Instrumentation True and False

Question 1

A common method of installing a flange gasket is to first install only half of the bolts (in the holes lower than the centerline of the pipe), drop the gasket between the flanges, insert the remaining bolts, then proceed to tighten all bolts to the proper torque.

Answer 1

true

Question 2

On instrument diagrams, flanges are denoted by two short parallel lines, both perpendicular to the pipe.

Answer 2

true

Question 3

Safety is affected by improper connections between instruments and the process, but not from instrument to instrument.

Answer 3

false

Question 4

Ring-type joints (RTJ) are typically found on high-pressure applications where leakage control is more challenging.

Answer 4

true

Question 5

Tube fittings designed to connect one tube to another are called connectors.

Answer 5

false

Question 6

A certain level of uncertainty is perfectly acceptable for a process flow diagram (PFD), because its purpose is merely to show the general flow of the process itself, and only a bare minimum of control instrumentation.

Answer 6

true

Question 7

Function diagrams are used to document the strategy of a control system.

Answer 7

true

Question 8

To examine details, including cable types, wire numbers, terminal blocks, junction boxes, instrument calibration ranges, failure modes, power sources, and the like, in the instrumentation process, one must turn to a document called a process and instrument diagram (P&ID).

Answer 8

false

Question 9

When troubleshooting a complex control system, an instrument technician must use only one diagram that shows all details.

Answer 9

false

Question 10

Gaskets are manufactured from materials harder than the flange material so that when sandwiched between a pair of flanges, the gasket will not get “crushed” between them to seal all potential leak paths.

Answer 10

false

Question 11

The number of studs holding each flange set together gives some indication of the pressure of the fluid within a pipe.

Answer 11

true

Question 12

An open circle instrument “bubble” indicates Field-mounted.

Answer 12

true

Question 13

A ring of metal, usually welded to the end of a pipe, with holes drilled in it parallel to the pipe centerline to accept several bolts is called a gasket.

Answer 13

false

Question 14

A busway is also sometimes known as a bus duct.

Answer 14

true

Question 15

The type of “bubble” used for each instrument tells us something about its material type.

Answer 15

false

Question 16

In the interest of safety and longevity, one can simply route electrical power and signal cables randomly between different locations.

Answer 16

false

Question 17

The first step in instrumentation is measurement.

Answer 17

true

Question 18

The only difference between a branch tee and a run tee is the orientation of the pipe end with regard to the two tube ends.

Answer 18

true

Question 19

The final control device in instrumentation can take a form of a control valve.

Answer 19

true

Question 20

In instrumentation, once the quantity of interest is measured, a signal representing the quantity is transmitted to an indicating or computing device where either human or automated action then takes place.

Answer 20

true

Question 21

Bulkhead fittings are designed to fit through holes drilled in panels or enclosures to provide a way for a fluid line to pass through the wall of the panel or enclosure.

Answer 21

true

Question 22

By far the most common type of tube fitting for instrument impulse lines is the compression-style fitting, which uses a compressible ferrule to perform the task of sealing fluid pressure.

Answer 22

true

Question 23

Instruments bearing a common “loop number” in the instrumentation process indicate they are all part of the same control system.

Answer 23

true

Question 24

A traditional and rugged technique for cable routing is conduit.

Answer 24

true

Question 25

The Swagelok-brand provides a special gauge that has the ability to reveal an overtightened fitting, but not an under-tightened fitting.

Answer 25

false

Question 26

A reducing union tube joins together different tube sizes rather than tubes of the same size.

Answer 26

true

Question 27

All instruments connect to their respective processes and to each other by means of pipe, tube, and/or wires.

Answer 27

true

Question 28

If possible, a goal in tube bending is to eliminate as many connections as possible because connections invite leaks, and leaks are problematic.

Answer 28

true

Question 29

Regardless of the brand, compression-style instrument tube fittings are incredibly strong and versatile.

Answer 29

true

Question 30

Plastic conduits are superior to metal conduits with regard to providing electrical grounding or shielding.

Answer 30

false

Question 31

The common home thermostat is an example of a measurement and control system, with the home’s internal air temperature being the “process” under control.

Answer 31

true

Question 32

Plastic is a common pipe material for many industrial applications, including instrumentation.

