Practical Use of Straight line Theory

Prepared by Bernie Lafferty Bsc(Hons) GIMA Mathematical Sciences

Typical Reservoir Site

The Industrial standard output for an Instruments low - high range is 4mA - 20 mA DC (Direct Current )
Display Reading 0m 5m An ultrasonic level probe measures the level of the reservoir and displays it on an instrument panel at site. ( Range typically 0 - 5 metres ) 4mA
0.020

20mA

4mA - 20mA verus Instrument Range

0.02 0.018

DC mA Output ( Fixed Industry Standard)

0.016 0.014 0.012 .0032x+ 0.004 0.01 0.008 0.006 0.004 0.002 0 5 5 4 3 2 1 0

Valid range for instrument

5 5

x Range Instrument dependent

Interface to Telemetry
The Industrial standard output is 4mA - 20 mA DC
Telemetry Unit Conversion 4mA 20mA 819 4095 < 819 means bad value instrument fault
4mA-20mA DC verus Counts ( 0-4095 )

DC mA Output (Fixed Industrial Standard)

The output from the Instrument (4mA-20mA DC) is fed into the Telemetry Unit and then converted using Analogue to Digital conversion into a count value between 0 - 4095.
Telemetry Unit Conversion DC current value 0mA 4mA Count value 0 819 under 819 i.e. under 4mA means bad value

0.020 0.02 0.018 0.016 0.014 0.012 .0000048842x 0.01 0.008 0.006 0.004 0.002 0 0 0

Valid Instrument Range 4mA-20mA

20mA 4095

Bad value Instrument Faulty !

819

1638

2457

3276

4095 4095

x Counts ( from 0 - 4095 )

Fixed for all analogues no matter the Instrument scaling

Scanner Radio Communications

The Count value ( between 0 - 4095 ) which represents the DC current value ( 0 - 20 mA ) which in turn represents the value on the instrument at site is then transmitted to Scottish Water Control Centre. 0 - 4095

Communications types are Satellite Scanning Radio Private Wire (BT) PSTN (dial-up BT)

Telemetry Unit Conversion DC current value 0mA 4mA Count value 0 819 under 819 i.e. under 4mA means bad value

20mA 4095

Scottish Water Control Centre

The count value (between 0 - 4095) is received at Master Station at the Water Control Centre and using Digital to Analogue conversion is converted back into the original analogue value and then displayed on computer screens.
5 5

Instrument Range verus Counts

3 Instrument Range

0.001525x 1.25

0 1 2 2 0

819

1638

2457

3276

4095

x Counts ( from 0 - 4095 )

4095

Overview Multi-Analogues
Instrument Range 0- 5 m
12 bit word 21 2 = 4096 1 = 4095 (since 0 is counted as a value)

Telemetry Outstation

Control Centre

Level meter

PH meter Flow meter

0 - 14 PH 0 - 100 l/s

4mA-20mA 4mA-20mA 4mA-20mA

Value between 0-4095 Value between 0-4095 Value between 0-4095

0 - 14 PH 0 - 100 l/s

l/s = litres per second m= metres

Graph 1

Graph 2

Graph 3

Computer Screen

Range 0- 5 m

Probes

Mathematical Overview
Typical value on Instrument Graph 1 / equation 1 DC current value on Graph Graph 2 / equation 2 Count value on Graph Graph 3 / equation 3 Analogue value on Graph Notes Gradients are less than 1 ( this will stop errors being compounded ) Equation 2 is FIXED no matter the instrument scaling due to the Industrial Standard Output for instruments ( 4mA-20mA ) Level meter Range 0- 5 m 3.75 y=0.0032x + 0.04 y=16mA y=0.0000048842x y=3276 y=0.001526x - 1.25 y=3.75 PH meter Range 0 - 14 PH 7 y=0.001143x + 0.04 y=12mA y=0.0000048842x y=2457 y=0.004274x - 3.5 y=7 Flow meter Range 0 - 100 l/s 25 y=0.00016x + 0.04 y=8mA y=0.0000048842x y=1638 y=0.031x - 25 y=25

Graphical Example
0.020

4mA - 20mA verus Instrument Range

0.02 0.018

0.020 0.02 0.018 DC mA Output (Fixed Industrial Standard) 0.016 0.014 0.012 .0000048842x 0.01 0.008 0.006 0.004 0.002 0

4mA-20mA DC verus Counts ( 0-4095 )

DC mA Output ( Fixed Industry Standard)

Level meter Range 0 - 5 m present value 3.75

.0032x+ 0.004

0.016 0.014 0.012 0.01 0.008 0.006 0.004 0.002

0 5 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 5

0 0

819

1638

2457

3276

4095 4095

x Range Instrument dependent

x Counts ( from 0 - 4095 )

Instrument Range verus Counts

Value on Computer Screen 3.75 m

Instrument Range 0.001525x 1.25

0 1 2 2 0

819

1638

2457

3276

4095

x Counts ( from 0 - 4095 )

4095