Introduction to Chemical Process Instrumentation (Process Measurement and Control)

Process instrumentation and control are integral parts of modern computerised chemical and biochemical plants. This book covers all aspects of instrumentation and control and reviews the most recent advances in the field. The first part of the book comprises a brief summary of the fundamentals of metrology, process control theory and design methods of process instrumentation, with a view to help in the logical design of an instrumented process flowsheet. In the second part the evaluation and design of unit operation control schemes are presented with many illustrative instrumentation diagrams, from simple tasks to complex systems. The third part of the book provides practical information on the applied hardware, software and know-how. Aspects and problems of plantwide control, special safety requirements of chemical and biotechnological plants, information management and the economy of automation and control are also discussed. The instrumentation and control of processes in the chemical industry requires close cooperation between chemists and engineers in the chemical, mechanical, control and instrumentation fields, as well as computer hardware and software experts. This book is intended to promote such teamwork by presenting a comprehensive description of chemical process control in a way that it may be understood by each team member. The book should prove invaluable to those involved in the development and design of modern process plants and can also be used as textbook or aid for special courses.