Control Systems

Engineering

An Overview
 Topics

Basics

Instrumentation & Measurements

Instruments & Control Devices

Control Equipment

Controls

DCS / PLC Hardware

Design Issues

Documentation

Standards

Interfaces

Allied Systems

Trends
 Basics

What is Control Systems Engineering ?

– Application of Measurement & Control Concepts to operation &

control of plant processes.

– Deals with engineering, design, selection and application of

instrumentation and control equipment hardware and software
for control of plant processes and units.

– Involves understanding of principles for measurement of process

variables and control methods for various types of plant
processes and equipment.
 Basics

Calls for understanding of :
– Applied Physics
– Control Theory
– Digital and analogue electronics
– Computer systems
– Software and
– Data networks and protocols


Basic understanding of Thermodynamics, Heat & Mass Balance,
Process Operations and Fluid Properties is very helpful in proper
application of the measurement and control concepts.
 Basics

Control Systems Engineering can be primarily
divided into :
– Instrumentation and
– Controls


Controls can be further divided into:
– Control Equipment Engineering
– Process Control / Control Theory
 INSTRUMENTATION

Need

– Instruments are used to gather measurements of vital

process variables :


To keep the process under control as per design
operating parameters,

For Process Fault Analysis,

To verify the overall mass and energy balance,

For Custody Transfer
 INSTRUMENTATION

Pneumatic Vs Electronic Instruments


Field Vs Panel Instruments


Other instrument related items such as :
– Control Valves
– Solenoid Valves
– Safety / Relief Valves
– Motorized Valves
 MEASUREMENTS

Process measurements
– This involves selection of right type of sensor and the instrument
for accurate and reliable measurement of a given type of
process variable. There can be several types of process
variables depending upon the type of process and the type of
industry application.


Most common process variables are :
– Flow
– Pressure (Absolute pressure, Gauge Pressure, Differential
Pressure)
– Temperature
– Level
 MEASUREMENTS

Other typical variables could be : Speed, Vibration,
Displacements, Moisture, Humidity / Dew Point etc.


Depending on the process medium and type of application
(range, operational requirements, safety, cost etc.), several
different sensors based on different measurement principles
are used in the industry.
 MEASUREMENTS
Direct


– Example : Finding the weight by using the physical balance.

Indirect


– Measurement of other directly measurable property of the

medium and deducing the required process measurement
parameter from this directly measured property.
Example : measurement of Paper basis weight.
– Another method may require elaborate lab experiment to
compute the parameter. Measurement of Specific Heat, for
example is such a case. Instrumentation varies greatly in terms
of cost and complexity depending on the type of measurement.
 MEASUREMENTS

ON - LINE
– Measurements which provide continuous reading of the
process variable in real time.


OFF - LINE
– Measurements usually involve withdrawing a sample of the
process medium for off-line analysis in lab. Indirect
measurements could be mostly off-line. Several mining
processes involve such off-line measurements.
Typical Field Instruments - Sensors

Process Transmitters for Pressure, Level, Flow
and Temperature

Flow elements such as Orifice Plates, Venturi
meters, Flow nozzles, Pitot tubes, Anubars, PD
meters

Temperature elements such as Resistance
Temperature Detectors(RTD's),
Thermocouples (T/C's) and thermowells
 Typical Field Instruments - Sensors/
Miscellaneous Items
Pressure / differential pressure switches, flow
switches, level switches, temperature switches

Process Analysers

Ambient gas detectors

Level instrumentation such as level gauges,
indicators

Other hardware such as Junction boxes, Impulse
Tubing, Tube fittings, Cables, cable accessories
etc.
 Typical Field Control Devices

Control Valves ; Actuators ; I/P converters

Safety / Relief Valves

Solenoid valves

Motorised valve actuators

AC / DC Drives

Hydraulic Actuators and Amplifiers

Motor START/STOP relays
 Typical Panel Instruments

Controllers

Recorders

Indicators

Manual Loaders

Gauges

Alarm Annunciators

Temperature Scanners

Vibration Monitors
 Control Equipment

Distributed Control System (DCS)

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)

Emergency Shutdown System (ESD)

Discrete Control Hardware
– Controllers
– Trip Amplifiers
– Signal Multipliers
– Intrinsic Safety Barriers
– Signal Isolators
– Relays etc.
 Control Equipment


Control Panels

Electronic Cabinets

Control Desks

Annunciators

Mimics
 CONTROL

What are I/O's ?
– I/O's are input / outputs.
– All process measurements from the field come to DCS as
"INPUTS"
– All control signals from the DCS go back to the field as
"OUTPUTS"
– Since an I/O count determines the size of the control
hardware, an I/O count information is a primary input to
Control System Engineering work.
– This information is derived from P&ID's.
 CONTROL

Types of I/O's
– Analog

All continuously varying signals from process
transmitters are generally "ANALOG"
– Discrete

All status signals are generally "DISCRETE"

e.g. Switch status : Control Valve OPEN/CLOSE

Motor ON/OFF or Motor START/STOP command
– Pulse

Example : Frequency signal from Speed Sensor
 CONTROL

I/O Signal Levels (Typical Examples)
Analog

4 - 20 / 0 - 20 mA DC

0 - 5 / 1 - 5 V DC
– Discrete

24 / 48 V DC ; (Sometimes 110 VDC ; 110/220 VAC )
– Pulse

0 - 5 / 0 - 12 V Peak to Peak
– Digital Communications

0 - 5 VDC
 CONTROL

What is a "DCS" ?

