INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL (MCT 3224)

INTRODUCTION TO INSTRUMENTATION
Hasmawati Antong Lecturer, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia

Content

Introduction to instrumentation and measurement Types of instruments Functions of instruments Principle of measurement Measurement systems Element of process control and instrumentation Application of instrumentation Summary

Introduction to instrumentation and measurement

Instrumentation comprises of scientific activities and technologies that are related to measurement. It is a link between physical, chemical and biological phenomena and their perception by human Instrumentation serves to stimulate scientific knowledge in the junction between theory and experimental practice Instrumentation is the science of measurement and control

Introduction to instrumentation and measurement

It can be used to refer to two elements: 1) The field in which instrumentation technicians and engineer work 2) The available methods of measurement and the instrument which facilitates it The primary purpose of instrumentation in industrial manufacturing is to aid the economics of industrial operation by improving: 1) the quality of the product 2) the efficiency of the production

Introduction to instrumentation and measurement

Instrument is a device that transforms physical variable of interest (measurand) into a form that is suitable for recording (measurement) Measurement means to employ a standard system of units by which the reading from one instrument can be compared with another
Measurand Length Measurement meter

Types of Instrument
1) Analog instrument A deflection type instrument Gives output that varies continuously as the quantity being measured change Example:

Types of Instrument
2) Digital instrument Display the decimal form of the value of the quantity being measured The output varies in discrete steps Example:

Types of Instrument
3) Passive instrument The output is produced entirely by the quantity being measured Example:

A pressure-measuring device

Pressure of fluid movement of pointer against a scale No other energy inputs to the system

Types of Instrument
4) Active instrument The quantity being measured modulates the magnitude of an external power source Example:

Float-type petrol tank level indicator Change in petrol tank level moves potentiometer arm Output signal shows proportion of the external voltage source across the potentiometer

Function of Instrument

The common purpose of instruments are to supply information about the variable quantity being measured. Basic functions of instruments: 1) Indicating 2) Recording 3) Controlling Functions 1) & 2) are for general test instruments Functions 3) only applicable for industrial process instruments

Principles of Measurement

Input to the measurement system is the actual value Output from the measurement system is the measured value

Measurement System
Measurement system refers to all the software and hardware that lead from the measured variable to the processed data.

Measurement System

Sensing element (sensor) : device in contact with the measured process and giving output depends on the quantity being measured Signal conditioning element : takes output from sensor and converts it to a form suitable for processing (amplifiers, filter)

Measurement System

Signal processing element : takes output from the signal conditioner and performs analysis/transformation (ADC, spectral analyzer) Data presentation : computer display, graphs, indicator, gauges, etc

Elements of Process Control and Instrumentation

1.

Process (plant) Consists of complex assembly of phenomena that relates to some manufacturing sequence Contain the variable to be controlled Single-variable process (eg. Control only temperature) Multi-variable process (eg. Control temperature and humidity) Measurement To get information about the variable to be controlled Sensor is used to perform the measurement and also energy conversion (eg. Temperature sensor convert temp. to voltage)

2.

Elements of Process Control and Instrumentation

3.

Controller / Error detector Used to examine the error and determine the action to be taken (if any) Error is obtain from the difference between the measured value and the reference value Its operation usually performed by microprocessor-based computers Setpoint Refers to the reference value set by user
Control Element The element that exerts the change in the controlled variable

4.

5.

Elements of Process Control and Instrumentation

Block diagram of a refrigerator process-control loop

Elements of Process Control and Instrumentation

1)

Process the refrigerator and all its contents Measurement a sensor in the refrigerator to measure the internal temperature Controller / error detector controller (relay, PI, PID) to turn on the compressor and fan

2)

3)

4)

Setpoint determined by set knob setting

Control element compressor and fan circulate the cold air

5)

Application of Instrumentation
1) Regulating trade Achieved by applying instrument to measure physical quantities such as length, volume and mass in terms of standard units 2) For monitoring Measurement information allow us to take some prescribe action accordingly For instance, temperature monitoring in vaccine storage allow us to decide either to increase the cooling rate or not Applicable in our daily live or to control some industrial process

Application of Instrumentation
3) As part of automatic feedback control system

Elements of a simple closed-loop control system

Summary

Instrumentation involves measurement process and control process Instrumentation is very important in engineering field because it allows us to measure, observe, control and keep record of the physical process that we are working with.