Introduction to Control System

Introduction to Digital Computer Control

Reference
Introduction to Computer Based Control System
IDC Technology
COMPUTER CONTROL (Digital).
 The industrial revolution has contributed largely in the development of machine b ased
control where machines in process industries were took over the work do ne by human
physical power.
 The early production processes were natural scale-up versions of the traditional manual
practices. These were designed as batch process which later was expan ded to continuous
processes, resulting in economical and technological benefits.
 The industrial process control has modernized with modernization of industries. Process
control is therefore not a discovery of recent past, but is rather as old a s the industry
itself.
 The engineers and designers of process industries always tried to automate the p rocesses
as much as possible and to do so, brought in measuring instruments.
 Thus the need of better instrumentation and automatic control became the domin ant
reason for better operation of industrial processes. Conversely, the advan cement in
instrumentation and control contributed to the development of larger and more complex
processes, bringing numerous technological and econo mical benefits to the opera
 Digital computer continues…

 The earliest recorded suggestions for use of computer for measurement and control (in real-time) a pplication were
made by Brown and Campbell in their paper in 1950. In this specific reporting the c omputer was used in both feedback
and feed-forward loops. Scientists also suggested using digital computing elements (logics) for setting up the control
functions.
 The first digital computer developed specifically for control (in real-time application) was for airbor ne (military)
operation, and in 1954 a digital computer was successfully used to provide an automa tic flight and weapons control
system.
 Late 1950s itself saw the application of digital computers in industrial measurement & control for t he purpose of
process control. The first industrial computer control system, called RW – 300 system (of Ramo-Wooldridge Company)
was installed at Port Arthur refinery of Texaco Company in T exas. This system was capable of providing closed-loop
control.
 The RW-300 systems were later installed by a number of chemical industries during early 1960s t o work as
supervisory control systems. The logged information was used for steady-state opti mization calculations to determine
the set-points for standard analog controllers. These computers based systems were only indicative type; that means
these did not control directly the movement o f the valves or other final control elements.
 The first direct-digital control (DDC) computer system developed and operated for process mon itoring and control was
Ferranti Argus 200; a large system with a provision of 120 control loops and 256 measurement inputs. The architecture
of this computer system has ferrite core memory sto rage system (it replaced the rotating drum as used by the RW –
300 computers).
 Roles of Computer in Measurement and Process Control
 Computers are now extensively used for measurement and control in process
and manufacturing industries. It has brought new possibilities and new
challenges to measurement and control engineers.
 The basic objective of computer based measurement and control is to acquire
the information from field devices (input), and compute a logical decision to
manipul ate the material and energy flow of given process in a desired way
to get optima l output.
 The expectations from a process computer compared to a general purpose
comp uter is primarily in terms of response time, computing power, flexibility
and fa ult tolerance, which are need to be rigid and reliable.
 The control of the process has to be carried out in real-time.

Difficulties Encountered
 Mostly for process computers it is difficult to provide a solution to the problem
of complexity, flexibility, and geographical separation of process elements
(plant eq uipment) which are to be operated in a controlled manner.
 Digital Computer Control System

Types Of Digital Computer Control System

Digital computer controlled applications in the process industries may be of:

i. Passive: Passive application involves only acquisition of process data (data acquisition / data
loggin
g).
ii. Active: Active application involves acquisition & manipulation of data, uses it for (real time)
process control.

Passive System Working Principles

 The passive application deals predominantly with monitoring, alarming and data reduction
systems.
 The process data, after being acquired (measured) on-line, is sent to the data acquisition
computer t hrough interface module.
 The smart instruments (smart sensors, smart transmitters and smart actuators, the final control
elem ent), with embedded computer help operator to receive real-time process measurement
inform ation and automatic transmission in required form for further processing by the
process co mputer.
 The smart instruments ensure that the actuator, transmitter or sensor function according to the
requi rement of the user.
 Digital Computer Control System
Applications
 The major application of digital computers is in process control and plant optimization.
 Computer control systems, once prohibitively expensive, can now be tailored to fit most industrial
ap plications on a competitive economic basis (cheap implementation).

 The advances in the use of computer control have motivated many and changed the concepts of
the operations of industrial processes. Video display terminals now provide the focus for
operators to su pervise the whole plant from a control room.
 Large panel of instruments, knobs and switches are replaced by a few keyboards and screens.
Contro
l rooms are now much smaller and fewer people are required to supervise the plant.

 Process control computers now have the capability to implement sophisticated mathematical
models.
 Plant managers and engineers can be provided with comprehensive information concerning the
statu s of plant operations to aid effective operation.

