Chapter 3

Feedback Controllers
Contents

1. Introduction
2. Basic control modes(P, I and D)
3. Modes of controller (On-Off, P, PI, and PID)
4. Typical Responses of Feedback Control Systems
5. Characteristics of P,I, and D controller
6. Features of PID Controllers
7. On-Off Controllers
Introduction
 Example Continuous blending process
▪ A schematic diagram of a stirred tank blending process is shown in fig.
▪ The control objective is to keep the tank exit composition x at the desired value set
point by adjusting w2 ,the flow rate of pure species A ,via the control valve.
▪ The composition analyzer-transmitter (AT) measures the exit composition and
transmits it as an electronic signal to the electronic feedback controller (AC).
▪ The controller output signal p is an electronic signal that is sent to a current to pressure
(I/P),where it is converted to the equivalent pneumatic signal that is compatible with
the control valve.
▪ The symbols of fig. are examples of standard instrumentation symbols published by
the instrument society of am America ISA 1992.
Basic components in feedback control loop

• Process being controlled (blending system)

• Sensor-transmitter combination (AT)
• Feedback controller (AC)
• Current to pressure transducer (I/P)
• Final control element (control valve)
• Transmission lines between the various instruments (electrical cables
and pneumatic tubing)
Basic Control Modes
The three basic control modes are:
• Proportional control
• Integral control
• Derivative control modes.
Typical Responses of Feedback Control Systems
Features of PID Controller actions
Purpose of each Controller action
• Proportional action is the “universal” control action, capable of providing at least
marginal control quality for any process.
• Integral action is useful for eliminating offset caused by load variations and
process self regulation.
• Derivative action is useful for canceling lags, but useless by itself.
Limitations of each action
• Proportional action will cause oscillations if sufficiently aggressive, in the
presence of lags and/or dead time. The more lags (higher-order), the worse the
problem. It also directly reproduces process noise onto the output signal.
• Integral action will cause oscillation if sufficiently aggressive, in the presence of
lags and/or dead time. Any amount of integral action will guarantee overshoot
following setpoint changes in purely integrating processes.
• Derivative action dramatically amplifies process noise, and will cause oscillations
in fast acting processes.
Special applicability of each action
• Proportional action works exceptionally well when aggressively applied to
processes lacking the phase shift necessary to oscillate: self-regulating processes
dominated by first-order lag, and purely integrating processes.
• Integral action works exceptionally well when aggressively applied to fast-
acting, self-regulating processes. Has the unique ability to ignore process noise.
• Derivative action works exceptionally well to speed up the response of
processes dominated by large lag times, and to help stabilize runaway processes.
Small amounts of derivative action will sometimes allow more aggressive P
and/or I actions to be used than otherwise would be possible without
unacceptable overshoot.
Gain and phase shift of each action
• Proportional action acts on the present, adding no phase shift to a sinusoidal
signal. Its gain is constant for any signal frequency.
• Integral action acts on the past, adding a −90 deg phase shift to a sinusoidal
signal. Its gain decreases with increasing frequency.
• Derivative action acts on the future, adding a +90 deg phase shift to a sinusoidal
signal. Its gain increases with increasing frequency.
On-Off control
• On-Off control is the simplest form of feedback control.
• An on-off controller simply drives the manipulated variable from fully closed to fully open
depending on the position of the controlled variable relative to the setpoint.
• A common example of on-off control is the temperature control in a domestic heating
system.
• When the temperature is below the thermostat setpoint the heating system is switched on
and when the temperature is above the setpoint the heating switches off.
• The sinusoidal cycling is typical of on/off control. on/off control can be used to
advantage on a sluggish system, i.e., where the periodic time is large.
• Typical uses in electric heater controls. If fine control is required a simple on/off
control system is inadequate.
Generally
• In On/off control – control signal is either 0% or 100%.
• If Control at setpoint not achievable, a dead band must be incorporated.
• Useful for large, sluggish systems particularly those incorporating electric heaters
 Chapter 4

PID Controller Design, Tuning, and

Troubleshooting
contents
1. Performance Criteria for Closed-Loop Systems
2. Model-Based Design Methods
3. Controller Tuning Relations
4. Controllers with Two Degrees of Freedom
5. On-Line Controller Tuning
6. Guidelines for Common Control Loops
7. Troubleshooting Control Loops