic elastic material which deforms when pressure

increases and it is connected to mechanical linkage and movement is
transferred to sector and pinion and by mechanical movement that is
indicated on dial by pointer.

9
 5.2. LEVEL MEASUREMENT

 Level is another common process variable that is measured in

many industries.

 In modern manufacturing industries which use many

solvents, chemicals, steam and other liquids and in power
plants which use vast amount of water, the accurate
measurement of liquid level is very essential.

 The measured medium can be liquid, gas or solid and stored

in vessels (open/closed tanks), silos, bins and hoppers.

 Generally, there are two methods used in industries for

measuring liquid level. These are :
1. Direct Method
2. Indirect Method

10
5.2. LEVEL MEASUREMENT

1. DIRECT METHOD

 This is the simplest method of measuring liquid level.

 In this method, the level of the liquid is measured directly

by means of the following level indicators:
i. Sight Glass / Gauge Glass
ii. Float Type / Float - Operated Level Gauges
iii. Torque Tube Displacer / Float Displacement Type
Level Gauges

2. INDIRECT METHODS
 Following are the indirect methods of liquid level measurement
generally used in industries.

i. Hydrostatic pressure type

ii. Electrical methods
iii. Ultrasonic level sensor
11
 (i) SIGHT GLASS / GAUGE GLASS

 Sight glass is used for the continuous indication of

liquid level within a tank or vessel.

 As the level of liquid in the tank rises and falls, the level
in the sight glass also rises and falls accordingly. Thus,
by measuring the level in the sight glass, the level of
liquid in the tank is measured. In sight glass, it is not
necessary to use the same liquid as in the tank. Any
other desired liquid also can be used.

 Fig. shows a simple sight glass for an open tank in

which the liquid level in the sight glass matches the
level of liquid in the tank.

12
(ii) FLOAT DISPLACEMENT TYPE LEVEL MEASUREMENT

 These instruments work on the Archimedes principle

according to which a body when placed in a liquid is
buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the displaced
liquid, and the apparent change in weight of the body is
directly proportional to the level of liquid in which it is
placed.
 Otherwise, this instrument is rugged and simple in construction
and reliable in operation. With selection of suitable material for
float, float cage, and torque tube, it’s possible to use this
instrument over a wide range of pressure and for many liquids

13
 2. INDIRECT METHODS

(i) HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE TYPE

1. Pressure gauge method
2. Air purge system
3. Diaphragm box type
4. Torque balance type
There are many methods for the measurement of liquid
level such as:
Float sensors.
Ultrasonic devices.
Pressure level gauge.
Capacitive level gauge.
Bubbler devices.
Resistive tapes.14
 Float sensors

 The float material is less dense than the

density of the liquid, and floats up and
down on top of the material being
measured.

 The float sensor is accurate and have a

linear output with level height.

 However, if the surface of the material

being monitored is turbulent, the float
reading may vary excessively, some
means of damping might be required,
such as a stilling well.

15
 Ultrasonic level gauge

 An ultrasonic pulse is transmitted and then reflected by the liquid surface

back to the receiver.

 The time to receive the echo pulse is proportional to the distance from the
surface of the liquid.

 Since there is no contact with the liquid, this method can be used for solids,
and corrosive and volatile liquids.

16
 Pressure level gauge

 Pressure is often used as an indirect method

of measuring liquid levels.
 The hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the
container is given by: p  gh

 where p is the pressure,  is the density, g is the

gravitational acceleration, and h is the height.
Hence, the level can be calculated from the
pressure and the density of the liquid.

17
 5.3.Flow Measurement

 Industrial flow measurements include measuring

of flow rate of solids, liquids and gases.

 The cost of many liquids and gases are based on

the measured flow through a pipeline, making it
necessary for accounting purposes to accurately
measure and control the rate of flow.

 There are many methods for the measurement of

liquid flow such as:
Venturi tube
Rotameter
Turbine flow meter

18
 5.3.Flow Measurement

The most common principals for fluid flow metering are:

I. Differential Pressure Flowmeters
II. Velocity Flowmeters
III.Positive Displacement Flowmeters
IV. Mass Flowmeters
V. Open Channel Flowmeters
WHAT IS A DIFFERENTIAL-PRESSURE (ΔP) METER?

