Objectives

1. To identify the important components of the level and flow control system.

2. To carry out the start-up procedures systematically.

3. To study level control system using PID controller.

4. To study Level-Flow cascade control.

Introduction

In this experiment which is Level Flow Cascade Process Control were used
water to stimulate liquid physical processes where the level and flow can be controlled
with PID controllers. The single-loop PID controllers were not sufficient when the
system suffers from fluctuating inflow and a more precise control of level was required.
To smooth the fluctuating inflow by using a secondary or a slave loop, the cascade
controller must be employed. The level controller became the main or primary
controller and its control output remotely sets (cascades) the set point of the secondary
controller. The only one control valve was installed at the inflow.

Theory

Basically, in level control system, the control of liquid levels applied in a process
tank where it is an important function. Typically, different types of level control systems
are used in industry which is covering a wide range of processes. The types of final
control signals that will be used to operate pumps or valves appropriate to the
application are float operated, hydrostatic, differential pressure, magnetic, torsion,
steel rope capacitance, ultrasonic and microwave radar. There are three main methods
of achieving level control which are non-adjustable in/off, adjustable on/off and
modulating.

For part flow control system, feed-forward systems on boiler plant where the
rate of steam flow from the boiler will influence other control points. There are two types
of processes occurred in flow control system which are rehydration process and batch
process. Rehydration process where it is known to measure quantity of steam (water)
was injected into a product which has been dried for transportation or storage while
batch processes where it is known to measure quantity of steam will produce the
desired result on the product
 For part cascade control system, feed flow rate must be adjusted to control
liquid level to produce high performance disturbance rejection. Feed flow rate increase
by a precise amount because of header pressure changes can affect the opening and
closing of the valve. Based on Figure 1 above showed the level flow cascade process
control where an inner secondary sensor measures the feed flow rate while an inner
secondary controller receives this flow measurement and adjusts the feed flow valve.
The primary level controller called for a decreased liquid feed flow rate rather than
simply a decrease in valve opening if the liquid level was too high. The flow controller
decided whether this means opening or closing the valve and by how much.

Figure 1 Flow diagram of level to flow cascade control

Based on the diagram in Figure 2, the level controller output signal (CO1)
became the set point for the flow controller (SP2). Any disruption caused by changing
header pressure to the benefit of the primary level control process could be minimized
by the secondary flow controller that quickly detected and addressed of the header
pressure disturbances.
Figure 2 Block diagram of formal level to flow cascade structure
 Pressure relief valve
Flow control system

Vent Level flow control valve

Pump

Pressure gauge Tank

Drain

Figure 3 Process flow diagram of level flow cascade process control

References

Capacitive Level Sensor. (n.d.). Level Sensor Solutions. Retrieved from

http://www.levelsensorsolutions.com/capacitive-level-sensor

EngineersGarage. (2012). Level Sensors. Www.Engineersgarage.Com. Retrieved

from https://www.engineersgarage.com/articles/what-is-level-sensor

Learn about steam. (n.d.). Retrieved August 19, 2019, from

https://beta.spiraxsarco.com/Learn-about-steam

Roy, G. J. (Gordon J. (2013). Notes on instrumentation and control. Elsevier.

Retrieved from https://books.google.com/?id=efL8BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA23

The Cascade Control Architecture – Control Guru. (n.d.). Retrieved August 19, 2019,
from https://controlguru.com/the-cascade-control-architecture/