Controller Tuning

Dr. Nagajyothi Virivinti

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Process control
Process ?

• Integration of several processing units like reactors, pumps and exchangers,

placed in a systematic manner whose overall objective is to convert certain
raw material into useful product in a safe and economical manner.

Control ?

• To maintain desired conditions in a physical system by adjusting selected variables in

the system.
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Process
cause the controlled variables to deviate
Effect of Disturbances from their respective set points
surroundings on
the process Measured Effect of process
Unmeasured
on the
Inputs surroundings

Unmeasured

Manipulated Outputs or
Variables Process controlled Variables

Measured
Variables which can
be adjusted by
human operator
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Variables
Input variables: Denotes the effect of the surroundings on the chemical or biochemical
process.

• Manipulated Variables: input variables are adjusted dynamically to keep the controlled
variables at their set-points.

• Disturbances: these are also called "load" variables and represent input variables that
can cause the controlled variables to deviate from their respective set points.

Output variables: Denotes the effect of the process on the surroundings.

variables which quantify the performance or quality of the final product

• Measured outputs

• Unmeasured outputs
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Laplace transforms - simple convenient and meaningful

representation of a chemical process
Transfer Functions
• Convenient representation of a linear, dynamic model.

•A Transfer Function is the ratio of the output of a system to the input of

a system, in the Laplace domain considering its initial conditions and
equilibrium point to be zero.

• A transfer function (TF) relates one input and one output:

x t y t
 system 
X  s Y  s

The following terminology is used:

X Y
input output
forcing function response
“cause” “effect” 6
Definition of the transfer function:
Let G(s) denote the transfer function between an input, x, and an
output, y. Then, by definition

Y  s
G  s 
X  s
where:
Y  s   L  y  t  
X  s   L  x  t  

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First order systems

• Output is modeled by first order differential equations

• If a0 is zero, system is pure capacitive.

• Kp-gain τ- time constant

• Examples: CSTR, thermometer, heater

Second order systems

• Two or more first order systems

• Interacting and non-interacting tanks

Higher order systems

• N first order processes in series (Multi-capacity processes)

• Distillation column

• Processes with dead time

• Processes with inverse response
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Why we need control?
• Suppressing the influence of external disturbance as soon as possible 
• Ensuring the stability of the process
• Optimizing the performance 

Process control

Maintaining the process at desired conditions safely and efficiently while satisfying
environmental and product quality requirements.

Compares the measured process output with desired set point and manipulated input
value can be calculated.
Example: Level control problem 12

• Before going to control of a process

• Control objectives
• Variables: input, output and disturbances
• Constraints

• Control objective?
• Height can not be too high as well as too low
• Desired height is supplied as set point

• Input variables:
F1, F2 (manipulated ? Disturbance ?)
• Output variable: Liquid level
Control Block diagram
• F2- disturbance
• F1- manipulated
• LT- level transmitter

(sends hm to LC)
• LC- Level controller

(compares hm and hsp)

Sends pressure signal to the

valve
Control Block Diagram
• F1- disturbance
• F2-manipulated
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••  Control Objective: keep the value of y at desired values in the presence of

disturbances (d)

• Measures the output by measuring device

• Compares ym(measured value) with ysp (set point value),

• Value of deviation is supplied to the main controller, controller changes the

value of manipulated variable in such a way to reduce the deviation

• Controller does not effect the manipulated variable directly but through
another device (control valve and FCM)
• Level controller ( relates error to controller output)
• Valve (relates controller output signal to flow through valve)
• Process (relates manipulated input to process output)
• Disturbances (relates disturbance input to the process output)
• Sensor (measures the tank level)
Controller transfer function
• On-off controller
• Proportional control
• Proportional integral control
• Proportional integral and derivative control
level controller compares the measured tank level (hm) to the desired tank
level (hsp). The desired tank level is known as the setpoint, and the difference
between the setpoint and the measured process output is the error.
Input- error, output- pressure to the valve
Valve transfer function
• The input signal is the pressure to the valve top and

• the output is the flow rate of fluid through the valve.

Process transfer function

• The input to the block is the flow rate to the tank,

• and the output is the tank level.

Disturbance transfer function
• The disturbance input is the flow rate from the tank (which may be due to
changes in a downstream control valve not shown),
• and the output is the tank level.
Measurement transfer function

• The input to the block is the tank level

• and the output is the actual measurement of tank level.
Control block diagram
Closed loop transfer function

• Gc=kc
• Gp=10/(s-1)
• Gd=5/(s-1)
• Gv=1
• gm=1
Find out GCL with respect to s.P point change as well as wit
respect to load or disturbance change
Determine Characteristic equation