 Differential-pressure meters work on the principle of partially

obstructing the flow in a pipe.

 This creates a difference in the static pressure between the upstream and
downstream side of the device. This difference in the static pressure
(referred to as the differential pressure) is measured and used to
determine the flow rate.

19
 5.3.Flow Measurement

what are the different types of ΔP meter?

The most common types of differential pressure meter are:
Orifice plates
 Venturi tubes
 Cone meters (e.g. V-cones)
 Nozzles
 Low loss meters (e.g. Dall tubes)
 Variable area meters
 Inlet flow meters
 Venturi cones
 Venturi nozzles
 Drag plates

20
 1. Orifice plates

 Orifice plates are the most common type of Δp meter and are basically a
machined metal plate with a hole.

 The plate has a sharp upstream edge and usually a bevelled edge
downstream of the flow.

 To allow the differential pressure to be measured, a set of pressure

tappings are located upstream and downstream of the plate

 It has a disc with a hole at its center, through which the

fluid flows. The pressure difference is measured between a
point equal to the diameter of the tube upstream and a
point equal to the half the diameter downstream.

21
 2.The Venturi tube

 When a fluid flows through a pipe with a constriction, the

velocity of the fluid increases in the constriction while the
pressure decreases to satisfy the principle of conservation
of mechanical energy.

 Any gain in kinetic energy a fluid achieves due to its

increased velocity is negated by a drop in pressure
according to Bernoulli’s equation.

 The flow rate is proportional to the square root of the

pressure drop.

1
p V 2  gh  constant
2
where p is the pressure,  is the density, V is the velocity,

h is the elevation, and g is the gravitational acceleration

22
 5.4.Temperature Measurement

 The degree of hotness or coldness of a body or an environment is measured on a

definite scale.

 In chemical reactions, temperature control is of major importance, since chemical

reactions are temperature-dependent.

 All physical parameters are temperature-dependent, making it necessary in most

cases to measure temperature along with the physical parameter, so that
temperature corrections can be made to achieve accurate parameter measurements.

Temperature cannot be measured directly but must be measured by observing the

effect that temperature variation causes on the measuring device. The
methods are broadly classified into three classes.
 Non –Electrical
 Electrical
 Radiation
23
 5.4.Temperature Measurement
 Thermocouple:- The junction of two dissimilar metals which
has a voltage output proportional to the difference in
temperature between the hot junction and the lead wires (cold
junction).

 Thermocouples consist of two wire legs made from different

metals.

 The wire’s legs are welded together at one end, creating a

junction.

 This junction is where the temperature is measured.

 When the junction experiences a change in temperature, a

voltage is created.

e  a1T  a2T 2    anT n

24
 5.5.sensor

 A sensor acquires a physical quantity and converts it into a signal

suitable for processing (e.g. optical, electrical, mechanical)

 Active element of a sensor is called a transducer

 A device which converts one form of energy to another

 When input is a physical quantity and output electrical → Sensor

 When input is electrical and output a physical quantity →

Actuator

25
 5.5.1.SENSOR CHARACTERISTICS

To choose an appropriate sensor for a particular need, we

have to consider a number of different characteristics. These
characteristics determine the performance, economy, and
applicability of the sensor.

 Cost: the cost must be balanced with other requirements of

the design such as reliability importance of the data they
provide accuracy, life, and so on.

 Size: Depending on the application of the sensor, the size may

be of primary importance.

 Type of output (digital or analog):

 Interfacing: Sensors must be interfaced with other devices

such as microprocessors and controllers.

26
 5.5.1.SENSOR CHARACTERISTICS

 Resolution: Resolution is the minimum step size within the range of

measurement of the sensor

 Sensitivity: Sensitivity is the ratio of a change in output in response to

a change in input.

 Linearity. Linearity represents the relationship between input

variations and output variations.

 Range: Range is the difference between the smallest and the largest
outputs the sensor can produce

 Response time: the time required to observe the change in output as a

result of a change in input.

 Reliability: Reliability is the ratio of how many times a system

operates properly, divided by how many times it is used.

