Experiment – 4

Level Control in a
Cylindrical Tank
Process

Name:
Roll No.:

Aim:

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Process Instrumentation and Control Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engg., NIT Warangal
To control level in a cylindrical tank process by manipulating the exit flow rate.

Description:

The process being simulated is a level control system of a liquid tank. The controller function
is PI (proportional plus integral), in the form of the LabVIEW PID Advanced function.

The mathematical model of the process to be controlled is based on mass balance of the
contents, which is water, in the tank. The mass balance is

A*dh(t)/dt = Fin(t) - Fout(t)

The outflow Fout(t) is assumed to be the same as the pump control signal u(t) (both in unit of
m3/s) and is the manipulated variable.

Based on the data, the transfer function model of the process is

Gp(s) = 0.5 x 10-3 / (1000 s + 1)

Procedure:

Unless otherwise stated, all the default values of the parameters are given in the GUI.

1. Set the desired value of level.

2. Use the above transfer function model, design PI controller manually using direct
synthesis method and evaluate the closed loop performance for different values of the
closed loop time constant (ex.  = 100, 250, 500, 750, 1000).
3. Enter the obtained Kc, Ti values (under the tab Your own PI settings).
4. Draw the closed loop graphs for all values of .
5. Now, take any one value of , change Ti (ex. Ti = 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500) and
evaluate the closed loop performance. Draw the closed loop graphs for all values of
Ti.
6. For a fixed value of Kc, Ti, change the set point from 0.5 to 2 and observe the
tracking performance for multiple set-points.
7. Draw the corresponding closed loop graph.

Observations:

Graphs:

Draw relavant graphs

Inference and Conclusions:

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Process Instrumentation and Control Lab, Dept. of Chemical Engg., NIT Warangal