Instrumentation & Controls - Intro Treatment (2.75 Contact Hours)

Learning Objectives for California Water Treatment – Instrumentation and Controls Module

Module 1: Electrical Fundamentals for Operators

• Explain Ohm’s Law and Watt’s Law, including the relationships between voltage, current, resistance, and power.

• Differentiate between AC and DC systems, understand basic circuits, and perform basic electrical calculations.

Module 2: 4–20 mA Signal Systems

• Describe how a 4–20 mA analog signal is used in instrumentation to represent process measurements.

• Calculate current, voltage, and signal percentages using real-world transmitter and receiver examples.

• Identify the five main test points in a 4–20 mA loop and explain signal range behavior.

Module 3: Sensors and Transmitters

• Recognize common instrumentation types such as pressure, level, flow, pH, and chlorine sensors.

• Differentiate between submersible, ultrasonic, and bubbler level measurement systems.

• Explain the conversion of physical process variables into electronic signals using transmitters.

Module 4: Flow and Pressure Measurement

• Describe methods for measuring flow including Venturi meters, orifice plates, magnetic, ultrasonic, and turbine flow meters.

• Understand the use of square root extraction for differential pressure flow devices and calculate flow from pressure inputs.

Module 5: Process Monitoring and Calibration

• Explain the role of process analyzers for turbidity, chlorine, and pH and their importance in regulatory compliance.

• Interpret SCADA and PLC data for monitoring and troubleshoot signal anomalies using calibration procedures and instrumentation math.

Module 6: Digital Communication and Instrumentation Standards

• Describe digital communication protocols such as HART and Modbus and their use in multi-variable transmitters.

• Identify components of a digital signal system and explain the advantages of handheld vs. PC-based HART communication.

Module 7: Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)

• Understand PLC history, components (CPU, I/O, power supply), and ladder logic programming basics.

• Describe how analog signals are processed in a PLC and identify troubleshooting techniques for analog inputs and outputs.

Module 8: Safety Instrumentation and Protective Systems

• Identify common protective instruments used in chlorine, ozone, and ammonia systems, and explain their role in safety.

• Describe applications of safety instrumentation such as temperature monitoring and leak detection for employee protection.