 Accuracy: Accuracy is defined as how close the output of the sensor is

to the expected value.
27
 5.5.2.POSITION SENSOR

 As their name implies, these types of sensors provide a

"position“ feedback.

 One method of determining a position, is to use either

distance which could be the distance between two
points such as the distance travelled or moved away
from some fixed point, or by "rotation“.

 Position Sensors can detect the movement of an object

in a straight line using Linear Sensors or by its
angular movement using Rotational Sensors.

28
 5.5.2.1.POTENTIOMETER

 The most commonly used of all the "Position Sensors",

is the potentiometer because it is an inexpensive and
easy to use position sensor.

 A potentiometer converts position information into a

variable voltage through a resistor.

 As the sweeper on the resistor moves due to a change

in position, the proportion of the resistance before or
after the point of contact with the sweeper compared
with the total resistance varies

 Since in this capacity the potentiometer acts as a

voltage divider, the output will be proportional to the
resistance
29
 resistive potentiometers are one of the most
widely used forms of position sensor

 consists of a length of resistive material with

a sliding contact onto the resistive track

 When used as a positional sensor the

moveable object is connected directly to the
shaft or slider of the potentiometer and a DC
reference voltage is applied across the two
outer fixed connections forming the resistive
element while the output signal is taken from
the wiper terminal of the sliding contact as
shown below thus producing a potential or
voltage divider type circuit output..
30
 5.5.2.2.MOTION SENSORS

 A motion detector is a device for motion detection.

 Motion sensors’ can be used to refer to any kind of sensing

system which is used to detect motion; motion of any object or
motion of human beings.

 Motion detection is the process of detecting a change in

position of an object relative to its surroundings or the
change in the surroundings relative to an object.

 An electronic motion detector contains a motion sensor that

transforms the detection of motion into an electric signal.

31
5.5.2.3.TYPES OF MOTION SENSING

 there are many types of motion sensing, but the major

ones are as mentioned below:-
1. Passive Infrared Motion Sensing.
2. Ultrasonic Motion Sensing.
3. Microwave Motion Sensing.

1. Passive Infrared Motion Sensing (PIR sensor) is an

electronic device that measures infrared (IR) light
radiating from objects in Its field of view.

 This type of detector is often used as part of a larger

security system.

 E.g. Automatic Door Opening System.

 Automatic Counting Mechanisms.

32
 2.Ultrasonic motion sensing

 Ultrasonic sensors generate high frequency sound waves and

evaluate the echo which is received back by the sensor.

 Ultrasonic motion detectors use sound waves to detect

motion.

 It senses motion by analyzing sound waves in its environment.

33
 3.Microwave motion sensing

 If an object is moving, the sensor receives different

microwaves than the ones it sent out, signifying movement
and setting off the alarm.

 The sensor then reads the frequency of the returning waves.

 These types of motion sensor systems cover a larger area than

infrared sensors, they are capable of penetrating walls.

34
 5.5.3.SMOKE AND CHEMICAL SENSORS

5.5.3.1Smoke Detectors(sensors)

 Smoke:- is a collection of airborne solid and

liquid particulates and gases emitted when a
material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis.

 Smoke is an aerosol (mist) of solid particles and

liquid droplets that are close to the ideal range
of sizes for scattering of visible light.

 It is commonly an unwanted by-product of fires.

 Smoke is also a component of internal combustion

engine exhaust gas, particularly diesel exhaust.

35
 Smoke Composition

 The composition of smoke depends on the

nature of the burning fuel and the conditions
of combustion.

 it is composed of
• Nitrogen oxides
• Sulphur Dioxides
• Hydrogen Sulphide
• Carbon Dioxide
• Carbon Monoxide
• Hydrogen Cyanides
• Ammonia
• Aromatic components like benzene

36
 Effects of smoke

Effect on Environment

 Smoke can damage the ability of plants to

store food and water that also damages the
reproduction and plant growth.

 Smoke can create acid deposits in the form

of acid rain.

 These acidic deposits and acidic rain end up

on soil and water that can hurt plants and
animals.

 It can cause water pollution.

37
 Smoke Effect on Health

 It can cause breathing problems.

 Particles of toxic chemicals in smoke are

easily inhaled through lungs and can cause
serious problems for health.

