Process Control: Instrumentation, Troubleshooting and Problem Solving

Course Objectives

This course provides a complete and up-to-date overview of the process control, instrumentation and troubleshooting techniques used to solve process problems. It will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to troubleshoot and solve various problems encountered when working with instrumentation and controls systems.

They will review process measurement fundamentals and gain a sound understanding of the operation and set up of transmitters before elevating their knowledge onto more complex concepts of process control.

The different control concepts and strategies will be covered allowing participants to identify which one to apply to their own work in order to effectively operate and troubleshoot a process. A 7-step systematic method of troubleshooting will be provided in order for all participants to logically and effectively troubleshoot a system regardless of the type of system.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Operate the most common measuring process parameters
• Demonstrate the ability to properly set up a transmitter to measure pressure, flow, level and temperature
• Define and apply control concepts including self-regulating and non-self-regulating processes, positive/negative feedback and process time constant
• Outline the major control strategies and identify which one to apply in order to effectively operate and troubleshoot a process
• Use the 7-step systematic troubleshooting process to logically troubleshoot a system regardless of the type of system

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for instrumentation and control personnel including general maintenance personnel, plant managers and supervisors, control and instrumentation technicians and engineers, automation engineers, electricians and general engineers.

Course Outline

• Instrument terminology

  • Span
  • Range
  • Sensitivity
  • Accuracy
  • Resolution
  • Turn down ratio
  • Zero suppression
  • Elevation

• Measuring process parameters

  • Methods of level measurements
    • Direct methods
    • Inferred methods
  • Measuring pressure
  • Measuring temperature
  • Measuring flow
  • Measuring level

• Instrument loops and transmitters

  • Operation of 4-20 milliamp loops
  • Basic operation of instrument transmitter
  • Setting up a transmitter
  • Converting units
  • Calibration of instrument loops overview

• Process basics

  • Types of processes
  • Self-regulating processes
  • Non-self-regulating processes
  • Process time constants
  • Positive feedback
  • Negative feedback

• Process control strategies

  • Two position control
  • Proportional control (P)
  • Proportional and Integral control (PI)
  • Proportional and Integral and Derivative control (PID)

• Troubleshooting

  • 7-step troubleshooting process
    • Symptom recognition
    • Symptom elaboration
    • Localize the faulty function
    • Localize the faulty circuit
    • Localize the faulty component
    • Repair the faulty component
    • Re-test
  • Half splitting a process
  • How to perform measurements on the process