What is the role of output controls in a firm with a minimal need for integration?

The basic idea behind a PID controller is to read a sensor, then compute the desired actuator output by calculating proportional, integral, and derivative responses and summing those three components to compute the output. Before we start to define the parameters of a PID controller, we shall see what a closed loop system is and some of the terminologies associated with it.

Closed Loop System

In a typical control system, the process variable is the system parameter that needs to be controlled, such as temperature (ºC), pressure (psi), or flow rate (liters/minute). A sensor is used to measure the process variable and provide feedback to the control system. The set point is the desired or command value for the process variable, such as 100 degrees Celsius in the case of a temperature control system. At any given moment, the difference between the process variable and the set point is used by the control system algorithm (compensator), to determine the desired actuator output to drive the system (plant). For instance, if the measured temperature process variable is 100 ºC and the desired temperature set point is 120 ºC, then the actuator output specified by the control algorithm might be to drive a heater. Driving an actuator to turn on a heater causes the system to become warmer, and results in an increase in the temperature process variable. This is called a closed loop control system, because the process of reading sensors to provide constant feedback and calculating the desired actuator output is repeated continuously and at a fixed loop rate as illustrated in figure 1.

In many cases, the actuator output is not the only signal that has an effect on the system. For instance, in a temperature chamber there might be a source of cool air that sometimes blows into the chamber and disturbs the temperature.Such a term is referred to as disturbance. We usually try to design the control system to minimize the effect of disturbances on the process variable.

Defintion of Terminlogies

The control design process begins by defining the performance requirements. Control system performance is often measured by applying a step function as the set point command variable, and then measuring the response of the process variable. Commonly, the response is quantified by measuring defined waveform characteristics. Rise Time is the amount of time the system takes to go from 10% to 90% of the steady-state, or final, value. Percent Overshoot is the amount that the process variable overshoots the final value, expressed as a percentage of the final value. Settling time is the time required for the process variable to settle to within a certain percentage (commonly 5%) of the final value. Steady-State Error is the final difference between the process variable and set point. Note that the exact definition of these quantities will vary in industry and academia.

Figure 2: Response of a typical PID closed loop system.

After using one or all of these quantities to define the performance requirements for a control system, it is useful to define the worst case conditions in which the control system will be expected to meet these design requirements. Often times, there is a disturbance in the system that affects the process variable or the measurement of the process variable. It is important to design a control system that performs satisfactorily during worst case conditions. The measure of how well the control system is able to overcome the effects of disturbances is referred to as the disturbance rejection of the control system.

In some cases, the response of the system to a given control output may change over time or in relation to some variable. A nonlinear system is a system in which the control parameters that produce a desired response at one operating point might not produce a satisfactory response at another operating point. For instance, a chamber partially filled with fluid will exhibit a much faster response to heater output when nearly empty than it will when nearly full of fluid. The measure of how well the control system will tolerate disturbances and nonlinearities is referred to as the robustness of the control system.

Some systems exhibit an undesirable behavior called deadtime. Deadtime is a delay between when a process variable changes, and when that change can be observed. For instance, if a temperature sensor is placed far away from a cold water fluid inlet valve, it will not measure a change in temperature immediately if the valve is opened or closed. Deadtime can also be caused by a system or output actuator that is slow to respond to the control command, for instance, a valve that is slow to open or close. A common source of deadtime in chemical plants is the delay caused by the flow of fluid through pipes.

Loop cycle is also an important parameter of a closed loop system. The interval of time between calls to a control algorithm is the loop cycle time. Systems that change quickly or have complex behavior require faster control loop rates.

Figure 3: Response of a closed loop system with deadtime.

Once the performance requirements have been specified, it is time to examine the system and select an appropriate control scheme. In the vast majority of applications, a PID control will provide the required results

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