Control Fundamentals and Applications of Instrumentation Engineering

Description

Instruments used for indicating, measuring, and recording physical quantities are collectively referred to as instruments. The phrase has its roots in the science and art of inventing scientific instruments. The sensor may only be a very small part of the process in some circumstances. Since they record and/or show sensed data, digital cameras and wristwatches may potentially fall within the broad concept of instrumentation. Most of the time, neither would be referred to as instruments, but when utilised to track the length of a race and record the victor at the finish line, both would be.

Household

A mechanical thermostat, which is used to regulate a home furnace and subsequently, the temperature of a room, is a very basic illustration of an instrumentation system. A bi-metallic strip is used in a typical device to sense temperature. A needle at the strip's free end serves as the temperature display. A mercury switch turns on the furnace. The mercury contacts the electrodes physically (and electrically) as the strip rotates the switch. A home security system is another illustration of an instrumentation system.

A system of this kind includes sensors (motion detectors, switches to detect door openings), easy-to-use intrusion detection algorithms, local control (arm/disarm), and remote monitoring of the system so that the police can be called. The design naturally includes a means of communication.

Pop-up bread toasters allow the time to be set; automatic ice makers produce ice until a limit switch is thrown. Gas flow to the gas burner is controlled by a thermostat in non-electric gas ovens, which regulates the temperature. These might have a sensor light installed within the oven's main chamber. A safety cut-off flame supervision mechanism may also be present. After the burner is lit, the control knob must be held down for a brief period of time to allow the sensor to heat up and allow gas to flow to the burner. In order to stop a continuous gas leak, the flow is halted if the safety sensor turns cold, which may indicate that the burner's flame has gone out.

Automotive

Automobiles today have sophisticated instrumentation. Displays displaying battery voltage and current, fluid levels, fluid temperatures, distance travelled, and input from various controllers are available in addition to those showing engine rotational speed and vehicle linear speed (turn signals, parking brake, headlights, transmission position). Warnings may appear for specific issues (fuel low, check engine, tyre pressure low, door ajar, seat belt unfastened).Problems are noted so that the diagnostic tools can be informed about them. To get somewhere, voice commands can be provided through navigation systems. Automotive instrumentation needs to be inexpensive and durable in demanding conditions. There may be separate airbag systems with sensors, actuators, and logic. While cruise control changes the position of the throttle, anti-skid braking systems use sensors to manage the brakes. Through communication channels like the OnStar system, a wide range of services can be offered. Autonomous vehicles have been demonstrated, some of them with unusual instruments.

Aircraft

The first aeroplane had a few sensors. "Steam gauges" changed the pressure in the air into needle deflections that could be translated into altitude and airspeed. Direction was indicated via a magnetic compass. As important as the measurements were the displays to the pilot. Incorporated with avionics systems, modern aero planes have a much more advanced array of sensors and displays. The plane might have GPS, weather radar, autopilots, and stabilization systems in addition to inertial navigation.

To increase reliability, redundant sensors are used. To enhance accident investigations, a portion of the data may be transmitted to a crash recorder. Computer displays, like as head-up displays, are increasingly a common feature of pilot displays in the modern day. Distributed instrumentation system used for air traffic control is radar. An electromagnetic pulse is transmitted by the ground section, and an echo is received. Transponders aboard aeroplanes produce codes when they receive a pulse. The system shows an aircraft's location on a map, its identification, and, if desired, its height. Based on observed antenna direction and sensed time delay, the map location is determined. The transmission from the transponder contains the additional data as well.

Instrumentation is the practise of measuring the value of a plant parameter, such as pressure, flow, level, or temperature, to produce a signal that is proportionate to the parameter being measured. The output outputs are standard signals, which other equipment can process to provide indication, alerts, or automatic control. There are several standard signals; however, in a CANDU plant, the electronic signal (4-20 mA) and the pneumatic signal (20- 100 kPa) are the most frequently used. The instrumentation equipment often used to measure and provide signals will be covered in this section of the course. Pressure, flow, level, temperature, and neutron flux are the five parameters that will be measured.