 Thus, heavy smoke results in a low

production of vitamin D leading to case of
rickets among people.

 It can cause severe eye problems, including

burning of eyes.

38
 SMOKE DETECTOR

 A mechanical device that is sensitive to smoke or particular material

in the air that transmits a signal to the measuring instrument.

 Smoke detector consists of two parts:

•A sensor to sense the smoke .
•Electronic horn to horn the people

Two Types Of Smoke Detectors

 Photoelectric Detector-uses a beam of light emitted, unimpeded from

one end of the chamber to the other. Smoke disrupting this beam
will set the alarm off.

 Ionization Detector-uses an ionization chamber and a source of

ionizing radiation to detect smoke. It is the most common type of
smoke detector because it is inexpensive and is better at detecting
smaller amounts of smoke produced by flaming fires.

39
 Photoelectric smoke Detector

 The photoelectric type detector utilizes light as a

detection mechanism.

 There are two types of photoelectric smoke

detectors

• Light sensing(scattering)

• Light obscuring(blocking)

 Light scattering smoke detector depend on the

ability of small airborne particles to scatter light.

 Scattering is due to the absorption, reflection,

refraction, polarization, and diffraction.

40
 When smoke particles enter in the chamber increases,
more light is scattered toward the sensor.

 When the concentration of particles reach the

threshold , an alarm sound is produced

LIGHT OBSCURING SMOKE DETECTOR

 A projected beam can use a single light source to and

photo sensor to detect a very large area

 Most such detectors use IR-LED or laser diode as

sensor.

 Detection of smoke by attenuated light.

 Uses a separate emitter and detector.

41
 IONIZATION SMOKE DETECTOR

 Ionization smoke detectors use an ionization chamber

and a source of ionizing radiation to detect smoke.

 Ionization is very simple two plate chamber with

voltage across along them along with the radioactive
source of ionization.

 The ionization smoke detector consists of an alpha

particle producing a radioactive source (americium-
241), a smoke chamber, and charged detector plates.

 The alpha source causes the air within the smoke

chamber to become ionized and conductive

 As smoke particles enter the smoke chamber, the

smoke particles attach themselves to the ionized air
molecules and the air in the chamber becomes less
conductive

42
 CHEMICAL SENSORS
 

 Chemical sensor is a device that transforms chemical

information, ranging from the concentration of a
specific sample component to total composition
analysis, into an analytically useful signal. 

 Chemical sensors contain two basic functional units:

a receptor part and a transducer part.

 Chemical sensor- a device that transforms chemical

information ranging from concentration of a specific
sample component to total composition analysis into
an analytically useful signal.

 Used in industry for process control and for

monitoring, including monitoring for safety.

43
 Important role in environmental protection

 Tracking of hazardous materials

 Human activities contaminate the environment to

the point where entire ecosystems are
destroyed and risking human lives.

 Diffusion of toxins and chemicals into water,

soils and sediments.

 Industrial activities may contaminate air, soil

and water

 Fertilizers, sewage disposal, manure storage

(nitrates and nitrites)

44
 Applications of chemical sensors

 Controlled combustion (automobile, industrial

furnaces)

 Toxic and inflammable gas detection

(leakages)

 Electronic noses for air-quality monitoring,

food quality and medical diagnosis

 used to monitor, measure, test, analyse

data as generated due to changes in a
measured norm (usually concentration for
chemical sensors

45
 6. Actuator and control

 A control system is a mechanical or electronic system

that is used to obtain and maintain the specific result.

 A control system consisting of interconnected

components is designed to achieve a desired purpose.

 Process control can simply be defined as the automated

control of a process or the manipulation of a set of
conditions to bring about a desired change in the output
of the process.

46
 A controlled variable is sometimes referred to as the
process variable. It is the element that is to be controlled,
for example, pressure, temperature, level, flow, chemical
composition, etc

 A measured variable is a measurement signal of the

controlled variable.

 The setpoint is the desired value of a process. It is the

value of the controlled variable that the process is required
to operate at.

 A manipulated variable is the actual variable changed by the

final control element to obtain the desired effect on the
controlled variable.

