Types of Controllers | Proportional Integral and

Derivative Controllers
The important uses of the controllers are written below:
1. Controllers improve steady state accuracy by decreasing the steady state errors.
2. As the steady state accuracy improves, the stability also improves.
3. They also help in reducing the offsets produced in the system.
4. Maximum overshoot of the system can be controlled using these controllers.
5. They also help in reducing the noise signals produced in the system.
6. Slow response of the over damped system can be made faster with the help of these controllers.

Now what are controllers? A controller is one which compares controlled values with the desired values and
has a function to correct the deviation produced.

Types of Controllers
Let us classify the controllers.

There are mainly two types of controllers and they are written below:

Continuous Controllers: The main feature of continuous controllers is that the controlled variable (also known
as the manipulated variable) can have any value within the range of controller’s output. Now in the continuous
controller’s theory, there are three basic modes on which the whole control action takes place and these modes
are written below. We will use the combination of these modes in order to have a desired and accurate output.
1. Proportional controllers.
2. Integral controllers.
3. Derivative controllers.
Combinations of these three controllers are written below:
1. Proportional and integral controllers.
2. Proportional and derivative controllers.

Now we will discuss each of these modes in detail.

 Proportional Controllers
We cannot use types of controllers at anywhere, with each type controller, there are certain conditions that
must be fulfilled. With proportional controllers there are two conditions and these are written below:
1. Deviation should not be large, it means there should be less deviation between the input and output.
2. Deviation should not be sudden.

Now we are in a condition to discuss proportional controllers, as the name suggests in a proportional controller
the output (also called the actuating signal) is directly proportional to the error signal. Now let us analyze
proportional controller mathematically. As we know in proportional controller output is directly proportional to
error signal, writing this mathematically we have,

Removing the sign of proportionality we have,

Where Kp is proportional constant also known as controller gain. It is recommended that K p should be kept
greater than unity. If the value of K p is greater than unity, then it will amplify the error signal and thus the
amplified error signal can be detected easily.
Advantages of Proportional Controller
Now let us discuss some advantages of proportional controller.
1. Proportional controller helps in reducing the steady state error, thus makes the system more stable.
2. Slow response of the over damped system can be made faster with the help of these controllers.

Disadvantages of Proportional Controller

Now there are some serious disadvantages of these controllers and these are written as follows:
1. Due to presence of these controllers we some offsets in the system.
2. Proportional controllers also increase the maximum overshoot of the system.

 Integral Controllers
As the name suggests in integral controllers the output (also called the actuating signal) is directly proportional
to the integral of the error signal. Now let us analyze integral controller mathematically.
As we know in an integral controller output is directly proportional to the integration of the error signal, writing
this mathematically we have,

Removing the sign of proportionality we have,

Where Ki is integral constant also known as controller gain. Integral controller is also known as reset controller.

Advantages of Integral Controller

Due to their unique ability they can return the controlled variable back to the exact set point following a
disturbance that’s why these are known as reset controllers.

Disadvantages of Integral Controller

It tends to make the system unstable because it responds slowly towards the produced error.

 Derivative Controllers
We never use derivative controllers alone. It should be used in combinations with other modes of controllers
because of its few disadvantages which are written below:
1. It never improves the steady state error.
2. It produces saturation effects and also amplifies the noise signals produced in the system.

Now, as the name suggests in a derivative controller the output (also called the actuating signal) is directly
proportional to the derivative of the error signal. Now let us analyze derivative controller mathematically. As we
know in a derivative controller output is directly proportional to the derivative of the error signal, writing this
mathematically we have,

Removing the sign of proportionality we have,

Where Kd is proportional constant also known as controller gain. Derivative controller is also known as rate
controller.

Advantages of Derivative Controller

The major advantage of derivative controller is that it improves the transient response of the system.
  Proportional and Integral Controller
As the name suggests it is a combination of proportional and an integral controller the output (also called the
actuating signal) is equal to the summation of proportional and integral of the error signal. Now let us analyze
proportional and integral controller mathematically. As we know in a proportional and integral controller output
is directly proportional to the summation of proportional of error and integration of the error signal, writing this
mathematically we have,

Removing the sign of proportionality we have,

Where Ki and kp proportional constant and integral constant respectively.

Advantages and disadvantages are the combinations of the advantages and disadvantages of proportional and
integral controllers.

 Proportional and Derivative Controller

As the name suggests it is a combination of proportional and a derivative controller the output (also called the
actuating signal) is equals to the summation of proportional and derivative of the error signal.
Now let us analyze proportional and derivative controller mathematically. As we know in a proportional and
derivative controller output is directly proportional to summation of proportional of error and differentiation of
the error signal, writing this mathematically we have,

Removing the sign of proportionality we have,

Where Kd and kp proportional constant and derivative constant respectively.

Advantages and disadvantages are the combinations of advantages and disadvantages of proportional and
derivative controllers

 PID Control

PID control stands for proportional plus derivative plus integral control. PID control is a feedback mechanism
which is used in control system. This type of control is also termed as three term control. By controlling the
three parameters - proportional, integral and derivative we can achieve different control actions for specific
work. PID is considered to be the best controller in the control system family. Nicholas Minorsky published the
theoretical analysis paper on PID controller. For PID control the actuating signal consists of proportional error
signal added with derivative and integral of the error signal. Therefore, the actuating signal for PID control is -

The Laplace transform of the actuating signal incorporating PID control is

Control Response Rise time Settling time Overshoot Steady state error

Kp decrease small change increase decrease

Kd small change decrease decrease no change

Ki decrease increase increase eliminate

There are some control actions which can be achieved by using any of the two parameters of the PID controller.
Two parameters can work while keeping the third one to zero. So PID controller becomes sometimes PI
(Proportion integral), PD (proportional derivative) or even P or I. The derivative term D is responsible for noise
measurement while integral term is meant for reaching the targeted value of the system. In early days PID
controller was used as mechanical device. These were pneumatic controllers as they were compressed by air.
Mechanical controllers include spring, lever or mass. Many complex electronic systems are provided with PID
control loop. In modern days PID controllers are used in PLC (programmable logic controllers) in the industry.
The proportional, derivative and integral parameters can be expressed as - K p, Kd and Ki. All these three
parameters have effect on the closed loop control system. It affects rise time, settling time and overshoot and
also the steady state error.

PID control combines advantages of proportional, derivative and integral control actions.
Let us discuss these control actions in brief.

Proportional control: Here actuating signal for the control action in a control system is proportional to the
error signal. The error signal being the difference between the reference input signal and the feedback signal
obtained from input.
Derivative control: the actuating signal consists of proportional error signal added with derivative of the error
signal. Therefore, the actuating signal for derivative control action is given by,

Integral control: for integral control action the actuating signal consists of proportional error signal added with
integral of the error signal. Therefore, the actuating signal for integral control action is given by

PID controller have some limitations also apart from being one of the best controller in control action system.
PID control is applicable to many control actions but it does not perform well in case of optimal control. Main
disadvantage is the feedback path. PID is not provided with any model of the process. Other drawbacks are that
PID is linear system and derivative part is noise sensitive. Small amount of noise can cause great change in the
output.