 With the use of microprocessor-based instruments and new emerging techniques, it is possible for
a utomatic tuning of controller parameters for best operating performance.
 The expert systems and advanced control techniques such as model based predictive control, are
 Digital Computer Control System
Basic components and Block Diagram of Computer Control
System
The basic components are:

1. Sensor : Measurement and Data Acquisition

2. Comparator : Data conversion and scaling and checking
3. Analog to Digital Converter : Data accumulation and formatting, visual display
4. Computing Algorithm : Comparing with limits and alarm raising
Events, sequence and trends; monitoring and logging
5. Digital to Analog Converter : Data logging and Computation
6. Plant : Control actions
Digital Computer Control System

Figure: Block Diagram Of Computer Based Process Control System

 The controlled variable (o/p of the process) is measured as continuous electrical signal
(analog
), and converted into a discrete-time signal using a device called Analog-to-digital-
conver ter (ADC).
 This digital signal is fed back to a comparator (digital) and compared with the discrete
form of
set point, which is the desired value, by the digital computer; this produces an error
signal
 An appropriate computer program representing the controller, called control
algorithm, is exe cuted which yields a discrete controller output.
 The discrete signal is then converted into a continuous electrical signal using a
device called
Digital to-analog-converter (DAC).
 The analog signal is fed to the final control element.
 This control strategy is repeated at some predetermined frequency (time division
multiplexed with other control loops and other associated activities) to achieve
closed-loop computer cont
 Digital Computer Control System
Architecture of Computer based Process Control System
Computer-aided Industrial Process can be classified on the basis of their architecture
under o ne or more of the following:
i. Centralized Computer Control
 Comprised of large computer system with huge space and power consuming
type magnetic core memory.
 Mostly done to improve the speed of operation.
 System is expensive due to high cost of core memory and additional
electronics.
 Use of centralized computer control systems also had problems of providing
expe nsive communication systems for bringing in the (field) signals to the
centrali zed computer location; and output control signals to the
field devices (valv es, motors, actuators etc.).
 Electrical noise problems for large distance communication of signals was a
major
cause of process interruptions.
 Due to sudden computer stoppages leading to complete stoppage of
plant/proces s and, as a consequence, resulted in losses and poor quality
 Digital Computer Control System
ii. Distributed Computer Control

 With the advent of microprocessors and microcomputers, distributed

computer control architecture became very popular because such systems
were capable of tackling the problems and limitations of centralized computer
control system were removed.

 The work of monitoring and control of the industrial processes is not divided by
functions and allocated to a particular computer; instead, the total work is
divided up and spread across several computers.

 Since industrial processes are geographically located over wide area, it is

essential that the computing power required to control such processes be also
distributed and more emphasis be put to locations where major (control)
activity takes place.
 Digital Computer Control System
iii. Hierarchical Computer Control
 There is hierarchy of computers connected on a network with each performing
dist inct functions. In this type of control, the upper level computers depend
on lo wer level devices for process data, and the lower level systems depend
upon high er level systems for more sophisticated control functions such as
overall plant o ptimization.

Figure: Five levels of automation hierarchy of a (hierarchical)

computer based process control system
 Digital Computer Control System
Task Listing of Computer Based System
Field Level (Level-0)

 Measurement of process parameters, signal conditioning etc. if necessary, and

transmissio n of field parameters to the control level (Level-1) computer control
systems.

Control Level (Level-1)

 Systems at this level maintain direct control of the plant units under their cognizance,
dete ct emergency condition in these units and take appropriate action.
 Undertakes system coordination and reporting jobs by collecting information on unit
prod uction, raw material consumption, and energy consumption; transmits to higher
level co mputer (Level-2). Programming part of operator’s human machine interface
(HMI) done at this level.
 Takes up reliability assurance activities by performing diagnostics on the various control
e quipment; this also helps in detecting the faults and maintaining the standby system
 Digital Computer Control System
Supervisory Level (Level-2)

 This level enforces control on the system by responding to any emergency condition at
its own level.
 Also optimizes processes under its control as per established production schedule and
car ry out all established process operational schemes or operating practices for the
proc esses.
 The coordination of the plant operation is taken up for here for data reporting; this level
c ollects and maintain process/production database. The records for inventory and raw
mate rial are maintained at this level; monitors on the energy consumption by units
under its co ntrol.
 This level is where communication with higher and lower level computer systems are
coord inated.
 The reliability assurance part of the job performs diagnostics on the various control
equip ment to detect the fault and keep updating hot-backup (standby) system if
connected in the hierarchy.
 Digital Computer Control System
Plant Level (Level-3)

 This level undertakes production planning and scheduling job by preparing immediate pro
duction schedule under its area of control.
 The monitoring and recording of all the plant are done by computers at Level 3.
 The production cost optimization function is taken up by modifying the production schedu
le based on inputs received from lower levels; the energy consumption and optimization o
f energy use is manipulated at this level.
 The plant coordination and operational data reporting jobs which include preparing produc
tion reports, maintenance of plant inventory about material and energy usage, maintaining
communications with the higher and lower level computers, operation related data collecti
on and off-line analysis for future prediction and usage.
 Services to the operator’s human machine interface (HMI) are taken up at this level. Under
reliability assurance activities, the diagnostics on the various control equipment to help i
n detecting the fault and keeping the standby system live is taken up at this level.
 Digital Computer Control System
Management level (Level-4)

 The core area of activity at this level involves management tasks.

