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4-20ma Current Loop

Industrial process control commonly uses 4-20 mA current loops for electronic signaling between field instrumentation and control devices, with 4 mA representing 0% and 20 mA representing 100% of the measured or controlled range. Current loops have advantages like powering remote devices, high noise immunity, and ability to carry signals over long cables. An example is given of using a current loop to transmit the position of a smart valve positioner for process control.

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Yasir Jamil
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121 views1 page

4-20ma Current Loop

Industrial process control commonly uses 4-20 mA current loops for electronic signaling between field instrumentation and control devices, with 4 mA representing 0% and 20 mA representing 100% of the measured or controlled range. Current loops have advantages like powering remote devices, high noise immunity, and ability to carry signals over long cables. An example is given of using a current loop to transmit the position of a smart valve positioner for process control.

Uploaded by

Yasir Jamil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Process control 4–20 mA loops

Showing the evolution of analogue control loop signalling from the pneumatic era to the electronic era.

Example of current loops used for sensing and control transmission. Specific example of a smart valve positioner is shown.

In industrial process control, analog 4–20 mA current loops are commonly used for electronic signalling, with the two
values of 4 & 20 mA representing 0–100% of the range of measurement or control. These loops are used both for carrying
sensor information from field instrumentation, and carrying control signals to the process modulating devices, such as a
valve.
The key advantages of the current loop are:

 The loop can often power the remote device, with power supplied by the controller, thus removing need for power
cabling. Many instrumentation manufacturers produce 4–20 mA sensors which are "loop powered".
 The "live" or "elevated" zero of 4 mA allows powering of the device even with no process signal output from the field
transmitter.
 The accuracy of the signal is not affected by voltage drop in the interconnecting wiring.
 It has high noise immunity as it is low impedance circuit usually through twisted pair conductors.
 It is self-monitoring; currents less than 3.8 mA or more than 20.5 mA are taken to indicate a fault.[1]
 It can be carried over long cables up to the limit of the resistance for the voltage used.
 In line displays can be inserted and powered by the loop, as long as total allowable loop resistance is not exceeded.
 Easy conversion to voltage using a resistor.
 Loop powered "I to P" (current to pressure) converters can convert the 4–20 mA signal to a 3–15 psi pneumatic
output for control valves, allowing easy integration of 4–20 mA signals into existing pneumatic plant.
Field instrumentation measurements are such as pressure, temperature, level, flow, pH or other process variables. A
current loop can also be used to control a valve positioner or other output actuator. Since input terminals of instruments
may have one side of the current loop input tied to the chassis ground (earth), analog isolators may be required when
connecting several instruments in series.
The relationship between current value and process variable measurement is set by calibration, which assigns different
ranges of engineering units to the span between 4 and 20 mA. The mapping between engineering units and current can be
inverted, so that 4 mA represents the maximum and 20 mA the minimum.

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