PID controller tuning using Ziegler-Nichols technique.

AIM:
Consider the following third order process (Cascade of three reactors)

Tune a PID controller using Ziegler-Nichols tuning rules. It is based on the similar idea as the ZN
method described in the lecture, with the difference that the ultimate gain and ultimate period
are determined experimentally, not analytically.
PROCEDURE:
Ziegler-Nichols Tuning General Approach:
Step1. Develop a SIMULINK block diagram and save in the current MATLAB folder.
Step2. Set the controller to a P-only controller.
Step3. Start to give values to Kc or Kp until the closed loop system is at the verge of instability
(sustained oscillations are obtained i.e., in fig 1).

Fig.1 Sustained Oscillations Fig.2. Sustained oscillations showing the measure of Pu.
Step 4. At a particular value of Kp, the system will exhibit sustained oscillation. This value of Kp
will now act as ultimate gain (Ku).
Step 5.Determine from the figure the ultimate period (Pu)[as such in fig.2]. Use the zoom buttons
in the figure window and obtain the ultimate period (the time interval for one entire oscillation).
Step 6. With the ultimate gain (Ku) and ultimate period (Pu) determined at steps 4 and 5 compute
the parameters of a PID controller using the ZN tuning rules stated in Table T.1..
Step 7. Introduce individually the P, PI, PID parameters in the SIMULINK PID controller and
perform a simulation to test the closed loop performance.
Ziegler-Nichols Tuning Practical Approach:
Consider the given plant transfer function as Gp(S) and controller Transfer function Gc(S)
with gain Kc or Kp. Therefore, the characteristics equation for the system with controller and
process only is given by

--------------------------------[1]
Step 1.To find the value of ultimate gain (Ku) the closed loop system is at the verge of instability,
equ. 1 can be written as

Step 2. Substitute S=j in to the characteristic equation, we have

Step 3.Rearrange in the Cartesian form: Re+ Im j and consider it as equ.(2)

Step 4.This equ.2 can be satisfied if and only if both the real and imaginary parts
are equal to zero. Solve the equations to get a value for Kc and .
Hence, the ultimate gain is Ku = Kc =
Step 5.And the frequency of sustained oscillations at that point is :

The ultimate period Pu is given by

Step 6. Calculate the P, PI, PID controller settings using the Z-N Method as in following Table T.1.1.
T.1.1. Zeigler Nichols Tuning Values
Type of Control Kc I D
Proportional (P) 0.5 Ku
Proportional-Integral (PI) 0.45 Ku Pu/1.2
Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) 0.6 Ku Pu/2 Pu/8

Step 7. Observe the closed loop performance for P, PI, PID controller using the obtained values by
substituting in the SIMULINK Model.(Note: Fix the Stop time as 300 sec)and record the necessary
informations in the format given in table T.1.2 & T.1.3.
Table T.1.2
Z-N General Approach Z-N Practical Approach

Control Kc I D Control Kc I D
P P

PI PI

PID PID

Table T.1.3
Performance comparison:

Z-N General Approach Z-N Practical Approach

Controllers P PI PID P PI PID
Percent Overshoot
Settling Time

Rise Time

Peak Time

Result:
[SIMULINK Diagram with Gain Alone
Sustained oscillation response with Pu marked
SIMULINK Diagram with controller
Proportional Response
Proportional-Integral Response , Proportional-Integral-Derivative Response]

Inference:
 PID controller tuning using the Process Reaction Curve or
Cohen-Coon Method.
AIM:
Consider the three tank system as in fig. below

According to this approach, first an approximate First Order Plus Delay Time (FOPDT)
representation of the process is identified based on the process reaction curve and then the PID
controller parameters are obtained using the appropriate Cohen-coon tuning rules.

PROCEDURE:
Step 1. Build the Process model as Open loop configuration in SIMULINK model and save it in the
current MATLAB folder. An S-Shaped curve is obtained which is known as Process Reaction
Curve.
Step 2. Draw a tangent to the curve and manipulate the value of the gain K , time constant and
time-delays td of the approximate model and Find the FOPDT model of the plant.
Step 3. Plot the response of both original plant model and approximate model in such a way to
obtain a response which is as close as possible to the original process response.
Step 4. Use the effective time constant, effective gain and effective time delay obtained in Step 2
(which provides the best approximations of the original third order system) and calculate the PID
controller parameters using the Cohen-coon Tuning rules.
Step 5. Build a new SIMULINK diagram with P,PI, PID Controller using the calculated tuning
parameters from step 4 to simulate the closed loop response. Compare the closed loop
performance for all the cases.
Step 6. Calculate the P, PI, PID controller settings using the C-C Method as in following Table T 2.1
Table 2.1. Cohen-Coon rules
Type of Control Kc I D
Proportional (P)

Proportional-Integral (PI)

Proportional-Integral-Derivative
(PID)

Step 7. Observe the closed loop performance for P, PI, PID controller using the obtained values by
substituting in the SIMULINK Model and tabulate the performance in Table T.2.2. (Note: Fix the
Stop time as 100 sec)
Table T.2.2. Performance comparison:

Cohen-Coon Approach
Controllers P PI PID
Percent Overshoot
Settling Time

Rise Time

Peak Time

Result:
[SIMULINK Diagram
Open Loop Block Diagram to Draw the Process reaction Curve:
Open loop Response 0R Process Reaction Curve
Open Loop Blok Diagram of both Original & Approximate Plant Model:
Open loop response of both Original & Approximate Plant Model:
Closed loop Block Diagram of both Original & Approximate Plant Model with Controller:
Closed Loop Response with P- Controller:
Closed Loop Response with PI- Controller:
Closed Loop Response with PID- Controller:

Inference: