Non-dispersive analysis, while newer in discovery than dispersive analysis (Isaac Newton’s 17th-century…
Textbook
A chemical reaction resulting in a net release of energy is called exothermic. Conversely, a chemical reaction…
Textbook
Human-machine interfaces, or HMIs, are a critical part of nearly all control systems, complementing the…
Textbook
A variety of technologies exist to measure the quantity of stored material in a vessel. For liquid…
Textbook
In a manually-controlled process, a human operator directly actuates some form of final control element…
Textbook
Virtually any mass above absolute zero temperature emits electromagnetic radiation (photons, or light) as a…
Textbook
A proximity switch is one detecting the proximity (closeness) of some object. By definition, these switches…
Textbook
A very simple device used to measure pressure is the manometer: a fluid-filled tube where an applied gas…
Textbook
One very convenient feature of waves is that their properties are universal. Waves of water in the ocean,…
Textbook
Programmable logic controllers are essentially nothing more than special-purpose, industrial computers. As…
Textbook
Valves can experience a number of problems, most of them either preventable or repairable. These problems can…
Textbook
A fundamental principle in instrumentation system troubleshooting is that every instrument has at least one…
Textbook
Imagine a major marathon race, where hundreds of runners gather in one place to compete. When the starting gun…
Textbook
There is much to be said for neatness of assembly in electrical signal wiring. Even though the electrons…
Textbook
A temperature switch is one detecting the temperature of some substance. Temperature switches often use…
Textbook
The simplest form of 4-20 mA current loop is the type used to represent the output of a process controller,…
Textbook
DC electric motors generate torque by a reaction between two magnetic fields: one field established by…
Textbook
Filled-bulb systems exploit the principle of fluid expansion to measure temperature. If a fluid is enclosed in…
Textbook
One of the great benefits of digital technology is the ability to communicate vast amounts of information over…
Textbook
A level switch is one detecting the level of liquid or solid (granules or powder) in a vessel. Level switches…
Textbook
The digital multimeter (DMM) is quite possibly the most useful tool in the instrument technician’s…
Textbook
In order for any PID controller to be practical, it must be able to do more than just implement the PID…
Textbook
An important performance parameter for transmitter instruments is something often referred to as turndown or…
Textbook
Data-processing modules within FF systems are known as function blocks. Sometimes these blocks serve merely to…
Textbook
It is possible to convey electrical power and communicate analog information over the same two wires using 4…
Textbook
When control valves operate between fully open and fully shut, they serve much the same purpose in process…
Textbook
RTDs are completely passive sensing elements, requiring the application of an externally-sourced electric…
Textbook
Valves can experience a number of problems, most of them either preventable or repairable. These problems can…
Textbook
In modern industry, the most popular form of field-level signal transmission for variable industrial…
Textbook
A limitation inherent to pneumatic valve actuators is the amount of air flow required to or from the actuator…
Textbook
Any power grid large enough to meet the demand of an entire nation must have multiple generators drawing from…
Textbook
A technological advance introduced in the late 1980’s was HART, an acronym standing for Highway…
Textbook
Area refers to the size of two-dimensional surface. Volume refers to the size of a three-dimensional space. To…
Textbook
A unique form of technical diagram for describing the abstract functions comprising a control system (e.g. PID…
Textbook
Perhaps the most valuable skill an instrument technician can possess is the ability to efficiently diagnose…
Textbook
The fundamental principle of electromagnetism is that an electric current will create a magnetic field at…
Textbook
In a manually-controlled process, a human operator directly actuates some form of final control element…
Textbook
“Feedforward” is a rather under-used control strategy capable of managing a great many types of…
Textbook
Earlier in this chapter you were shown a model of a nitrogen atom with a dense nucleus (comprised of protons…
Textbook
Although it seems each model of PLC has its own idiosyncratic standard for programming, there does exist an…
Textbook
“Polyphase” means “many phases,” describing a form of AC electrical system where…
Textbook
Like so many other industrial data networks, FOUNDATION Fieldbus is an “unswitched” or…
Textbook
The electrical conductivity of liquids is an important analytical measurement in many industrial processes.…
Textbook
As a general rule, high achievement only takes place in an atmosphere of high expectations. Sometimes these…
Textbook
A damper (otherwise known as a louvre) is a multi-element flow control device generally used to throttle large…
Textbook
Some self-powered (4-wire) analog electronic transmitters are designed to behave as electrical loads rather…
Textbook
All masses require force to accelerate (we can also think of this in terms of the mass generating a reaction…
Textbook
Diagnostic ability is arguably the most difficult skill to develop within a student, and also the most…
Textbook
So far we have just looked at instruments that sense, control, and influence process variables. Transmitters,…
Textbook
The following animation shows a rotating phasor in three-dimensional form. The phasor rotates in a complex…
Textbook
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License By exercising the Licensed Rights (defined…
Textbook
In November of 2007 a new computer virus was submitted to a virus scanning service. The purpose of this new…
Textbook
Capacitance Any two electrical conductors separated by an insulating medium possess the characteristic called…
Textbook
A form of protection against faults on long-distance power lines is called distance relaying, so named because…
Textbook
Labwork is an essential part of any science-based curriculum. Here, much improvement may be made over the…
Textbook
In a manually-controlled process, a human operator directly actuates some form of final control element…
Textbook
Up until this point, we have explored various types of instrumentation diagram, each one making reference to…
Textbook
The simple PLC ladder diagram (LD) commands consist of contacts and coils, arranged in sequences that mimic…
Textbook
An variable-area flowmeter is one where the fluid must pass through a restriction whose area increases with…
Textbook
There are many process control applications in the industry where it is desirable to have multiple control…
Textbook
Facebook
Google
GitHub
Linkedin