 Disturbances (upsets) are any changes that can occur to the

process to cause the controlled variable to change from the
setpoint. 47
 The development of a control strategy consists of
formulating or identifying the following.

 Control objective

 Input variables(manipulated or disturbance variables)

 Output variables(measured or unmeasured variables)

 Constraints

 Operating characteristics(continuous, batch and

semicontinuous or semibatch)

 Control structure(the controllers can be feedback or

feed forward in nature).

48
 6.1.ACTUATORS

 means of operating the valve

 it requires a control signal and a source of energy

 It is a mechanical device that has the function of

giving the needed force to move another mechanical
device.

 The force produced by the actuators can come from

several sources: Pneumatic pressure, hydraulic
pressure, motive force.

 Depending on their type of supply, the actuators are

classified as “pneumatic”, “hydraulic” and “electric”.

49
 6.1.1.PNEUMATIC ACTUATORS

 a pneumatic actuator converts energy ( in the form of

compressed air ) into mechanical motion.

 the motion can be rotary or linear depending upon the

type of actuators used.

they are basically of two types

• piston actuator

• diaphragm actuator

 these actuators are designed so that with a specific

change of air pressure, the spindle will move
sufficiently to move the valve through its complete
stroke from fully-closed to fully-open.

50
 DIAPHRAGM ACTUATOR

 they have compressed air applied to a flexible

membrane called the diaphragm

 they are single acting i.e. air is supplied from

single side of the diaphragm

PISTON ACTUATOR

 they can withstand higher input pressures.

• can offer small cylinder volumes.

• they are generally used where there is long

stem travel or large amount of force to
be positioned.

51
 6.1.3.HYDRAULIC ACTUATORS

 pneumatic actuators that use hydraulic fluids are

called hydraulic actuators but they are more
powerful for the same dimensions

6.1.4. ELECTRICAL ACTUATORS

 electrical actuators use electrical signal to

produce the motion

 they are of two types solenoid actuators and motor

driven actuators.

52
 Control systems

 Control System – An interconnection of components

forming a system configuration that will provide a
desired response.

 A control system is a mechanical or electronic

system that is used to obtain and maintain the
specific result.

 The word control is usually taken to mean :

- regulate,
- direct,
- command.

53
 Control Loop Classifications
Closed and Open control loops

 A closed control loop exists where a process

variable is measured, compared to a set point, and
action is taken to correct any deviation from set
point.

54
 An open control loop exists where the process
variable is not compared, and action is taken not in
response to feedback on the condition of the
process variable, but is instead taken without
regard to process variable conditions.

55
 Control Loop Classifications

Automatic and Manual control

Automatic control
 This term came into wide use when people learned
to adapt automatic regulatory procedures to
manufacture products or process material more
efficiently. Such procedures are called automatic
because no human (manual) intervention is required
to regulate them.

56
 Manual control

 Without automatic controllers, all regulation tasks will have to

be done manually. For example: To keep constant the
temperature of water discharged from an industrial gas-fired
heater, an operator has to watch a temperature gauge and
adjust a gas control valve accordingly. If the water
temperature becomes too high, the operator has to close the
gas control valve a bit - just enough to bring the temperature
back to the desired value. If the water becomes too cold, he
has to open the valve again.

57
 6.3.CONTROL VALVE

 Is a power actuated device which modifies the fluid flow rate

in a process control system.

 It consists of a valve connected to an actuator mechanism

(including all related accessories) that is capable of changing
the position of a closure member in the valve in response to a
signal from the controlling system.

 a control valve is a power-operated device used to modify the

fluid flow rate in a process system.

 there are two basic types of control valves

 i) rotary motion valves having ball, butterfly or plug type

closures.

 ii) linear motion valves having globe , diaphragm or pinch type

closures.

58
 Linear Motion Valves

Main types of linear valves :

 Globe Valves

 Diaphragm Valves

 Gate Valves

Globe Valves

 Globe valves restrict the flow of fluid by altering

the distance between a movable plug and a
stationary seat (in some cases, a pair of plugs and
matching seats).

 The globe valve design is one of the most popular

sliding-stem valve designs used in throttling
service.

