Monitoring & Control

Systems
Kudakwashe Sengweni
 Syllabus Requirements
 Show an understanding of monitoring and control
systems.
 Know the difference between monitoring and
control.
 Know the use of sensors (including temperature,
pressure, infra-red, sound) and actuators
 Importance of feedback
 What is Monitoring?
 Monitoring is the observation and recording of
data about an environment through the use of
sensors.
 Sensors are input devices that take readings of
physical quantities.
 What is Controlling?
 Controlling is actively seeking to maintain or
change the state of a system or environment
through the use of actuators.
 Actuators are devices that change variations in a
physical quantity by taking signals from a
computer and converting them into some form of
motion.
 Data in Monitoring & Control
Systems
 Data read by the sensor is analogue in nature –
always changing.
 This requires an Analogue to Digital Converter
(ADC) to change the data from analogue to digital
for the microprocessor to understand.
 The data then has to be reconverted into analogue
through a DAC when the microprocessor sends a
signal to the actuator because actuators understand
analogue, and not digital, data.
 Sensors and their applications
SENSOR APPLICATIONS
Temperature • Control a central heating system
• Control/monitor a chemical process
• Control/monitor temperature in a greenhouse.
Infra-red/Motion • Turn on windscreen wipers on a car when it rains
• Detect an intruder in a burglar alarm system.
• Count people entering or leaving a building.
Sound • Pick up sound levels (such as footsteps or breaking glass)
in a burglar alarm system.
• Detect noise of liquids dripping from a pipe.
Pressure • Detect intruders in a burglar alarm system.
• Check weight (such as the weight of a vehicle).
• Monitor/control a process where gas pressure is
important.
 Feedback
 The output given by a microprocessor to the
actuator affects the next input.
 Sensor readings may cause the microprocessor to
alter the actuator in order to change the next set
of values coming in.
 This is in order to bring readings within
desired parameters.
  Sensors send signals to the microprocessor or computer
 The signals are converted to digital by an ADC if necessary.
 Microprocessor analyses data received by checking it against
stored values

Monitoring
• If new data is outside the
acceptable range, a warning
message is sent to a screen or an
alarm is activated.
• The microprocessor has no
effect on what is being
monitored.
Controlling
• If the new data is outside the
acceptable range, the
microprocessor sends signals to
the actuator.
• This output from the
microprocessor affects the next
set of input vales from the
sensor through the feedback
loop.
MONITORING
• Monitoring a patient in a
hospital for vital signs.
• Checking for intruders in a
burglar alarm system.
• Checking temperature levels
in a car engine.
• Monitoring pollution levels.
CONTROLLING
• Turning street lights on at
night and off during the day.
• Controlling temperature in a
central heating system.
• Controlling traffic lights at a
road junction.
• Operating anti-lock brakes on
a car when necessary.
• Controlling the environment
in a greenhouse.