#102 The Nervous System of Chemical Plants! The World of "Instrumentation"

The mechanism for a plant to know its own state is fascinating.

Chemical plants are places where you cannot see what is happening inside just by looking from the outside. Therefore, we use a technology called "instrumentation" spread throughout the plant to measure the state of every location and send that data to the control room as electrical signals. I will talk in detail about this technology, which can truly be called the nervous system of a plant, detecting abnormalities as quickly as possible.

Various sensors are used depending on the target and location of measurement.

A variety of instrumentation devices are used to measure temperature, pressure, liquid levels, and more within the plant. For instance, we use tools similar to high-end thermometers for temperature, and flexible membranes called "diaphragms" as sensors for pressure measurement. I dive deep into why such special shapes and materials are utilized.

The standardization process of converting to electrical signals is crucial.

How do we transmit various physical data collected to a remote control room? Actually, there is a global standard rule where any physical quantity is converted into electrical signals for transmission. I explain the profound reasons behind why we go through the trouble of converting physical data into electrical signals. Please enjoy the rest of the episode for more details.