PID TUNING OF A HYDRAULIC CONTROL SYSTEM

YEDTEPE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

YEDITEPE UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING FACULTY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

PID Tuning of a Hydraulic Control System

1. Objective To be able to set a PID controller using the Ziegler-Nichols method ZieglerNichols method. 2. Equipment Festo TP511 Closed Loop Hydraulics Education Kit o 1 Power pack o 1 Pressure filter o 1 4/3-way regulating valve o 1 Pressure sensors o 2 Hoses, 1000 mm. o 1 Hose, 3000 mm. o PID controller 1 Digital multimeter 1 Oscilloscope 1 Function generator 1 Power supply unit (0-20 V variable DC regulated) 3. Theory 3.1 Ziegler-Nichols method The Ziegler-Nichols method has been developed to provide a middle course between purely empirical and computational methods of parameterisation. Optimum settings of P, PI, PD and PID controllers were established from a wide ranging measuring series using pressure regulation (= controlled system with compensation and delay). Particular attention has been given to the fact that interference can also be compensated. In practice, this method specifies good controller coefficients. Empirical fine-tuning can then still be carried out after this. The Ziegler-Nichols method can be divided into two steps: 1. Establishing the limit of stability of the closed control loop (empirical), 2. Calculating the controller parameters in accordance with standard formulae. 1. The limit of stability is determined via the P controller. It is reached when steadystate oscillations occur. This produces the critical coefficient KPcrit and the critical period of oscillation Tcrit (see fig. 1). 2. The coefficients of the controllers are calculated from this on the basis of the formulae (see table 1).

Fig. 1 Critical period of oscillation Tcrit

Controller type

Calculation of characteristic values Kp Tn Tv KI KD P 0.5 KPcrit PD 0.8 KPcrit 0.12 Tcrit KP TV PI 0.45 KPcrit 0.85 Tcrit KP / Tn PID 0.6 KPcrit 0.5 Tcrit 0.12 Tcrit KP / Tn KP TV Table 1 Controller coefficients according to Ziegler-Nichols method.

3.2 Computing example for a closed control loop with PID controller 1. Limit of stability of the closed control loop: KPcrit = 20 Tcrit = 100ms 2. Optimum controller coefficients of the PID controller: KP = 0.6 KPcrit = 0.6 20 = 12 Tn = 0.5 Tcrit = 0.5 100ms = 50ms Tv = 0.12 Tcrit = 0.12 100ms = 12ms KI = KP/Tn = 12 / 0.05 = 240 s-1 KD = KP Tv = 12 12ms = 144ms 4. Procedure 4.1 Pressure control loop The closed control loop is to be constructed and commissioned as described below: 1. Construct the circuit (see figs. 2 and 3). A long section of tubing is to be used as a reservoir. 2. Set the controller: Coefficients to zero, Offset to zero, Limiter to 10V. 3. Check the control direction: To check the control direction, set the coefficient KP = 1. The control direction is correct, if the controlled variable x also increases with an increasing reference variable w.

Fig. 2 Circuit diagram, hydraulic

Fig. 3 Circuit diagram, electrical 4.2 Ziegler-Nichols method Perform the Ziegler-Nichols tuning method. The comparison between the empirically determined parameters and the values calculated here show clear differences: regarding the values of the parameters, regarding the characteristics of the control quality: Overshoot amplitude xm, Steady-state system deviation estat, Settling time Ta. regarding the oscillations in the closed control loop (stability). 4.3 Modified controlled system The pressure control loop is altered by removing the reservoir (tubing), thereby producing different time constants. The controller is reset according to the ZieglerNichols method. 5. Results 5.1 Ziegler-Nichols method Set a step-change reference variable w: w = 3V 2V, 1Hz, square wave form Determine the limit of stability of the closed control loop: KPcrit = ? Tcrit = ?

Calculate the coefficients of the PID controller using the Ziegler-Nichols method: KP = 0.6 KPcrit = ? Tn = 0.5 Tcrit = ? Tv = 0.12 Tcrit = ? KI = KP / Tn = ? KD = KP Tv = ? Set the calculated coefficients of the PID controller. Is the closed control loop stable? Check the control quality: Overshoot amplitude xm = ? Steady-state system deviation estat = ? Settling time Ta = ? 5.2 Modified controlled system Remove the tubing (= reservoir) from the hydraulic circuit. Determine the limit of stability of the closed control loop: KPcrit = ? Tcrit = ? Calculate the coefficients of the PID controller using Ziegler-Nichols method: KP = 0.6 KPcrit = ? Tn = 0.5 Tcrit = ? Tv = 0.12 Tcrit = ? KI = KP / Tn = ? KD = KP Tv = ? Set the coefficients according to the Ziegler-Nichols method and check the control quality. Controller coefficient Control quality Stability according to Z-N KP KI (1/s) KD (ms) xm (V) estat (v) Ta (ms) Carry out the empirical parameterisation of the PID controller and check the control quality. Controller coefficient Stability Control quality according to Z-N KP KI (1/s) KD (ms) xm (V) estat (v) Ta (ms) Which PID setting do you consider to be better?