59
60
 DIAPHRAGM VALVE

 Diaphragm valves use a flexible sheet pressed close to the edge of a

solid dam to narrow the flow path for fluid. These valves are well
suited for flows containing solid particulate matter such as slurries.

 Precise throttling may be difficult to achieve due to the elasticity

of the diaphragm.

 This diaphragm completely separates the valve trim from the fluid
flowing through the valve. This means that the fluid does not
contact the trim and the stem does not need any gland packing.

61
Diaphragm Valve positions (on-off)

diaphragm valve positions (throttling)

62
 GATE VALVE

 Gate valves work by inserting a dam (gate) into the

path of the flow to restrict it, in a manner similar
to the action of a sliding door.

 Gate valves are more often used for on/off control

than for throttling.

63
 ROTARY VALVES

MAIN TYPES OF ROTARY VALVES

 Ball Valves

 Butterfly Valves

 Disc Valves

64
 BALL VALVE

 In the ball valve design, a spherical ball with a passageway

cut through the center rotates to allow fluid more or less
access to the passageway. When the passageway is parallel
to the direction of fluid motion, the valve is wide open;
when the passageway is aligned perpendicular to the
direction of fluid motion, the valve is fully shut (closed).

65
 BUTTERFLY VALVES

Butterfly valves are quite simple to understand:

the “butterfly” element is a disk that rotates
perpendicular to the path of fluid flow

66
 PRESSURE-CONTROL VALVES

 Pressure-control valves are often difficult to

identify mainly because of the many descriptive
names given to them

 Pressure-control valves are used in hydraulic

systems to control actuator force and to
determine and select pressure levels at which
certain machine operations must occur.

These are:-

 Pressure-relief valve.

 Pressure-reducing valve.

 Unloading valve

 Counterbalance valve.

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 Pressure-Relief Valves

 Pressure-relief valves limit the maximum pressure in a

hydraulic circuit by providing an alternate path for fluid
flow when the pressure reaches a preset level.

 All fixed-volume pump circuits require a relief valve to

protect the system from excess pressure.

 A relief valve is similar to a fuse in an electrical system.

 Both devices protect the system from excess

pressure/current by keeping it below a preset level.

 Without the protection of a fuse, the electrical circuit

would finally overheat and start a fire. Similarly, in a
hydraulic circuit, a relief valve opens and bypasses fluid
when pressure exceeds its setting. The valve then closes
again when pressure falls.

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 Pressure Reducing Valve

 This type of valve is used to maintain reduced pressures

in specified locations of hydraulic systems.

 It is actuated by downstream pressure and tends to close

as this pressure reaches the valve setting.

 A pressure-reducing valve uses a spring-loaded spool to

control the downstream pressure.

 If the downstream pressure is below the valve setting,

the fluid flows freely from the inlet to the outlet

 When the outlet (downstream) pressure increases to the

valve setting, the spool moves to the right to partially
block the outlet port.

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 FLOW-CONTROL VALVES

 Flow-control valves, as the name suggests, control

the rate of flow of a fluid through a hydraulic
circuit.

 Flow-control valves accurately limit the fluid volume

rate from fixed displacement pump to or from branch
circuits.
Reasons for Control

 To ensure the correct proportions of raw materials

are combined during the manufacturing process

 To ensure that ingredients are supplied at the proper

rate during the mixing and blending of the materials

 To prevent a high flow rate than might cause

pressure or temperatures to become dangerous,
overspills to occur, or machines to over speed
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 Functions of Flow-Control Valves
 Flow-control valves have several functions, some of which are
listed below:
1. Regulate the speed of linear and rotary actuators: They control
the speed of piston that is dependent on the flow rate and area
of the piston:

2. Regulate the power available to the sub-circuits by controlling the

flow to them:

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 MOTORS

 Is electrical actuators

 Electric operators with proportional or infinite positioning

control have limited use in the process industries.

 Their primary use has been in remote areas, such as tank

farms and pipeline stations, where no convenient air supply
is available.

 Electric motors have long been used to actuate large

valves, especially valves operated as on/off (“shutoff”)
devices.

 An electric actuator providing on/off rotary actuation to a

ball valve. This particular electric actuator comes with a
hand crank for manual operation, in the event that the
electric motor (or the power provided to it) fails

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