The Industrial Process Control trainer is an experimental instrument, to simulate control loops of various processes. The trainer provides scope to simulate parts of sugar plant, Cement plant etc. This experimenter uses actual transducer (commercial grade) with their interface as INPUT elements and control signals to output transducers. The output transducers supplied are listed under "interfaces" heading. All the interfaces are accessible by control software.

The control programs are written in BASIC language for easy understanding. However, popular languages like C, C++, PASCAL, Visual BASIC, Visual C++, etc also can be used. Because they support input and output functions. WINDOW based programs are most commonly used. A simple program for SUGAR plant is supplied as part of experimentation. Program listings are provided. This being an experimental instrument, a student can explore more on this.

WHAT DOES THIS CONTAIN: Industrial Process Control Trainer consists of three parts.

1. An IBM Pentium Compatible Computer.
2. A mobile, 19" rack instrument with 5 bays. This accommodates several input, output transducers and interfaces. They are annunciators, BAR GRAPH, DOT BAR displays, analog simulators, switch simulators, analog to digital and digital to analog converters of different precision, signal conditioners, instrumentation amplifiers, S&H amplifiers, high tension relays, mechanical timer, Electro-mechanical batch counter, Electro mechanical preset switch, 8 bit momentary switches, TTL I/O PORTS, digital current meter, 4-20mA transmitters, dedicated power supplies.
3. Student Patch Panel. This has approximately 120 terminals, for inter connections located on a specially designed worktable. These terminals are named against its function. These terminals are either input or output of various transducers that can be connected to the instrument. A 3'x2' MIMIC panel is mounted vertically on this worktable in the vertical position, to maintain a proper view.
Note: Computer instrument is not supplied as part of the instrument. It has to be procured separately. Any IBM compatible instrument with 200MB HDD and 1.44FDD and a CD ROM drive are sufficient.

Detailed description of facilities:
Facilities are intended to simulate and act, as it happens in any plant. Most of them are software polled or controlled. The element selected for interfacing, represent commonly used elements, in a process. Transducers, input output elements selected for experimentation, may not be required for a given process, however these are provided for completion. As this is an experimental station, it is desired to provide flexibility. Some times the desired transducers may have to be connected at student's patch panel, when logged. All the input and outputs are available at student's patch panel through terminal contacts using patch cords.

Specifications:

• Annunciator: 12 numbers of annunciators are provided. This is a lamp display of 1"x2" in size, intended to display status of critical functions in a given process. This is illuminated under program control by software.
  
• Switch simulator: 12 numbers of software polled binary switches are provided. These switches stay in their position unless changed again. These are used in conjunction with operative programs. These are used to design, inter-lock of a process, or as inputs while designing Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), or to change the sequence or process by the flick of toggle switch etc.
  
• Key switches: 8 numbers of software polled momentary key switches function similar to switch inputs except that, these switches come to their original position on release.
  
• BAR GRAPH display: 4 independent BAR GRAPH displays are provided. These are analog displays. These indicate the status of a process parameter in terms of display, of temperature, pressure, displacement etc., by displaying a group of LEDs. These are activated by connecting them to outputs of Digital to Analog converters or from an external instrument whose output is not more than 2.4 V DC FSD.
  
• DOT BAR display: 4 independent DOT BAR displays are provided. These function in the same manner as BAR GRAPH displays, except glow of one LED from starting position indicate the status of process.
  
• Analog simulators: 16 independent analog outputs are available. The variable output voltage (0 to 5v) of each channel can be set, by adjusting the respective pot, and stays there unless adjusted again.
• Buzzer: software controlled Piezo buzzer provides audio annunciation to set an alarm condition.
  
• Batch counter: software controlled Electro-mechanical batch counter is provided. This can be reset at the beginning of a process to zero. As the events take place, the counter keeps counting. This stays in its present position, even if the power fails. Count can go from 0 to 999.
  
• Preset switch: 2 digit-preset switch is provided. This can be preset to any value from 0 to 99. This is used for comparison to flag the end of an event. This can be logged by program.
  
• Current meters: There are two current meters with 20mA FSD, displayed digitally. These are used to measure current of any transmitter or receiver of any process instruments or hardware.
  
• Voltmeter: One digital voltmeter is provided. Range can be set for 2,20 or 200V DC FSD. This is used to test voltages in the instrument during experimentation.
  
