Process Control Virtual Laboratory: Temperature Control Based on LabVIEW for Convection Heat Transfer

Abstract

The process control virtual laboratory is created by using LabVIEW for demonstrating process control via manipulating a simulated model of a physical process. In this study, a system of convection heat transfer in a rectangular duct is set up and connected with a data acquisition card and a computer serving for an advanced virtual laboratory aimed at supporting teaching and learning in Instrumentation and Control Engineering courses at Pathumwan Institute of Technology. The use of the virtual laboratory facilitates the ongoing evolution of the teaching method from a traditional didactic lecture and laboratory course to a more student-centered approach. The LabVIEW application is used to conduct several tasks including user interface design, publishing and sharing measured data, instrument control and remote access to a system in the Process Control Laboratory. Using LabVIEW software, students can familiarize the basic skills necessary to use equipment and software because the control systems in many industrial processes can be implemented on a computer which runs on LabVIEW.