Components of Control Loops

CONTROL LOOP EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY

What is a Control Loop?
A Control loop is the fundamental building block of the industrial control system or
industrial automation. It is a group of components working together as a system to achieve and
maintain the desired value of a system variable by manipulating the value of another variable in
the control loop.
An instrumentation control loop consists of a controller that can adjust the process
variable equal to setpoint by measuring the current process variable using sensors.
 There are different types of control loop components that work in combination for the
common desire of the system or to attain the setpoint. They are:
Primary element/sensor
Transducer
Converter
Transmitter
Signal
Indicator
Recorder
Controller
Correcting element/final control element
Actuator
Primary element/Sensors:
Sensors are the first element in the control loop which measures the change in the
process and reporting the process variable so they are also called as the primary element.
Sensors are devices which cause change when affected by a change in the process variable. There
are different types of sensors for measuring variables like Pressure, Temperature, Flow, Level, pH,
Vibration etc.,
There are different types of sensors available for various process variable:
Thermocouples, RTD for Temperature measurement
Strain gauge, Pressure sensing diaphragm, capacitive cells for pressure measurement
Orifice plate, Pitot tube, Magnetic flow tube etc., for flow measurement
There are so many other sensors used to measure different variables like vibration, pH,
force, weight etc..,
Transducers
A transducer converts any form of energy
into another form. In electrical instrumentation field
Transducers are devices which converts a physical
variable into electrical signals. Another name
transducers are Pick-ups.
In process control, a converter used to
convert a 4–20 mA current signal into a 3–15 psi
pneumatic signal is called a current-to-pressure
converter. There are different types of transducer
classified based on their working principle.
Transmitters
Transmitters are devices that
convert the signal into a standard
signal that can be transmittable
through the control loop and the
parameters can be monitored
remotely.
• Pressure transmitters
• Flow transmitters
• Temperature transmitters
• Level transmitters
• Analytic transmitters
Signals
Signals are used to transmit process variable from transmitter to the controller and sent
back the feedback signal from the controller to the final control elements. There are three types
of signal in industrial automation:
• Pneumatic signal: Air pressure in the pneumatic pipeline change according to the change in
the process variable. The standard pneumatic pressure in the signal pipe in industries are in
a range of 3-15psi.
• Analog signal: Analog signals are mostly used control signals, the transmitter sends the
signal through a set of electrical wire. The standard signal range is within 4-20mA, for LRV
valve a 4mA signal is produced and for URV it is 20mA.Other common standard electrical
signals include the 1–5 V (volts)signal and the pulse output.
• Digital signal: Digital signals are special protocols used for communication in industries. All
protocol are owned by specific companies.
Indicators
An indicator is human readable devices that display the process variable. There are
analog indicators such as used in pressure, temperature gauges and there are digital indicators
that display process variables as the digits. Even though the process variable is connected to the
controller, the indicators are used industries for different purposes.
Recorder
Recorders are used in industries to provide history on the process and to be submitted
to regulatory agencies for verification. By recording the readings of critical measurement points
and comparing those readings over time with the results of the process, the process can be
improved.
Controllers
Controllers are the centre of process control, which receives process variable then
compare with setpoint stored in the controller and sends a feedback as the controller output to
control the final control element. There are pneumatic and electronic or programmable such as
DCS, PLC uses a complex mathematical algorithm to perform the control action.
• PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): PLCs are usually computers connected to a set of
input/output (I/O) devices. The computers are programmed to respond to inputs by sending
outputs to maintain all processes at setpoint.
• DCS (Distributed Control Signal): DCSs are controllers that, in addition to performing control
functions, provide readings of the status of the process, maintain databases and advanced
man-machine-interface.
PLC and DCS
DIAGRAM COMPARISON
Final Control Element
Final control elements are the correcting elements that
receives signal from the controller and make a change in process
to adjust the process variable at the desired parameter. In any
control loop, the speed with which a final control element reacts
to correct a variable that is out of setpoint is very important.
Many of the technological improvements in final control
elements are related to improving their response time.
For example:
Pumps and Control valves – Final control devices of Flow
control system
Heaters and Boilers – Final control devices of temperature
control system
Compressor and Valves: Final control devices of pressure
control system
Actuators
An actuator is the most important part of the final control element, a device that causes
physical change in the final control element. For a valve actuator is the valve stem actuator and
for a heater, it is the heating coil. An actuator can be controlled by pneumatically, Hydraulically,
Electrically.
End of Presentation
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