CHE501 – V1

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Cebu Institute of Technology – University

Chemical Engineering Department

Laboratory Experiment Report #2

Experiment #8 ON-OFF CONTROL OF LEVEL

Author: Christhel May M. Pueblas

Date: July 17, 2019

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to understand the operation of a closed loop
ON_OFF control system and to understand the effect of hysteresis on the control. It also
aims to identify the characteristic of the system with hysteresis at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%,
20%, 25% and 30%. Result shows that 0% Hysteresis has the shortest dead band and
least time requirement to reach the upper limit and lower limit set point. It also shows that
30% Hysteresis has the longest dead band and has the longest time requirement to reach
the upper and lower limit set point. Thus, it can be said that as the hysteresis increases,
the dead band increases and the time requirement to reach the upper and lower limit also
increases. Moreover, It is also concluded that the higher the hysteresis, the lower the
frequency of the output, and the lower the hysteresis, the higher the frequency of the
output.

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Objectives

The objective of this experiment was to understand the operation of a closed loop
ON_OFF control system and to understand the effect of hysteresis on the control. It also
aims to identify the characteristic of the system with hysteresis at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%,
20%, 25% and 30%.

Materials/Apparatus/ Equipment List

 DL 2314
 Digital multimeter
 Set of leads

Relevant Theory / Background Information

In an industrial plant, a closed-loop control system has the role of keeping a

measured physical signal to a predefined value (setpoint).

ON/OFF control is a type of control method commonly applied to process control

applications such as liquid level control. It is the simplest and often least expensive type
of automatic process control. ON/OFF control, or two-position control, examines the value
of a process variable and gives an output that is either fully on (I00%) or fully off (0%).
There are no intermediate settings with ON/OFF control[1].

A solenoid-operated valve controls the output flow from the tank. Two level
switches are positioned at a high and low level limits. The control circuit maintains the
level between the level limits.

When the level falls below the low level limit, the low level switch send a signal to
the control circuit, causing the control circuit to close the solenoid valve. The tank level
then rises until it reaches the high level limit. At that point, the high level switch sends a

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signal to the control circuit, causing it to open the solenoid valve and allow the tank level
to fall. The tank level then drops until it reaches the low level limit, and the cycle repeats.

When the level is between the upper and lower level sensors, there is no change
in the control circuit's output. Since there is no change in the output, there is no change
in the position of the final control element (valve). For this reason, the area between the
high level and low level is called the dead band, or neutral zone.

If the dead band is too narrow, the control element turns off frequently, causing
reduced life. Therefore, an ON/OFF control system should be set up so that the dead
band is wide enough to prevent frequent oscillation and still control the process variable
within acceptable limits.

Fig 3.1 Diagram of an On-Off control system

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Fig 3.2 Level vs time graph

Hysteresis is a common phenomenon in physical systems and occurs when the

system's output depends not only on its present inputs but also on past inputs (when the
system exhibits memory) [2]. In control systems, hysteresis can be used to filter signals
so that the output reacts less rapidly than it otherwise would, by taking recent history into
account. For example, a thermostat controlling a heater may switch the heater on when
the temperature drops below A, but not turn it off until the temperature rises above B. For
instance, if one wishes to maintain a temperature of 20 °C then one might set the
thermostat to turn the heater on when the temperature drops to below 18 °C and off when
the temperature exceeds 22 °C [3].

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Procedures

The process simulation panel was set accordingly.

DELIVERY VALVE fully open (turn the knob counter-clockwise)

MOTOR VALVE fully open (angular rotation = 0)

SOL VALVE open (ON) using the interface ON-OFF DRIVER

MAIN VALVE fully open (turn the knob counter-clockwise)

DRAIN VALVE fully close (turn the knob clockwise)

NEEDLE VALVE fully close (turn the knob clockwise)

AIR VALVE fully open (turn the knob counter-clockwise)

PROCESS TANK with 8 cm level of water

SET POINT 1 KNOB 0V

HYSTRESIS KNOB 0%

Bush N1 of the level Sensor was connected through leads to bus N1 of the relevant
interface and the same method goes to bush N2. Bush N19 of the linear driver was
connected to bush N19. Bush N20 to bush N20 was also connected by means of lead.
The bush of SET POINT 1 was connected to bush N14 on the ON-OFF controller and
bush N13 of the level interface was connected to bush N13 of the ON-OFF controller.
The terminal side was inserted on the digital voltmeter that was set in DC. The earth bush
on the other hand was inserted in the bush of SET POINT 1. The main switch was turned
ON. The voltage on SET POINT was regulated to 5V. The terminal of the digital voltmeter
was moved to bush of SET POINT 1 to bush N13 of the ON-OFF controller. The voltage
value was determined to be at 2V. The terminal of the digital voltmeter was moved to
bush X4 of the ON OFF controller and the voltage was equal to the difference between
the voltage applied to bush N14 and the voltage applied to bush N13 that is 3V. Bush
N18 of the ON OFF controller was connected to bush N18 of the LINEAR DRIVER . The

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pump started immediately and the level started to increase while the voltage value on the
voltmeter decreases.

As soon as the voltage difference between bush N14 and bush N13 will be null.
The knob NEEDLE VALVLE and/ or the knob DRAIN VALVE was slowly turned clockwise
the level decreased a little. The voltage difference between bush N14 and bush N13,
caused by the level variation, brought an output of the ON OFF controller (bush N18 ) to
a voltage approximately 10V and the pump then again started. The pump operated in a
short time and the previous level was reached (11 cm.). The NEEDLE VALVE and/or the
knob DRAIN VALVE was regulated and approximately equal time for the level increase
and decrease between start and stop of the pump was determined. The up and down
level of the cycle was then repeated.