– DCS is "Distributed Control System"

– "Geographical" and "Functional" Distribution
– Functionally, Control Intelligence is "distributed"
among the control system equipment.
– In addition, control hardware can be "Geographically"
distributed.
– Distribution on the above basis determines the DCS
"Architecture"
 CONTROL

What is a "PLC" ?

– It is "Programmable Logic Controller"

– It is specially built to scan the discrete inputs and execute logic at
high speed
– Ideally suited for building process interlocks
– Simple plant shutdown systems can be built using PLC's
– More cost effective where the plant processes use large number of
discrete I/O's . Example : Auto manufacturing (robot controls)
– Provides many features of DCS but has different architecture
 CONTROL

What is an "ESD" ?

– It is an "Emergency Shutdown System"

– In large process plants, plant trip / shutdown (ESD) systems are
normally built independent of DCS systems
– Main concern is Reliability and Speed
– ESD's are mostly "Triple Modular Redundant(TMR)"
– TMR systems use 3 independent channels in each circuit to
validate the fault before initiating the trip action
– Redundancy is built at all levels of the hardware from field sensor
to power supplies, control processors and firmware.
 Typical DCS / PLC Hardware

Marshalling Cabinets

Barrier Cabinets

Relay Cabinets

Electronic Cabinets
– Controller Cabinets
– I/O Cabinets / Remote I/O Cabinets

Operator Stations / Consoles / Keyboards / Trackball /
Mouse / Touch Screens

Engineering Workstations

Alarm / Event / Report Printers

Video Copiers

Information Management Stations
 Design Issues

Process Operation Flexibility
– Normal Operation,
– Operation during Process Upsets
– Planned Shutdown
– Emergency Shutdown
– Local / Remote Operation
– Graphic User Interface (GUI)


System Reliability and Availability
– Redundancy

Dual/Triple/Quad Modular Redundancy
– Environmental Protection
 Design Issues

Fail-Safe Designs
– Power failures,
– Instrument Air failure,
– Equipment failure,
– Cable Faults
– Types of Valve Actuators / Drives
– Failsafe Strategies
– Fault - Tolerant Systems

Safety
– Hazardous Areas
– Intrinsic Safety
 Design Issues

Special Process Requirements

Control System Architecture
– Discrete Controllers? / DCS or PLC?
– Functional / Geographical Distribution
– Integrated or Separate ESD?
– Hardwired Shutdown Panels ?
– Hardwired Annunciators ?
– Hardwired Mimic ?
– Network engineering
– Software
– Auxiliary Systems
 Documentation

Control Philosophy / Design Basis

P&ID Inputs

Instrument Index

DCS / PLC - block / Configuration Diagrams

DCS / PLC - I/O List

Data Sheets

Calculations
– Control Valve Sizing
– Flow element Sizing
– Safety / Relief Valve Sizing
 Documentation

Cause / Effect Diagrams

Logic Diagrams / Functional Diagrams

Process Graphics

Instrument Hook-ups

JB wiring details

Cable Schedules

Loop Diagrams

Instrument Location Plans / Layouts
 Codes & Standards

Instrument Society of America (ISA)

British Standards / ISO

ANSI / API

IEEE / IEC / CCITT / EIA

NACE

PED / ASTM

SAMA

NEMA

BIS

NFPA / OISD

FM / BASEEFA / ATEx / UL
 Discipline Interface

P&ID development and review

PROCESS 
Operating Philosophy

Process interlocks, shutdown
philosophy

Hazardous area information

Process Graphics review / DCS
Screen configurations

Process Data Sheets
 Discipline Interface

PIPING - Inline Instrumentation such as Flow
Elements, Control Valves, MOV's, Root
Valves, Thermowells for Temperature
Elements, Material Specs. etc.


PRESSURE - Level / Pressure Instrumentation,
VESSELS Thermowells on vessels, heat
exchangers, reactors, furnaces etc.
 Discipline Interface

ELECTRICAL

Power system requirements

Motor/Drive control logics and
interface

Cable/Tray/Conduit engineering

Electrical equipment monitoring
interface to DCS

Heat Tracing

Earthing

Lighting

Control Room Layouts
 Discipline Interface

CIVIL

Control room sizing and layouts,
Special construction requirements,
U/G conduits


STRUCTURAL 
Access platforms to control valves
and other inline instrumentation


ARCHITECTURAL 
Interior architectural aspects,
Flooring and soundproofing etc.
 Discipline Interface

POWER / UTILITY

HVAC requirements,

Instrument Air requirements,

Mechanical Package Instrumentation

Fire Protection


ROTATING 
Machine Monitoring Systems and
EQUIPMENT interface to DCS / PLC / ESD

Operation Methodology

Remote / Local operation
 Allied Systems

Fire and Gas Detection Systems

Access Control & Security Systems

MIS / PIMS / MM systems

ERP / MRP interfaces to DCS
 Trends

HART Protocols being replaced by Fieldbus

MAP Protocols

FIELDBUS Technology

Merging Information Systems & Process
Control Systems
 Modern Trends

Multi-loop / Multi-variable Controls

Multi-variable Transmitters

Optimization Controls

Model Based Controls

Artificial Intelligence

Expert Systems

Fibre Optic Networking