 Under Sales and Marketing the activities taken up are customer order management, order
booking, and transferring order information to plant level (Level – 3) computers. Market for
ecasting and market intelligence, customer database management, market survey are the
other activities of this level.
 Under finance and accounting the logging and monitoring of company’s sales and expendi
tures, annual accounting, profit and loss account for the management information etc. are
undertaken.
 Digital Computer Control System
Human Machine Interface
 Technically where the human and the machine may interact.
 It is the area of the human and the area of the machine that interact during a given
task. In
teraction
 can include touch, sight, sound, heat transference or any other physical or cognitive
functi on.
 The goal of human-machine interaction engineering is to produce a user interface
which makes it easy, efficient, and enjoyable to operate a machine in the way which
produces the desired result.
HMI devices consist mainly of the following components:
 Display unit (CRT)
 Keyboard
 Input unit
 Printing unit
 Control Panel/desks, mimic board/panel
 Recorders
Archtecture of General Computer control
The four basic components of a general computer are:
 Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Main unit inside the computer/heart of the computer). It controls all internal and
ex ternal devices, performs arithmetic and logic operations and consists of
control unit, arithmetic logic unit (ALU), temporary (primary storage) and
general purpo se registers.
 Storage section (memory ))

Main function of storage device is to store data and instructions (programs).

 Input/ output (I/O) section
Sub-system through which the CPU communicates with outside world. For
commun ication between the CPU and human machine interface (HMI) and other
peripheral devices s uch as printers, external storage, keyboards, mouse etc.
 Bus Interface
Bus Interface is an electronic pathway (media) in computer based system that provi
des a
communication path for data to flow between the CPU and its memory and peripher
als
and
amongst the CPUs connected to the computer system
 Digital Computer Control System
Analog Quantities: Thermocouples, strain gauges, flow meters, level sensors, etc. generate
m easured outputs as analog quantities in the form of milivolts (mV) or miliamperes (mA).
The mV or mA signals are amplified and fetched to the computer after converting these
analog si gnals into digital signal.

Digital Quantities: These are process events such as (on/off) operation of a limit switch,
open or closed contacts, a valve( in open or closed position), a switch in power on or off
position, a relay in open or closed condition, etc. These statuses (on/off, open/close) are
sensed in form of digital quantities. These digital quantities can be either binary (0/1) or a
Binary Coded Deci mal (BCD) or in other formats. Digital quantities are directly sent to the
computer without any conversion.

Pulses or pulse rates: These may be outputs (or inputs) of some measuring instruments
such as flow meters, stepper motors as controllers, valves, a motor on or off, etc.

Telemetry: This is a mechanism of transmitting a measured process quantities to a

convenien t remote location or to multiple locations, in a form, suitable for displaying,
recording or act uating a process.
Analogue interface
These interfaces take up the continuous (time varying) type analog inputs. The interfacing
har dware ensures compatibility of the incoming (or outgoing) signals to and from digital
com puter. The popular analog interfaces applied with digital computer are:

Analog-to-digital converter (ADC): An analog-to-digital converter (abbreviated ADC, A/D or

A to D) is a device that converts a continuous quantity to a discrete time digital
representation.

Digital-to-analog converter (DAC): Digital-to-analog conversion is a process in which signals

having two defined levels or states (digital) are converted into analog signals
(theoretically i nfinite number of states).

Modem: This device transmits data between computers, workstations and other peripheral
de vices interconnected by means of conventional communication lines supporting analog
tr ansmission.

Modem transforms (modulate) data from a digital device to an analog form which is suitable
for transmission on (analog) lines. Since
, in general, the data flows in both direction, modems are also able to receive an analog
signal from some remote device and restore it back (by demodulation) to its original digital
 Digital Computer Control System
Multiplexing: It is a process of sending multiple signals/streams of
information on a carrier at the same time in the form of a single, complex
signal. At receiver end, the multiplexed signal is de-multiplexed to recover
all the multiplexed signals.

Ex: Space division

multiplexing Frequency
division multiplexing
Time division
multiplexing.

Multiplexer: The circuit that combines signals at the source (transmitting)

end of a communic ations link is known as a multiplexer.
 Digital Computer Control System
Advantages of Using Digital Computer Control System
 Computers ensure the repeatability in the product quality that is essential in manufacturin
g plants.

 It permits flexibility to modify the sequencing and control procedures to provide for the m
anufacture of a different product and frequent changes in product specification.

 It maintains a data base containing the product recipe and thus is easy to change to a new
recipe quickly and reliably.

 Use of computers increases the productivity of the plant significantly by ensuring greater p
lant availability.

 It provides increased understanding of the behavior of the processes.

 It helps in reduction in dead time of batch operation.