VALVE CONTROL WITH A MICROCOMPUTER.

Controlling a valve with a microcomputer offers several advantages over analog methods. First, the digital system can be more precise because no accumulative error occurs, as with analog components. Second, a digital controller is much more flexible than its analog counterpart. A standard digital device can be adapted to a wide variety of applications by changing its software program. Whereas an analog controller may be limited to a proportional control algorithm, a microcomputer controller can use proportional control for gross corrections and incremental stepping for fine tuning a valve's position. Finally, a microcomputer controller can incorporate diagnostic programs that analyze hardware problems. This article examines several ways of using a microcomputer to control a valve.