Activity
  • Future Perspectives of PID Control

    A panel on Future Perspectives of PID Control of was the highlight of the second day of the IFAC PID’12 conference. The panel chairman was Professor Karl Astrom who is widely known throughout the control community for his many contributions in process control. Willy Wojsznis was the speaker on the panel from Emerson. The short … Continue reading » Read the full text.
  • What are the types of Dynamic Simulators and the pro and cons?

    In the ISA Automation Week Mentor Program, I am providing guidance for extremely talented individuals from Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. We will be sharing a question and the answers each week. If you would like to provide additional answers, please send them to Susan Colwell at ISA. The twenty-first question [...] Read the full text.
  • Checklist for Best Variable Speed Pump Performance

    Variable speed pumps can save energy when the flow is reduced. However, the turndown of the pump speed may not achievable if there is overheating at low flows, excessive sensitivity at low rpm, and cycling at high destination pressures. Special attention to variable frequency drive (VFD), motor, pump, and piping system design is necessary to achieve the rangeability associated with the energy savings. read more
  • Improving PID Recovery from Limit Conditions

    On the second day of the IFAC PID’12 conference, the paper that Dan Coyne, BP, and I wrote Improving PID Recovery from Limit Conditions was presented in the poster session. The paper addresses the performance of the PID under startup or during normal operation when the PID output becomes limited. Common techniques that have been … Continue reading » Read the full text.
  • How do I check out DCS I/O at the panel shop?

    In the ISA Automation Week Mentor Program, I am providing guidance for extremely talented individuals from Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. We will be sharing a question and the answers each week. If you would like to provide additional answers, please send them to Susan Colwell at ISA. The twentieth question [...] Read the full text.
  • Checklist for Best Control Valve Performance

    The threshold sensitivity and resolution of measurements (smallest incremental change) has improved dramatically to better than 0.05% with new sensor technology and smart compensation of extraneous effects of operating conditions. The response of the air actuated control valve has improved but the smallest incremental change in position varies widely depending upon the actuator, positioner, valve type, and valve heritage…
  • New DeltaV S-Series LocalBus Design Whitepaper

    The DeltaV S-Series LocalBus Design whitepaper provides clarifications and guidelines for laying out S-series traditional I/O carriers, also in combination with M-series horizontal and vertical plus I/O carriers to support DeltaV SIS. (470KB PDF) Read the full text.
  • Intelligent PID Product Design

    Willy Wojsznis is the primary author of a paper on Intelligent PID Product Design that was written for the IFAC PID’12 conference. The paper was scheduled to be presented in the first session of the conference on Wednesday, March 28, 2012. Unfortunately, Willy was delayed in getting to the conference. Thus, since I was a … Continue reading » Read the full text.
  • Is a VFD or Valve Faster?

    In the ISA Automation Week Mentor Program, I am providing guidance for extremely talented individuals from Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. We will be sharing a question and the answers each week. If you would like to provide additional answers, please send them to Susan Colwell at ISA. The nineteenth question [...] Read the full text.
  • What is the key PID feature for Basic and Advanced Control?

    The value of a key PID feature is increasingly becoming apparent. I got a preview of the importance when I found the 1980s vintage DCS required a fix for override control that was inherently addressed in the next generation of DCS by this feature. This wakeup call was followed by the realization this feature offered improved analyzer, blend, cascade, decoupling, feedforward, surge, valve position, and wireless control…
  • Automated Advanced Control Integration Tool

    In the process optimization category of this blog, we’ve described many examples of advanced process controls and how they help to improve plant performance. One of the leading providers of multivariable APC over the years has been Aspentech and their...
  • Control Using Wireless Devices – Conclusions

    Field experience using WirelessHART in control applications may be summarized in the following manner: WirelessHART measurements may be used in closed loop control applications.  Window communications mode minimizes power consumption PIDPlus is a standard feature of DeltaV and works with standard WirelessHART devices.  Standard DeltaV Tools support Simulation and Tuning. The performance of PIDPlus in … Continue reading…
  • What do New Automation Engineers Want to Know?

    The questions submitted by the 10 worldwide participants in ISA Mentor program are refreshing and cause one to stand back and think about how we do things and how can we convey knowledge we take for granted. We have posted the answers to the 18 questions to date to help the emerging new generation of automation engineers and give the mentored some recognition for their participation in this endeavor. read more
  • What are the factors that affect VFD rangeability?

