The three “elementary” particles of matter comprising all atoms are electrons, protons, and…
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The Law of Continuity for fluids states that the product of mass density (\(\rho\)), cross-sectional pipe area…
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In November of 2007 a new computer virus was submitted to a virus scanning service. The purpose of this new…
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Suppose we wished to measure the rate of propane gas flow through a hose to a torch: Flowmeters appropriate…
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There are several different methods useful for causing an AC induction motor to brake, or slow down: DC…
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The vast majority of PID controllers in service today are digital in nature. Microprocessors executing PID…
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As a general rule, high achievement only takes place in an atmosphere of high expectations. Sometimes these…
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Binary patterns are not just able to represent numerical values. Given a standardized code, they may represent…
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In a manually-controlled process, a human operator directly actuates some form of final control element…
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pH is the measurement of the hydrogen ion activity in a liquid solution. It is one of the most common forms of…
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An important legacy technology for all kinds of continuous measurement is the self-balancing system. A…
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In order for any PID controller to be practical, it must be able to do more than just implement the PID…
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The simplest form of 4-20 mA current loop is the type used to represent the output of a process controller,…
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Capacitance Any two electrical conductors separated by an insulating medium possess the characteristic called…
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A much simpler alternative to continuous vibration sensors (displacement or acceleration) and monitoring…
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Many years ago, when I was first learning about electricity, I happened to discover a length of coaxial…
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All masses require force to accelerate (we can also think of this in terms of the mass generating a reaction…
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There is much to be said for neatness of assembly in electrical signal wiring. Even though the electrons…
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Developed by the Modicon company (the original manufacturer of the Programmable Logic Controller, or PLC) in…
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The disadvantages of pneumatic instruments are painfully evident to anyone familiar with both pneumatic and…
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In addition to Ohm’s Law, we have a set of rules describing how voltages, currents, and resistances…
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Phasors are to AC circuit quantities as polarity is to DC circuit quantities: a way to express the…
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Many liquid substances undergo a process whereby their constituent molecules split into positively and…
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Feedback obtained from industrial users of FF reveal a common pattern: Fieldbus is a powerful and reliable…
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To show a practical process example, let’s examine three diagrams for a compressor control system,…
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The electrical conductivity of liquids is an important analytical measurement in many industrial processes.…
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A simple control system drawn in block diagram form looks like this: Information from the measuring device…
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As previously defined, calibration refers to the checking and adjustment of an instrument so that its output…
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In this section I will show screenshots from a process loop simulation program illustrating the effectiveness…
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A vertical column of fluid generates a pressure at the bottom of the column owing to the action of gravity on…
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A temperature switch is one detecting the temperature of some substance. Temperature switches often use…
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One of the marks of a successful problem-solver is a habit of applying general principles to every new problem…
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Multiple accessories exist for pressure-sensing devices to function optimally in challenging process…
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Valves can experience a number of problems, most of them either preventable or repairable. These problems can…
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When I began teaching full-time in 1998, most of what I thought I understood about good teaching was actually…
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One of the most important accessories for any temperature-sensing element is a pressure-tight sheath known as…
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Once while working as an instrument technician in an aluminum foundry, a mechanic asked me what it was that I…
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The following animation shows how the “rotating” magnetic field of a three-phase AC induction…
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A positive displacement flowmeter is a cyclic mechanism built to pass a fixed volume of fluid through with…
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Mechanical pressure-sensing elements include the bellows, the diaphragm, and the bourdon tube. Each of these…
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An important type of “accessory” relay, especially for legacy electromechanical protective relays,…
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Fieldbus devices require far more attention in their initial setup and commissioning than their analog…
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