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Control Actions: Two Step Control Action
Control Actions: Two Step Control Action
This can be defined as 'the action of a controller whose output changes from
one state to another due to a variation in its input' One example of this control
is that of a float operated filling v/v say for a cistern. In normal condition the
output of the float is nil and no water passes through the valve, should the
water level drop the float detects this and operates the valve to change to its
second state which is open and water flows. When the level re-establishes then
the float controls the valve to return to its primary state which is closed. In this
way the float is controlling the water level by changing the valve between two
different states. A more realistic system is shown below.
The system works as follows; the level drops until the lower float is
uncovered, the controller detects this and opens the filling valve, the filling v/v
remains open until the top float is covered and then the controller shuts the
valve
The distance between the floats is termed the 'Overlap' i.e. the
distance between the high and low controlling values ( on some systems this
can be altered by altering the high or low set point of the controller, in the
above system this would mean altering the position of the floats )
If there where any delays or lags in the sensing side, say the float
switch was a little sticky or the filling v/v was slow to fully open then the level
would fall below rise above the low and high set points respectively. This is
termed 'Overshoot', it can be seen if the controller 'response to change' time
was speeded up so the overshoot could be reduced.
The system may be represented in block form as follows;
This where the change in output signal from a controller is proportional to the
change in input signal
The control can be summed up in the following;
Output = Constant x Deviation
Output - this is the output from the controller and goes to the control element (
say the filling v/v on the previous example i.e. the piece of equipment that
actually alters the process.
Constant- This is the 'Gain' of the controller, as the output varies with the
deviation, the amount it varies can be altered.
Say if the deviation changes by one unit the output changes by
one unit, hence the gain is one. If the output varied by two for the same one
change in deviation then the gain would be two. Similarly if the change in
output was one half a unit for a one unit change in input then the gain would
be half. Another way used to describe Gain is 'Proportional band', here a gain
of one is described as a proportional band (Pb)of 100%. For a gain of two the
Pb is 50%, and for a gain of a half the Pb is 200%, hence it can be seen that
the magnitude of the Pb is opposite to the gain.
Deviation- This is the difference between the set point of the controller and the
measured value. If the set point was one unit and the measured value was two
units the deviation would be one unit.
Deviation = Set point - Measured value
The important think to remember is that the narrower the
Proportional band the higher the gain and hence the higher the output varies
for a change in deviation, this has the effect of making the controller control
the process quicker by operating the controlling element more for smaller
variations measured value. This has the negative effect as will be seen of
making the system unstable
OFFSET
As the gain increases so the output increases for smaller and smaller changes
in deviation, eventually the response starts to look similar to that of a two step
controller with the control valve flying from full open to full shut with the
slightest deviation from the set point. This would be o.k. if the system was
devoid of all Lags, with lags however, particularly between the controller and
controlling element, there is a tendency for 'over shoot'.
This can occur with reduced gain when the process lags are
increased, for systems with a very large lags even small changes in gain can
seriously effect the stability of a system and especially its ability to resist step (
or rapid ) load changes.
For smaller values of gain the system can be set up to have
minimum of hunt and be self stabilizing .
A system could be designed to control both the outlet valves and inlet valves
(this is what is seen on the feed water system level control with the spill and
filling being controlled from the one controller) ; here the controller would be
set up so that when the level is at the set point its output is mid range ( say
for a controller operating in the 3 to 15 psi range this would be 9 psi)
The control valves would be set up so that one, say the filling v/v
would go from close at 9.5 psi to open at 15 psi, and the spill v/v would go
from close at 8.5 psi to open at 3 psi. The 1 psi in the middle is called the
'Deadband' and is there to ensure both v/vs are not open at the same time.
( The v/v acting to open with increasing input signal is called 'Direct Acting' and
the v/v closing with increasing pressure is called 'Reverse Acting')
It can be seen that there can now be an offset in the positive i.e.
water being used and hence the make up v/v has to be open and in the
negative i.e. there is too much water entering the system and the spill v/v's
have to be opened.
Offset is not a desired result of the control of a system, however
for proportional only controllers this is a direct consequence. That is why for all
controllers performing important functions; including the make up/spill system
controller above other types of controlling action are added to remove the
offset
Derivative action