    In the ISA Automation Week Mentor Program, I am providing guidance for extremely talented individuals from Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. We will be sharing a question and the answers each week. If you would like to provide additional answers, please send them to Susan Colwell at ISA. The eighteenth question [...] Read the full text.
  • Control Using Wireless Devices – Field Results Part 2

    The Separations Research Program was established at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in 1984. This cooperative industry/university program performs fundamental research of interest to chemical, biotechnological, petroleum refining, gas processing, pharmaceutical, and food companies. CO2 removal from stack gas is a focus project for which WirelessHART transmitters were installed for pressure and steam flow control … Continue…
  • What goes on a P&ID?

    In the ISA Automation Week Mentor Program, I am providing guidance for extremely talented individuals from Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the USA. We will be sharing a question and the answers each week. If you would like to provide additional answers, please send them to Susan Colwell at ISA. The seventeenth question [...] Read the full text.
  • How can you Quickly Increase Production Rate and Efficiency? (Part 4)

    We conclude this series with a look at control schemes that can increase process efficiency for distillation control, compressor control, and neutralizer control. These control schemes can inherently reduce process variability and controller tuning difficulty and for compressors increase onstream time. read more
  • Read the April 2012 Issue

    In April's Control: Remote Access Goes Mainstream . Find out why it's one of the fastest-growing and accepted technologies to hit the process control industries; plus, how an upstate New York brewer saves $230,000 a year with a flow controls upgrade; what's new in SCADA; and the story of Southern States Chemical's new sulphuric acid plant , built with a combination of recycled equipment and the latest in processing technology…
  • Control Using Wireless Devices – Field Results Part 1

    Broadley James manufactures bioreactors and control systems (based on DeltaV) that are used in the life science industry. To explore the use of WirelessHART transmitters in bioreactor control, a portable Hyclone 100 liter disposable bioreactor was instrument with a Rosemount WirelessHART gateway and transmitters for measurement and control of pH and temperature. A WirelessHART transmitter … Continue reading » Read the…
  • Part II – What are the important criteria for selecting a system integrator?

    In the ISA Automation Week Mentor Program, I am providing guidance for extremely talented individuals worldwide. We will be sharing a question and the answers each week. If you would like to provide additional answers, please send them to Susan Colwell at ISA. The second answer to the sixteenth question from Bahtiar Abu Bakar in [...] Read the full text.
  • How can you Quickly Increase Production Rate and Efficiency? (Part 3)

    What configuration changes to control strategies can readily take advantage of improvements in measurements and final control elements? Control strategies can inherently improve production rate by maximizing feed and efficiency by enforcing material and energy balances. In part 3 and next week in part 4 we look at control strategies for unit operations that have a major effect on product quality, production rate, and…
  • Control Using Wireless Devices – Control Performance Part 2

    The reliability of WirelessHART device communication has been well established. Even so, in the event of loss communication, the expected control behavior is of interest. The simulation environment was used to compare the behavior of the PIDPlus for loss of communications to a PID with a wired transmitter where the measurement value is frozen for … Continue reading » Read the full text.
  • Part I – What are the important criteria for selecting a system integrator?

    In the ISA Automation Week Mentor Program, I am providing guidance for extremely talented individuals worldwide. We will be sharing a question and the answers each week. If you would like to provide additional answers, please send them to Susan Colwell at ISA. The first answer to the sixteenth question from Bahtiar Abu Bakar in [...] Read the full text.
  • VEGA VegaPuls Rev6 Fieldbus Device Files

    In Emerson’s continuing commitment to open and interoperable standards, the VEGA VegaPuls Rev6 has passed the rigorous and comprehensive testing of the DeltaV Stress Test labs. Using the Device Installation Kits for Emerson Products website at http://www2.emersonprocess.com/en-US/documentation/deviceinstallkits/Pages/deviceinstallkitsearch.aspx, these fieldbus device files are now available for use. Read the full text…
  • Endress+Hauser Levelflex FMP5x Rev1 Fieldbus Device Files

    In Emerson’s continuing commitment to open and interoperable standards, the Endress+Hauser Levelflex FMP5x Rev1 has passed the rigorous and comprehensive testing of the DeltaV Stress Test labs. Using the Device Installation Kits for Emerson Products website at http://www2.emersonprocess.com/en-US/documentation/deviceinstallkits/Pages/deviceinstallkitsearch.aspx, these fieldbus device files are now available for use. Read…