Process control electronic systems

Technology advances in electronics such as process control instrumentation systems, computer capabilities, programmable logic controllers, and the use of independent PC s (personal computers) at field locations for special dedicated functions present new challenges to incident investigation. Some of the advances are so rapid that the team may not have the internal expertise to determine failure scenarios, sequences, and modes. The suppliers and manufacturers of these high-tech devices are sometimes the only source of credible information on failure modes of these devices. 

An important aspect in the safety analysis is determining Safety Integrity Levels. The draft of a European standard (EN50129) uses a simplified SIL table for the case of devices controlling rail, communications, data processing and electronic system traffics which significantly affect the safety of rail transport. 

The use of computers and microprocessors (also known as programmable electronic systems [PES]) in process control continues to grow. They have brought about many improvements but have also been responsible for some failures. If we can learn from these failures, we may be able to prevent them from happening again. A number of them are therefore described below. Although PES is the most precise descnption of the equipment used, I refer to it as a computer, as this is the term usually used by the nonexpert. 

The control parameter in an STM, the current in the tunneling junction, is always due to the same physical process. An electron in one lead of the junction has a nonvanishing probability to pass the potential barrier between the two sides and to tunnel into the other lead. However, this process is highly influenced by (i) the distance between the leads, (ii) the chemical composition of the surface and tip, (iii) the electronic structure of both the systems, (iv) the chemical interactions between the surface and the tip atoms, (v) the electrostatic interactions of the sample and tip. The main problem, from a theoretical point of view, is that the order of importance of all these effects depends generally on the distance and therefore on the tunneling conditions [5-8]. 

Basic Process Control System (BPCS) - Pneumatic, electronic, hydraulic or programmable instruments and mechanisms that monitor and/or operate a facility or system to achieve a desired function, i.e., flow control, temperature measurement, etc., which are supervised by human observation. 

Figure 10.2h gives a sketch of the feedback control system and a block diagram for the two-heated-tank process with a controller. Let us use an analog electronic system with 4 to 20 mA control signals. The temperature sensor has a range of 100°F, so the Gj transfer function (neglecting any dynamics in the temperature measurement) is... 

Miller and Bolef (1968) treated the quartz oscillator and coating system as a single-dimensional, coherent acoustic resonator. Lu and Lewis (1972) developed the simplified Z match equation on that basis. Simultaneous advances in electronics, particularly the microprocessor, made it possible to solve the Z match equation in real time. Most coating process control units sold today use this sophisticated equation, which takes into account the acoustic properties of the quartz oscillator/coating system ... 

The original GC control system took the form of a central room which monitors the flowllne6, oil, water, and utility sections, plus a smaller satellite control room monitoring the gas compression and gas conditioning section of the plant. Closed loop process control, such as separator liquid level, pressure, flow and temperature control were handled by local pneumatic analog controllers. The key process variables are displayed in the control room via electronic instrumentation. All the key process and equipment trouble alarms are annunciated m the control rooms, plus the on/off status of key machinery and open/close status of key valves are displayed. 

A bioprocess system has been monitored using a multi-analyzer system with the multivariate data used to model the process.27 The fed-batch E. coli bioprocess was monitored using an electronic nose, NIR, HPLC and quadrupole mass spectrometer in addition to the standard univariate probes such as a pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen electrode. The output of the various analyzers was used to develop a multivariate statistical process control (SPC) model for use on-line. The robustness and suitability of multivariate SPC were demonstrated with a tryptophan fermentation. 

Control System Included in this classification are Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA), Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Statistical Process Control systems (SPC), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), intelligent electronic devices, and computer systems that control manufacturing equipment or receive data directly from manufacturing equipment PLCs. 

Since the 1970s, process controls have evolved from pneumatic analog technology to electronic analog technology to microprocessor-based controls. Electronic and pneumatic controllers have now virtually disappeared from process control systems, which are dominated by programmable electronic systems based on microprocessor technology. 

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