
1. HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
This instruction manual has been written so that
the reader can quickly obtain the information he
or she requires without having to read
unnecessary sections. However, we
recommend that whatever your interest you read
sections 2 and 3, Description and Operation
followed by the sections covering your particular
requirements.
2. DESCRIPTION
The BA550 enables batch control of liquids,
solids or components to be performed simply
and economically. Although incorporating
sophisticated features the instrument is very
easy to use and can operate as a stand-alone
controller, or form part of a more complex control
system. Two independent output relays may be
programmed for one or two stage control which,
together with automatic overrun compensation,
minimises batching errors caused by actuator
delays.
Front panel push-buttons enable the operator to
start and stop the batch, adjust the batch setpoint
and to select one of four different operating
displays: current batch total, input rate, batch
setpoint or grand total. The display may be in
any engineering units and the input rate can be
shown per second, minute or hour. A light
emitting diode (LED) above each front panel
push-button clearly indicates which display has
been selected. For applications where large or
remote push-buttons are required, control may
be transferred to external switches with or
without the front panel push-buttons inhibited.
Two alternative versions of the BA550 batch
controller are available. For pulse signals the
BA550P accepts inputs from a wide range of
transducers including 2-wire proximity detectors,
switch contacts, open-collector transistors or any
device with a voltage pulse output. The
BA550C has a galvanically isolated analogue
input which may be connected in series with any
4/20mA linear or square law current loop.
Both versions of the BA550 may also be used for
totalising and rate indicating applications. To
simplify operation for totalising applications, all
the batch control functions may be inhibited by
one programme command.
Adjustment of the batch setpoint and
programming of all functions is performed via the
five front panel push-buttons. To prevent
accidental or unauthorised adjustments three
levels of access are defined by the position of
two security links connected between terminals
at the rear of the instrument. These links may be
hard-wired, or connected to a panel mounting
key switch when frequent changes are required.
A Light emitting diode (LED) on the front panel
indicates when the batch controller is in the
programme mode, and the display has helpful
plain language menus which guide the user
through the selection procedure.
An optional plug-in RS232 serial communication
board enables the BA550 to be interrogated and
controlled remotely, and thus to be integrated
with supervisory computers.
For hazardous area applications the
complementary intrinsically safe BA350BP and
BA350BC batch controllers are available.
3. OPERATION
Basically the BA550 batch controller is a digital
counter which switches two output relays on and
off at pre-set numbers. Fig 1 shows a simplified
block diagram of the instrument and illustrates
some of the additional features.
The BA550P incorporates programmable input
scaling to convert input pulses into meaningful
engineering units. For example, a controller
connected to a turbine flowmeter producing 107
pulses per litre may be programmed to display
this signal in litres, gallons or any other units by
selecting the appropriate scale factor. Similarly,
the rate parameters, which are totally
independent, may be programmed to display the
flowrate in litres, gallons or any other units per
second, minute or hour.
The BA550C incorporates similar scaling
functions which enable a 4/20mA analogue
signal to be displayed in engineering units.
The batch controller has two independent output
relays: Output 1 and Output 2. Output 1 is
energised immediately the Start push-button on
the controller is operated, followed by Output 2
after a programmable time delay. Towards the
end of the batch, Output 2 is de-energised a
programmable number of counts before the
batch setpoint is reached, when Output 1 is also
de-energised. Fig 2 illustrates a typical
application of two stage control. By operating a
small bypass valve from Output 1, and the main
control valve from Output 2 the flow can be
started and stopped slowly which will reduce
batching errors and flow surges.
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