Pressure process control trainer (MPC100) is a benchtop unit that features one of the most important industrial applications of PID (proportional – integral – derivative) controllers which is the pressure control. The trainer allows trainees to regulate and control the air pressure in a closed system using PID controller. The trainer aims at demonstrating the principles and function of PID controller, effect of manipulating the controller variables on the control system, as well as the limitations of each control system (P,PI & PID).
- The educational unit features an industrial process of pressure control using PID controller to study and investigate its operation.
- The trainer provides wide range of experiments to study the effects of different controller parameters (P, PI, PID) and their influence on the closed loop system response.
- Printed on the unit front panel a schematic diagram of the system process features the main control elements such as : the controlled variable, disturbance source, measuring element and its feedback, PID controller and the final control element (actuator).
- The system process consists of a diaphragm pump, pressure vessel, pressure gauge, pressure sensor, needle valve, proportional solenoid valve and an operation unit.
- The pressure inside pressure vessel represents the system controlled element.
- The pressure in the air vessel is measured using the pressure sensor to give its output signal as a feedback in the closed loop system.
- The pressure gauge is used to display the air pressure measured by the highly sensitive pressure sensor and also monitor the performance of the system parameters.
- The needle valve supplied with the trainer works as a disturbance source, trainees can set its value manually to study the effect of disturbance variables on the pump response.
- The proportional solenoid valve works as an actuator with the pump to manage the set value by opening & closing the system.
- The system is supplied with a S/W to monitor, record and control the process, as well as to alter process settings when experimenting with different control systems.
- The software is used to visualize the main differences of the system response curve due to the change of control gains P, I and D and to study the effect of each gain on the system response.
- Process parameters can be instantly displayed on a PC (not included) using USB socket and data acquisition software.
- The unit is supplied with two LEDs indicating the operation state of the pump and the valve, in addition to the ON/OFF switch and emergency button.
- The unit is equipped with two handles for easier mobility.