PROCESS CONTROL

Engr. May Anne C. Valencia

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INTRODUCTION TO
PROCESS CONTROL

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 DEFINITIONS

▰ Instrumentation – (according to ISA) It is a collection of instruments

or their application for the purpose of observation, monitoring, and
control
4 W’s (What, Where, Why, Which)
-The application of instruments to a process to observe,
monitor and control its activities.
▰ Control – to regulate, to have power, to rule

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 SCOPE OF INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL

Divisions of Instrumentation (according to ISA)

▰ Computers, IT, Communications, Telecommunications, Data Handling, Telemetry
▰ Aerospace/Avionics
▰ Marine Science/Marine Biology
▰ Metrology
▰ Automation – Mechanical
▰ Automation – Process
▰ Analytical
▰ Biomedical
▰ Cryogenics
▰ Nuclear Instrumentation
▰ Power Instrumentation
▰ Others/Unclassified
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 PROCESS AUTOMATION

▰ Process automation covers the measurement and control of process

variables such as pressure, temperature, flow, level, viscosity,
humidity, specific gravity, pH, thickness, weight, conductivity, oxygen
level, etc.
▰ In order to monitor a process, a characteristic or parameter of the
process must be measured.
▰ The accuracy and repeatability of the measurement is a must before
the controller can do its job of controlling the process.
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 PROCESS CONTROL

▰ Process control is a technique of balancing supply and demand over a

period of time at a predetermined level of operation called the set point
(SP).
▰ To attain this, the controller compares the measured variable (process
variable) with the set point and then makes the adjustment in the final
control element based on the difference between the set point and the
process variable.
▰ The error signal e is the difference between the set point and the process
variable. Its objective is to make e equal to 0.
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 PROCESS CONTROL

▰ Process control is a technique of balancing supply and demand over a

period of time at a predetermined level of operation called the set point
(SP).
▰ To attain this, the controller compares the measured variable (process
variable) with the set point and then makes the adjustment in the final
control element based on the difference between the set point and the
process variable.
▰ The error signal e is the difference between the set point and the process
variable. Its objective is to make e equal to 0.
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PROCESS CONTROL

CONTROL ROOM
Where is control done?
Control Local
Sensors Valves
panel Indicators

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 CONTROL DESIGN DOCUMENTATION

Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P and IDs) provide the documentation

because of the following reasons:
▰ system is too complex to describe in text.
▰ standard symbols must be used.

FC = Flow Control
LC = Leve Control
PC = Pressure Control
TC = Temperature Control
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 SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

▰ Safety
▰ Environmental Protection
▰ Equipment Protection
▰ Smooth Operation
▰ Product Quality
▰ Profit
▰ Monitoring and Diagnosis

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

Example:
A flash separator or vapor-
liquid separator is a device
used in several industrial
applications to separate a
vapor-liquid mixture.

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

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SEVEN CONTROL OBJECTIVES

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“ All seven control objectives must
be achieved. Failure to do so will
lead to operation that is
unprofitable or worse, unsafe.

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 BENEFTS FROM PROCESS CONTROL

▰ When we control a process, we reduce the variability of key variables to

achieve the seven control objectives. Variability is moved from controlled
variable to the manipulated variable.

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2
THE PID CONTROLLER

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 PROPERTIES THAT WE SEEK IN A CONTROLLER

▰ Good Performance – feedback measures

▰ Wide Applicability – adjustable parameters
▰ Timely calculations – avoid convergence loops
▰ Switch to/from manual – bumpless
▰ Extensible – enhanced easily

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 SOME BACKGROUND IN THE CONTROLLER

▰ Developed in the 1940’s, remains workhorse of practice

▰ Not “optimal”, based on good properties of each mode
▰ Preprogrammed in all digital control equipment
▰ ONE controlled variable (CV) and ONE manipulated variable (MV). Many PIDs
are used in a plant.

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THREE MODES

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 THE PROPORTIONAL (GAIN) MODE
• We do not achieve zero
offset: don’t return to set
point!
• How can we get very
close by changing a
controller parameter?
• Any possible problems
with suggestion?

𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛: 𝑀𝑉 𝑡 = 𝐾𝑐 𝐸 𝑡
where: MV = manipulated variable
Kc = controller gain
E = error
The purpose of the proportional mode is
to cause an instantaneous response in
the controller output to changes in the
error. It is used to set the basic gain value
of the controller. 25
 THE INTEGRAL (RESET) MODE
• We achieve zero offset
for a step disturbance:
return to set point!
• Are there other scenarios
where we do not?

𝐾𝑐
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛: 𝑀𝑉 𝑡 = න 𝐸 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑇𝐼
where: MV = manipulated variable
Kc = controller gain
The purpose of the integral mode is to return the PV to SP. This E = error
TI = integral time/reset time
is accomplished by repeating the action of the proportional mode
as long as an error exists. The controller output from the integral
or reset mode is a function of the duration of the error. With the
proportional control only, there will always be an error between
the P and SP. This error is called an offset. The elimination of
this offset or steady state error requires the integral mode. The
integral mode does this by integrating the error over a period of 26
time interval.
 THE DERIVATIVE (RATE) MODE
• We do not achieve zero
offset: do not return to set
point!
• What would be the
behavior of MV when we
enter a step change to
the SP?
“the predictive mode” 𝑑𝐸(𝑡)
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛: 𝑀𝑉 𝑡 = 𝐾𝑐 𝑇𝐷
𝑑𝑡
Though integral mode is effective in eliminating the offset, it is
where: MV = manipulated variable
slower than the proportional mode, in that, it must act over a Kc = controller gain
period of time. A faster than proportional mode is derivative E = error
mode. This speeds up the controller action, compensating for TD = derivative time/rate time
some of the delays in the feedback loop.

