PERSONAL-COMPUTER PROCESS LOOP SIMULATOR

Simulation is an important tool used in the design, testing, and evaluation of process controller designs. Simulation is used to exercise controllers under realistic conditions and thus demonstrate how a controller will perform in the field. The simulator described in this paper is implemented using a desk top personal computer and models the various components of a process loop including the final control, the process, and the measurement elements. Each element in the simulated process loop can be configured to model a first, second, or higher order system response. Also, each element in the process loop can be designed to incorporate dead times, disturbances, and noise to reflect conditions that are encountered in the field.