Technology and Practice -- Summary -- P&I Diagrams -- Block Diagrams -- Signals -- Pneumatics -- Electronics -- Data Typing -- Structured Text -- Microprocessors -- Characteristics -- DP Cells -- Flow: Orifices -- Flow Measurement -- Level Measurement -- Weight Measurement -- Temperature Measurement -- pH Measurement -- Chromatography -- Valves and Actuators -- Valve Sizing -- Valve Positioners -- Feedback Control -- PID Control -- Controller Tuning -- Cascade Control -- Ratio Control -- Feedforward Control -- On-Off Control -- Sequence Control -- Determining Strategy -- Evaporator Control -- Control of Heat Exchangers -- Boiler Control -- Neutralisation Control -- Distillation Control -- Reactor Control -- Batch Process Control -- Systems Architecture -- Systems Hardware -- Communications -- Software Overview -- Operator Interface -- Integrated Alarm Environment -- Analogue Control Loop -- Database Operations and Structure -- Discrete I/O Devices -- Programmable Logic Controllers -- Configuration -- Open Systems -- Fieldbus -- System Layout -- Intrinsic Safety -- Reliability Principles -- Hazard Analysis -- Layers of Safety -- Protection Systems -- Safety Equipment -- Human Factors -- Costs and Benefits Analysis -- User Requirements -- Tendering and Vendor Selection -- Functional Specifications -- Design, Development, Testing and Acceptance -- Installation and Commissioning -- System Management -- Quality Assurance -- Contracts -- Theory and Technique -- Series and Complex Numbers -- First Order Systems -- Laplace Transforms -- Transfer Functions -- Second and Higher Order Systems -- Frequency Response -- Root Locus -- Z Transforms -- Sampled Data Systems -- Z Plane Analysis -- Impulse Compensation -- Matrices and Vectors -- State Space Analysis -- Multivariable Control -- Stochastics -- Linear Regression Analysis -- Linearisation -- Lumped Parameter Systems -- Zero Capacity Systems -- Compressible Flow Systems -- Hydrodynamics -- Multivariable Systems -- Multistage Systems -- Reacting Systems -- Distributed Parameter Systems -- Anti-Surge Systems -- Psychrometric Systems -- Electro-Mechanical Systems -- Numerical Integration -- Procedural Simulation -- Block Orientated Simulation -- Relational Databases -- Management Information Systems -- Principal Components Analysis -- Statistical Process Control -- Linear Programming -- Unconstrained Optimisation -- Constrained Optimisation -- Real Time Optimisers -- Knowledge Based Systems -- Fuzzy Logic Control -- Artificial Neural Networks -- Genetic Algorithms -- Multiloop Systems -- State Feedback Regulators -- Kalman Filtering -- Least Squares Identification -- Recursive Estimation -- Self Tuning Control -- Model Predictive Control -- Non-Linear Control.

To be effective as an engineer practicing in the field of process automation requires a breadth of knowledge across a wide range of disciplines: chemical engineering, instrumentation, electrical engineering, control theory, mathematics, computing and management. Previously published books exist in these areas but most are generic and, of those that are applied in nature, few are oriented towards the actual needs of the chemical and process industry. It is impractical for engineers and unreasonable for students to have to cope with this spectrum of material and lack of emphasis. The objective of Process Automation Handbook has been to distil into a single coherent handbook all the essentials of process automation at a depth sufficient for most practical purposes. The handbook focuses on the knowledge needed to cope with the vast majority of process control and automation situations. In doing so, a number of sensible balances have been carefully struck between breadth and depth, theory and practice, classical and modern, technology and technique, information and understanding. A thorough grounding is provided for every topic. If more detailed information is required, the reader is referred to more specialised texts in the knowledge that he or she has been provided with a sound platform to ask the right questions and understand the answers. Process Automation Handbook will be of value to any engineer actively concerned with process control and automation in the chemical and process industries and final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students studying process control.