This module is designed to give a learner the necessary knowledge and skills to design, specify or implement measurement and control systems. It provides knowledge of open loop, closed loop, feedforward and feedback control. It provides fundamental knowledge for the setup and tunning of first order time domain control systems.
Sensors and Final Control Elements
Transducers, a principle of operation of light, temperature, force and displacement transducers. Flow and level measurements. pressure measurements and pressure transducers. Control valve actuators including pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical actuators. Valve positioners: operation, fitting and optimization of valve positioners and I/P converters.
Linear Control
Openloop V's Closeed Loop. Feedback V's Feedforward control. On/Off Control, Proportional, Proportional Intergral (PI), Proportional Integral Derivitive (PID).
Controller Tuning
Trial and error tuning methods, reaction curve (open loop) method of controller optimisation, continuous cycling (closed loop) method of controller optimisation. Tuning algorithms: Ziegler Nichols, Cohen and Coon, Lambda, dead time rule. Practical tuning exercises: implementation and tuning of control loops utilising stand-alone and PLC based PID controllers.
Controller Implementation
Implement a closed loop control system using a stand alone controller and a general purpose programmable logic controller (PLC)
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 30 |
| Formal Examination | 70 |