The spring 2009 plate settler spacing experiments were run using the process controller software developed by Dr. Weber-Shirk. Our experimental apparatus consisted of four peristaltic pumps, two electric stirrers, one stir-plate, two turbidimeters, one pressure sensor, one solenoid valve, and one pinch valve: all of which were directly controlled by process controller.
The following is an overview of how we utilized this software for our apparatus.
States, Set points, and Rules
The process controller software runs based on states, set points, and rules that are inputted by the user. States define the general activity of the system at any given moment. Set points are parameters that define the state of the system in greater detail. And rules define the circumstances under which the state occurs.
For example, we used states such as "OFF", "DRAIN", "Mix", and "Floc Blanket Formation".