The derivative time is the time it takes the proportional mode to

match the instantaneous action of the derivative mode on an
error that changes linearly with time (a ramp).

It should be noted that the derivative mode acts only when there 27
is a change in error with time.
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ADVANCED CONTROL
STRATEGIES

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 CASCADE CONTROL

▰ 2 PID controllers cascaded to each other such that the output of one (the
Primary Controller or the MASTER) drives the set point of the other (the
Secondary Controller or the SLAVE).
▰ Cascade control is desired when
- Single-loop control does not provide satisfactory control performance.
- A measured SECONDARY variable is available.
▰Must indicate occurrence of a disturbance.
▰Must have causal relationship with the manipulated variable.
▰Must have faster dynamics than the PRIMARY variable.
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 FEEDFORWARD CONTROL

▰ Takes advance (anticipatory) action to the manipulated variable in response to a

measured disturbance.
▰Do not rely on FEEDBACK.
▰Often used in tandem with a FEEDBACK (PID) controller.
▰ Feedforward control is desired when
- Feedback control does not provide satisfactory performance.
- A measured FEEDFORWARD variable is available.
▰Must indicate occurrence of a disturbance.
▰Must not have causal relationship with the manipulated variable.
▰Must not have significantly faster dynamics than the manipulated
variable dynamics.
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 FUZZY LOGIC CONTROL (FLC)

▰ A feedback control strategy that utilizes qualitative information.

▰Do not rely on FEEDBACK.
▰Often used in tandem with a FEEDBACK (PID) controller.
▰ Fuzzy Set Theory
- a physical variable is converted into a qualitative category by use if membership
function.

Example:
Room temperature is:
- Hot: if T > 24°C
-OK: if 18°C ≤ T ≤ 24°C
-Cold: if T > 18°C
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 MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL (MPC)

▰ A model-based control strategy devised for large multiple-input, multiple-output

(MIMO) control problems with inequality constraints o the inputs and/or outputs.
▰ Uses a dynamic model of the process to predict values of the controlled
variables.
▰ Control adjustment is based on both predictions and measurements of the
controlled variable.

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4
PROCESS
CHARACTERISTICS

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 OPEN LOOP TEST

▰ A test of process characteristics with the loop controller in manual mode is often
referred to as an open-loop test, because the feedback loop has been “opened” and
is no longer a complete loop.

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 MAJOR CLASSIFICATION OF PROCESS RESPONSE

▰ Self-Regulating
▰ Integrating
▰ Runaway

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 SELF-REGULATING PROCESS

▰ Responds to a step-change in the final control element’s

status by settling to a new, stable value.
▰ Characterized by their natural ability to stabilize at a new
process variable value following changes in the control
element value or load(s).
▰ Require integral controller action to eliminate offset between
process variable and setpoint.
▰ Faster integral controller action results in quicker
elimination of offset.
▰ The amount of integral controller action tolerable in a self-
regulating process depends on the degree of time lag in the
system. Too much integral action will result in oscillation,
just like too much proportional control action.
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 INTEGRATING PROCESS

▰ Responds by ramping either up or down at a rate proportional to the

magnitude of the final control element’s step-change.
▰ Characterized by a ramping of the process variable in response to a
step-change in the control element value or load(s).
▰ This integration occurs as a result of either mass flow imbalance or
energy flow imbalance in and out of the process.
▰ Integrating processes are ideally controllable with proportional
controller action alone.
▰ Integral controller action guarantees set point overshoot in a purely
integrating process.
▰ Some integral controller action will be required in integrating
processes to compensate for load changes.
▰ An integrating process will become self-regulating if sufficient
negative feedback is naturally introduced. This usually takes the form
of loads varying with the process variable.
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 RUNWAY PROCESS

▰ Responds by ramping either up or down at a rate that increases over

time, head toward complete instability without some form of
corrective action from the controller.
▰ Characterized by an exponential ramping of the process variable in
response to a step-change in the control element value or load(s)
▰ This “runaway” occurs as a result f some form of positive feedback
happening inside the process.
▰ Runaway processes cannot be controlled with proportional or integral
controller action alone, and always requires derivative action for
stability.
▰ Some integral controller action will be required in runaway processes
to compensate for load changes.
▰ An runaway process will become self-regulating if sufficient negative
feedback is naturally introduced.
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LAG TIME

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 DEAD TIME

▰ It refers to a period of time during which a change in manipulated variable produces

no effect whatsoever in the process variable; the process appears “dead” for some
amount of time before showing a response.
▰ It is also referred to as transport delay, because the mechanism of dead time is
often a time delay caused by the transportation of material at finite speed across
some distance.

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DEAD TIME

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HYSTERESIS

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THANKS!
Any questions?

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