Norman Lieberman’s Troubleshooting Process Plant Control: A Practical Guide to Avoiding and Correcting Mistakes (available at Wiley ) is a celebrated, unconventional manual that prioritizes "boots-on-the-ground" field reality over theoretical mathematics. Currently in its 3rd edition (2024), it remains a staple for refinery and petrochemical engineers.
: Unlike academic texts, this guide emphasizes the "most important function" of an engineer: explaining to panel operators how control valves interact with the plant to achieve stability. Practical Troubleshooting Steps : Talk to the shift operators first. Practical Troubleshooting Steps : Talk to the shift
: A core lesson is that the valve position shown in a control center often does not represent the actual physical position of the valve, but rather where the signal is supposed to be. Develop a theory and put it to a plant test
Personally collect field data rather than relying solely on computer simulations. Develop a theory and put it to a plant test. Troubleshooting Process Plant Control Practical Troubleshooting Steps : Talk to the shift
The book famously opens with a humorous "warning" that it may be considered a "fraud" by academics because it lacks complex mathematics, differential equations, or Laplace transforms. Lieberman argues that real-world process control has more to do with understanding how instruments actually work in the field than with computer simulations.
: Lieberman uses relatable analogies—like a car’s cruise control failing on a steep hill—to explain how automatic systems can sometimes "feed upon themselves" and worsen a problem if not switched to manual.