• 8 Nos. of software controlled, high-tension relays are provided. To each relay, a 220V AC @ 1Amp, operated devices can be connected. 8 independent devices can be connected in the instrument. They can be a water pump, blower, solenoid, contactor, etc.
  
• High speed (35uSec), 16 channel, analog inputs can be connected to the instrument. The input can be either 16 channel uni-polar (positive) input voltages or 8 channel bi-polar ±5V input voltages can be connected. This is a 12-bit resolution, analog to digital converter. The analog inputs to the instrument may be from any analog transducer. The transducer may be LVDT, Strain gauge, Load cell etc. After proper signal condition.
  
• Slow speed (30Conversions/second), 16 channel, analog to digital converter is provided. The input can be uni-polar or bi-polar as indicated above. The nature of the inputs to these can be from a thermocouple, where the temperature variations, are very slow can be connected. For that matter, any slow response activated transducers can be connected as input to these terminals.
  
• Medium speed (100uSec), 16 channel analog input or 8bit resolution is also available. The input voltages for this can be 0 to 5V DC. The purpose of this is same as stated above.
  
• 8 numbers of Digital to Analog converters are provided. The output from these can be connected to 4-20mA current receivers, BAR GRAPH or DOT BAR display, or to any analog instrument, which requires variable voltage as excitation signals. The output of these are variable from 0 to +5V DC.
  
• 4 numbers of signal conditioners are provided. Each signal conditioner will accept 20mV input and gives out 5V DC at its output terminals. In a way this is an amplifier to the transducers, this can also give voltages more than 20mV. You can connect 4 such independent transducers
  
• 4 numbers of 4-20mA current transmitters. The transmitters accepts 0 to 5V DC at it's input terminals and gives 4 to 20mA at it's output terminals. The output current is proportional to input voltage. I.e. For an input of 0V DC the output is 4mA DC and for an input of 5V DC the output is 20mA.
  
• 8 bit TTL input port is provided. This is software configurable. The outputs can be used to activate any digital hardware.
  
• A 1-hour mechanical timer with normally closed contact is provided. The contact closes on setting the timer and opens at the end of set time. Any device with, 220V AC @ 100mA can be connected to this contact.
  
• Special purpose student's patch panel is provided. This is the place where the student starts inter connecting all the transducers that are required in the control instrument.

Mimic Panel:
A MIMIC panel in plant is used to display the status of the process at any given time, watching from a distance. Often decisions are taken by the operator, on looking at this panel. While the computer's screen can still display, part of this panel, still some thing is missed, without this large mechanical display. A programmable and reconfigurable mimic panel is available to light up the sequence and status of operations under control. This is in addition to the process diagram displayed on the computer's screen. The need of the mimic panel is to simulate the actual happenings, as viewed in the control room of the plant. This panel is approximately 3'x2' in size. Various multi color process diagrams, drawn on tracing sheet, can be inserted in the mimic panel. The process diagrams can be heat exchangers, clarifiers, distillation columns, cooling towers, heaters, motors, process indicators etc. 16 programmable lamps are used to light behind each process diagram, on the mimic panel. These lamps can be placed behind the process diagrams. All 16 lamps can be placed anywhere on the mimic panel, as provision is made in a grid form, to hold the lamp holders in position.

Transducers provided are:
All transducers are provided with the interface electronics, power supplies. All these are contained in the 19" rack. The output of these transducers after conditioning is connected as input to any analog to digital converter on the patch panel.

1. LVDT Transducer with 10mm displacement capability.
2. Proximity Transducer with a detection range of 5mm with necessary interface electronics
3. An optical transducer to detect, presence or absence of ambient light impinging on the transducer.
4. Water level controllers with all accessories are provided. The height of these can be adjusted to any desired level. A water tank of approximately 10Lt capacity is provided. A special purpose water pump is also provided. All these are connected together. The sensor can be logged and level can be controlled.
5. A K-type thermocouple instrument is provided to measure the temperatures.
6. A high-tension contactor is provided. This has contact rating upto 15A @ 220V AC.
7. A special purpose MIMIC panel of approximately 3'x2' is provided. The purpose of this is to display process trends with software controlled mimic lamps. The process diagrams are drawn on a tracing sheet and inserted in a transparent, and double walled acrylic sheets. The process diagrams can be heat exchanger, clarifiers, tanks, motors etc.
8. Stepper motor, with specially built conveyer belt instrument is provided. This is used to simulate the actual transportation of material on the conveyer. A proximity transducer (metal detector) or optical transducer can be introduced to act as a feedback instrument.