Pneumatic Maintenance

Instrumentation Skills

This comprehensive interactive multimedia training program was produced in association with the Instrument Society of America. (ISA). This program trains participants in the theory of pneumatic instrumentation and the principles of operation, characteristics, and capabilities of components typically found in pneumatic control loops.

Audience: This program is excellent for training technicians, operators, control practitioners and engineers as well as for the multi-craft training needs of process and manufacturing facilities.

Number of Courses: 3

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Course 1 – Pneumatic Principles

Prerequisites: This lesson is designed for participants familiar with test instruments and devices.Description:

Description: This lesson introduces the principles of pneumatic instrument operation and the terms force, pressure and compressibility are defined. The operation of pneumatic air supply system components, including compressors, dryers, filters and regulators is explained. System maintenance and testing is also taught. Filter cartridge replacement and regulator maintenance is demonstrated.

Objectives:

Define force as it applies to pneumatics
Define pressure as it applies to pneumatics
Define compressibility as it applies to pneumatics
State Pascal’s law as it relates to pneumatics
State Boyle’s law as it relates to pneumatics
State Charles law as it relates to pneumatics
State the ideal gas law as it relates to pneumatics
Discuss how and why pneumatics are used in the industry
Describe why pneumatic instruments have a limited transmission distance
Describe the purpose and operation of a booster
List the effects of contaminants on a pneumatic system
Identify types of filters and how they aid in removing suspended material in an air supply system
Prepare a filter for disassembly
Dissemble a fitter
Clean a filter
Reassemble a filter
Identify the basic operating theory of three types of dryers
Check the operation of an air dryer
Determine when and explain why dew point is measured
Identify the parts of a regulator
List the difference between a bleed-type and a nonbleed type regulator
Adjust output pressure on a regulator
Maintain a regulator

Course 2 – Sensors and Transmitters

Prerequisites: This lesson is designed for participants familiar with test instruments and devices.

Description: This lesson describes the features and operation of sensors used in pneumatic instruments, including Bourdon tubes, filled bulbs, diaphragm capsules and bellows. It teaches how both force and motion-balance pneumatic transmitters operate and how transmitter components, such as flapper/nozzles, relays and restrictors are cleaned and maintained.

Objectives:

State four common sensing elements used in pneumatic instruments
Describe how a diaphragm capsule operates
List some types of damage that will affect the accuracy of a diaphragm capsule
Describe how a Bourdon sensing element operates
List three shapes a Bourdon sensing element can take
List some types of damage that will affect the accuracy of a Bourdon tube
Describe how a filled bulb sensor operates
State some types of damage that will affect the sensing accuracy of filled bulb system
Identify the nozzle/flapper, relay, feedback element, and restrictor in a pneumatic instrument
Explain the operation of a basic pneumatic instrument
Explain the operation of a pneumatic relay
Describe how a force-balance pneumatic transmitter operates
Interpret a manufacturer’s schematic drawing of a pneumatic transmitter to describe its principle of operation and location of parts
List possible causes for a pneumatic transmitter to erroneously produce full output
List possible causes for a pneumatic transmitter to produce no output
Given a pneumatic transmitter, clean the nozzle and flapper
Given a pneumatic transmitter, clean the restrictor
Given a pneumatic transmitter, disassemble and repair the relay
Given a pneumatic transmitter, replace air supply filter screens
Given a pneumatic transmitter, replace the diaphragm capsule

Course 3 – Controllers and Recorders

Prerequisites: This lesson is designed for participants familiar with test instruments and devices.

Description: This lesson focuses on operation and maintenance of pneumatic controllers and recorders. The lesson teaches how the bellows, relays, links, and levers within a controller are configured to provide proportional, integral, and derivative control modes, both in direct and reverse action. Common maintenance practices are covered, including relay and restrictor cleaning and replacement, along with controller and recorder calibration.

Objectives:

Describe the function of a controller
Identify common components found in a controller and state the function of each
State the purpose of damping in pneumatic systems
Review proportional, integral, and derivative control modes
Describe the operating principle of the four bellows arrangement
Review proportional band and gain
Review offset and the difference between repeats per minute and minutes per repeat
Describe an appropriate application for each of the control modes
Define direct action and reverse action and give an example of where each would be used
List possible malfunctions in a controller and the probable causes
Check the operation of a controller
Remove a controller from service
Replace a relay in a proportionally-plus-reset controller
Clean an adjustable restriction from a reset assembly
Return a controller to service
Align and calibrate a proportional-plus-reset controller
Identify the components of a pneumatic recorder
Disassemble and clean a pneumatic recorder
Clean a chart drive motor
Replace a chart drive motor
Calibrate a pneumatic recorder