Desarrollo de una Estación Experimental Multipropósito para la Enseñanza en Control de Procesos

This paper addresses the development of a lab equipment for studying, training, and research activities in process control. The design requirements were determined by users from several disciplines that perform academic, research and training activities in undergraduate education, graduate studies, and industry consulting. The design process for a level control system, with variable dynamic behavior (up to third order), with interaction, that allows the user to include nonlinearities and variable dead time is presented. The experimental station offers three different technological alternatives for the controller: a PLC, an industrial controller, and a laptop computer. With such flexibility, several control strategies can be implemented: PID, LQG, fuzzy control, dynamic matrix control, and sliding mode control, among others. The proposed lab equipment fulfills educational requirements included in contemporary tendencies of engineering education.