Simulators for Control Engineers Advanced Learning

Abstract

The paper purpose is to show a Windows© NT/XP/7 application oriented to learn control skills to process engineers and it is used successfully in an industrial master of instrumentation and process control.This tool contains two sets of process control problems that are very diverse ones, both in the type of process as well as control techniques (twenty three modules are available). It is possible to study cascade, ratio, selective, override and feedforward control techniques and the tuning, configuration and operation of PID controllers. It also allows analyzing complex systems control installed in boilers, furnaces, distillation columns or reactors and some special control techniques to ensure the process safety. When a module is selected a dynamic simulation and its graphical user interface are started. So, as example, one of the simplest modules is shown. Finally, an overview of the methodology and software used to develop this tool is also outlined. In particular, an object oriented modeling tool is used to develop the simulation models, a SCADA is used as graphical user interface and the simulation-SCADA communications are supported by the OPC standard.