The MAIN VALVE was turned clockwise and the reading of the flow on the flow
meter was approximately 20 liters/hr. This operation was performed while the pump was
running and that is when the water was increasing. Step N12 was repeated. The up and
down times of the level between start and stop of the pump were measured at 0%
hysteresis. The results were wrote down in Table 5.1 The procedure from N15 for all
hysteresis values listed in Table 5.1 were repeated. The measurement of the up and down
was repeated for each value of hysteresis. The NEED VALVE and DRAIN VALVE was
closed. The main switch was turned OFF. All connections were removed.

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Experimental Data Analysis and Discussion

Hysteresis, % 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Set point (cm) 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

Lower Limit
11.8 11.8 11.5 11.2 10.8 10.3 9.9
Set point (cm)
Up Rasing
time of the 3.32 3.45 12.4 25.6 39.29 56.25 70.33
level (sec)
Upper limit Set
12.1 12.1 12.3 12.6 13 13.4 13.9
point (cm)
Lowering time
of the level 4.3 5.67 16.17 34.69 52.94 77.13 96.92
(sec)

Table 5.1 Tabulated Data and Results

Hysteresis 0%
12.15
12.1
12.05
Set point (cm)

12
11.95
11.9
11.85
11.8
11.75
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Upraising and lowering time of the level (sec)

Fig 5.1 Hysteresis at 0%

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Hysteresis 5%
12.15
12.1
12.05
Set point (cm)

12
11.95
11.9
11.85
11.8
11.75
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Upraising and lowering time of the level (sec)

Fig 5.2 Hysteresis at 5%

Hysteresis 10%
12.4
12.3
12.2
12.1
Set point (cm)

12
11.9
11.8
11.7
11.6
11.5
11.4
0 5 10 15 20 25
Upraising and lowering time of the level (sec)

Fig 5.3 Hysteresis at 10%

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Hysteresis 15%
12.8
12.6
12.4
Set point (cm)

12.2
12
11.8
11.6
11.4
11.2
11
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Upraising and lowering time of the level (sec)

Fig 5.4 Hysteresis at 15%

Hysteresis 20%
14

12

10
Set point (cm)

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Upraising and lowering time of the level

Fig 5.5 Hysteresis at 20%

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Hysteresis 25%
16
14
12
Set point (cm)

10
8
6
4
2
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Upraising and lowering time of the level (sec)

Fig 5.6 Hysteresis at 25%

Hysteresis 30%
16
14
12
Set point (cm)

10
8
6
4
2
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Upraising and lowering time of the level (sec)

Fig 5.7 Hysteresis at 30%

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Hysteresis 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%

16
14
12 0%
Set point (cm)

10 5%
8 10%
6 15%

4 20%

2 25%

0 30%
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Upraising and lowering time of the level

Fig 5.8 Summary of the Results

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Discussion

The waves presented from figures 5.1 to 5.7 represents the characteristic of the
Closed loop On-Off control system with different hysteresis.

In this experiment, we used 12.1cm level as our set point value instead of 11cm
level since we cannot achieve 0volts at 11cm.

Based on the graphs, it can be observed that Fig 5.1 Hysteresis at 0% has the
shortest amplitude gap or has the shortest dead band, and Fig 5.7 Hysteresis at 30% has
the tallest amplitude gap or the longest dead band.

It can also be observed that Fig 5.1 Hysteresis at 0% has the shortest period length
or has the least time requirement to reach the upper limit and lower limit set point, and
Fig 5.7 Hysteresis at 30% has the longest period length or has the longest time
requirement to reach the upper limit and lower limit set point. Shorter period means higher
frequency and longer period means lower frequency.

Based on the results, Fig 5.8 Summary of the Results, as the hysteresis increases,
the dead band increases and the time requirement to reach the upper and lower limit also
increases. Also, the higher the hysteresis, the lower the frequency of the output, and the
lower the hysteresis, the higher the frequency of the output.

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Conclusion

The operation of a closed loop On-Off control system and the effect of hysteresis
on the control was observed in this experiment.

Result shows that 0% Hysteresis has the shortest dead band and least time
requirement to reach the upper limit and lower limit set point. It also shows that 30%
Hysteresis has the longest dead band and has the longest time requirement to reach the
upper and lower limit set point. It also shows that 5% Hysteresis has longer dead band
and greater time requirement to reach the upper and lower set point than the 0%
Hysteresis, so as the 10% Hysteresis compared to the 5% Hysteresis, and the 15%
Hysteresis to the 20% Hysteresis, and so on. Thus, it can be said that as the hysteresis
increases, the dead band increases and the time requirement to reach the upper and
lower limit also increases. Moreover, It is also concluded that the higher the hysteresis,
the lower the frequency of the output, and the lower the hysteresis, the higher the
frequency of the output.

The significance of this experiment is that in a process control system, a lower

hysteresis would result in higher frequency of the output, thus more wear and damage of
the system’s component. Whereas, increasing hysteresis would result in lower frequency
of the output which means greater time requirement to reach the upper and lower limit
set point, thus lesser stress and damage to the system’s component. Therefore, in order
to limit the stress and cause delay on the On-Off control system integrated hysteresis is
applied.

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References

Website:

[1]https://levelprocesscontrolsystem2.weebly.com/relay-based-onoff-
controller.html?fbclid=IwAR3QqMRCQSfhrSwo8LUBsF5p_qSGy-
PmTT8YFy4CtBqUGWNQ8efvYsR9-10

[2] https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-hysteresis-definition-loop.html

[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteresis?fbclid=IwAR0o2ONxJLgsaJh2rQU6VKjuZfUm
nOAOCUnixXkWJLOWdd3UPJdHPfnsYY4

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