CONTROLLER

CONTROLLER

Most industrial processes require that certain variables

such as flow, temperature, level or pressure should
remain at or near some reference value, called set
point.

The device that serves to maintain a process variable

value at the set point is called a controller.

A Controller is a device that receives data from a

measurement instrument, compares that data to a
programmed set point, and, if necessary, signals a
control element to take corrective action.

Controller Modes

Proportional Action Control

Integral/Reset Action Control

Derivative/Rate Action Control

PROPORTIONAL CONTROLLER
Proportional Controller (P Mode)

Continuous control mode

Typical behavior/characteristics:

The signal output of a controller is proportional to

the input or error

Stay at the same ratio

Proportional control is a pure gain adjustment acting on

the error signal to provide the driving input to the
process.

APPLICATION

APPLICATION
If

the car is at target speed and the

speed increases slightly, the power is
reduced slightly, or in proportion to
the error (the actual versus target
speed), so that the car reduces speed
gradually and reaches the target point
with very little, if any, "overshoot", so
the result is much smoother control
than on-off control.

ADVANTAGES

Slow response of the over damped system can be made

faster with the help of these controllers.

Proportional controller helps in reducing the steady

state error, thus makes the system more stable

DISADVANTAGES

Proportional controllers also increase the maximum

overshoot of the system

Due to presence of these controllers some weak offsets

in the system.

Integral Action Control

Also called Reset Action Control

Continuous control mode

Typical behavior/characteristic:
- The controller output is proportional to the integral of the error with
respect to time.
- The value of the controller output is changed at a rate proportional to
the error e.

Used to removed offset

As long as error exist, integral action will work to eliminate the error

We can examine some of the features of integral control

using an integral controller.

In an integral controller, steady state error should be zero.

The system would have to have a zero at the origin to make this claim false.

Of course, the closed loop system has to be stable.

Integral control has a tendency to make a system slower. We'll talk about why that happens
shortly.

If we think about the root locus for a system with integral control we can note the following.

The integral gain, Ki, is either the root locus gain, or the root locus gain is proportional to Ki.

Integral control has a tendency to make a system slower. Consider a typical situation as
shown below.

Integral control is implemented through the

introduction of an integrator. Implementation of
this mode requires a circuit which has a response
given by

Proportional-Derivative
Controller

D mode is used when prediction of the error can

improve control or when it necessary to stabilize the
system. (predict error in future)

P-D controller is used to increase the stability of the

system by improving control since it has an ability to
predict the future error of the system response

Transient respond with PD

controller

PD controller is often used in control of moving objects

such are flying and underwater vehicles, ships, rockets
etc.

One of the reason is in stabilizing effect of PD controller

on sudden changes in heading variable

Advantages: It makes the loop more stable which allows

using a higher controller gain and a faster integral
(shorter integral time or higher integral gain).

Disadvantages: Process variable (PV) has a lot of noise

on it.

Summary
Remark: Each mode has its advantages and drawbacks

individually

P mode Advantage: Fast response action

Drawback: Produces steady state error (offset)
I mode Advantage: Steady state error is null
Drawback: Increases the response time

D Mode Advantage: increases the damping of the system

Drawback: Amplifies the noise which can cause problems including

instability

Therefore, the pure controller mode (P or I or D) is seldom used in process

control because of the advantage of composite modes in providing good
control.