Course Outline
The Fundamentals of Process Instrumentation and Control
1. Instrumentation Signaling and Plant Applications
- Analog or Modulating
- Digital or On/Off
- Serial, Bus, and Ethernet Technology
2. General Terminology of Process Instrumentation
- What is an instrument “Element?”
- Indicators (Local vs. Remote)
- Transmitters and Signal Converters
- Final Control Elements
3. Level Measurement Methods – Technology, Advantages/Disadvantages and Good Installation Practices
- Pressure
- The physics of head measurement
- The compressibility of substances
- Head height vs. specific gravity
- Gauge vs. differential
- Pressurized vs. non-pressurized vessels
- Bubblers
- Remote diaphragm seals
- Sight glass
- Resistance/Capacitance Devices
- Ultrasonic/Radar Devices
- Floats
4. Flow Measurement Methods – Technology, Advantages/Disadvantages and Good Installation Practices
- Laminar vs. Turbulent Flow
- Volumetric Flow Meters
- Differential Pressure (Square Root)
- Magnetic
- Variable Area
- Vortex
- Turbine/Paddle Wheel
- Open Channel (Level)
- Mass Flow Meters
- Coriolis
- Positive Displacement
- Others
5. Temperature Measurement Methods – Technology, Advantages/Disadvantages and Good Installation Practices
- Thermocouples
- Everything you wanted to know about Thermocouples
- RTD’s
- Ice Point, 2, 3, and 4 wire
- IR
6. Control Valves – Technology, Advantages/Disadvantages and Good Installation Practices
- Different types of process control utilizing valves
- Valve bodies and valve trim
- Actuators
- Electric vs. Pneumatic
- Reciprocating vs. Rotary
- Fail Positions
- I/P’s. Positioners, and other Signal Converters
- Regulators and Pressure relief valves
7. Analytical Instrumentation – Technology
- Gas Detection
- Catalytic bead
- Electro-chemical
- UV/IR
- Cross-sensitivity
- pH
- Conductivity
- Chromatographs
8. Control Systems – Overview
- Terminology & Description
9. Introduction to Statistical Quality Control
- Utilizing Trend charts to determine if a process is out of control
- Evaluating and fixing problems utilizing Fishbone Diagrams and Pareto Charts