Answer 32

true

Question 33

In instrumentation, each and every instrument has an input and an output, and there is always a predictable (and testable) correlation from one to the other, which help when diagnosing where a problem lies within a measurement or control system.

Answer 33

true

Question 34

In order to safely and efficiently produce a continuous flow of steam, in instrumentation involving steam boiler, one must ensure the steam drum is entirely full of water.

Answer 34

false

Question 35

An obvious advantage of using DIN rail to secure electrical components versus individually attaching those components to a subpanel with their own sets of screws is convenience: much less labor is required to mount and unmount a DIN rail-attached component than a component attached with its own set of dedicated screws.

Answer 35

true

Question 36

Tubing elbows are tube connectors with a bend that are useful for making turns in tube runs without having to bend the tubing itself.

Answer 36

true

Question 37

Swagelok gauges are referred to in the industry as no-go gap gauges because their inability to fit between the nut and body shoulder of a tube fitting indicates a properly-tightened fitting.

Answer 37

true

Question 38

Instrumentation is the science of automated measurement and control.

Answer 38

true

Question 39

Union tees join three tube ends.

Answer 39

true

Question 40

Flanges differ with regard to their color and thermal conductivity.

Answer 40

false

Question 41

The proper form of diagram for the lowest level of instrumentation with fine details is called a process flow diagram.

Answer 41

false

Question 42

The narrowing of scope with the progression from process flow diagram (PFD) to loop diagram may be visualized as a process of “zooming in” as though one were viewing a process through the lens of a microscope at different powers.

Answer 42

true

Question 43

An industry-standard structure for attaching terminal blocks and small electrical components to flat metal panels is called a DIN rail.

Answer 43

true

Question 44

No special procedures are required to “re-make” a disassembled instrument fitting connection: merely tighten the nut “snug” to maintain adequate force holding the ferrule to the fitting body, but not so tight that the ferrule compresses further around the tube than it did during initial assembly.

Answer 44

true

Question 45

An “up” arrow (↑), in instrumentation, represents a reverse-acting instrument: one whose output signal decreases as the input stimulus increases.

Answer 45

false

Question 46

In the United States of America, most large industrial pipes are joined together by flanges.

Answer 46

true

Question 47

A piece designed to seal off the open end of a tube fitting is called a cap, while a piece designed to seal off the end of an open tube is called a plug.

Answer 47

false

Question 48

Conduit resembles piping used to convey fluids, except that it is much thinner-walled than fluid pipe and is not rated to withstand internal pressure as pipe is.

Answer 48

true

Question 49

Over-tightening of a compression fitting is not as bad as under-tightening, as the fitting can form a robust seal even when the ferrule and tube have been deformed.

Answer 49

false

Question 50

At the highest level, the instrument technician is interested in the interconnections of individual instruments, including all the wire numbers, terminal numbers, cable types, instrument calibration ranges, etc.

Answer 50

false

Question 51

Raised-face (RF) flanges are designed to seal against a gasket by means of a set of concentric grooves machnined on the face of the flange, forming a sealing surface with far greater leakage path length than if the face were smooth, thus discouraging leakage of process fluid under pressure.

Answer 51

true

Question 52

Twisting, soldering, crimping (using compression connectors), and clamping (either by the tension of a spring or under the compression of a screw) are some of the popular techniques for connecting electrical conductors together.

Answer 52

true

Question 53

Unlike pipe fittings, tube fittings may be disconnected and reconnected with ease.

Answer 53

true

Question 54

The direction of action of each instrument is a typical detail one can see on a loop diagram.

Answer 54

true

Question 55

The Swagelok-brand provides a special gauge designed such that its thickness will fit between the nut and fitting shoulder if the nut is insufficiently tightened, but will not fit if it is sufficiently tightened.

Answer 55

true

Question 56

Tube fittings designed to connect a tube to pipe threads are called unions.

Answer 56

false

Question 57

Both measurement devices and the final control device connect to some physical system called the “process”.

Answer 57

true

Question 58

Tee fittings join three fluid lines together.

Answer 58

true

Question 59

It is typical to view the flow of the process as well as the “flow” of information between instruments measuring and controlling the process in a process flow diagram (PFD).

Answer 59

false