QA-T-01 Step Response Analysis

Analysis of superheater temperature responses.

VDI-VDE 3503 recommends model based steam temperature control. One condition of the control
system is that the actual step response of the temperatures can be simulated with a chain of first order
time lags. This is normally the case for superheaters and reheaters. The other limitation is that the
system order number should not be higher than 6. It is also important to know, that the ratio of delay
time to balancing time (Tu / Tg) is less than 1, ideally less than 0.5 (delay time is 50% of response
time).

Graphical Method (by Klefenz)

The graphs below should help understand the terms and relevant calculations.

550

540

530
Temperature
difference 18.3 C
520

510 Time Constant

200 sec
500
Dead Time Settling Time 372 sec
60 sec
490
18 20 22 24 26 28

In this temperature response the step change, in this example reducing the spray flow by decreasing the
spray valve position, is the start of the trend (18). The temperature at start is 513.5 C and settling to
steady state is 532 C.

With this trend a line at the starting temperature and at the settling temperature is drawn. Then a flex
tangent (flex point is the point where the temperature changes from accelerating to decelerating
increase) is drawn at along the temperature trend from low to high temperature. Finally the times are
measured, in this example dead time is 60 seconds and time constant is 200 seconds. The ratio is an
indicator of the system order, the closer the ratio to 1 the higher the order. The example ratio is 0.3.

There are several methods for finding the parameters of the response. This method uses the ratios of
dead time to time response and apply this to tables for finding the relevant parameters.

QA-T-01 Step Response Analysis Dardemann Pty Ltd Page 1 of 2

Procedure:

Abbrivations:
Tu = Dead time
Tg = Time constant
T = Time value for substitution functions using first order time lags

1.Divide Tu by Tg, in example 60 sec / 200 sec = 0.3

2.Look up in table below the system order following the horizontal line through 0.3 on the Tu/Tg axis
(right hand) and find on the order axis 4.2.

3. Take the nearest absolute number, in this case 4. Follow vertical from the pink order line (n) at right
axis at 4 and look up where it crosses the yellow line on the Tu/T axis and find the value of Tu/T again
on the left axis (T/Tu). For this example it is 1.4, this is the ratio of delay time to the substituting time
tags of all first order time lags.

4. Divide Tu (dead time) with 1.4. In the example it is 60sec / 1.4 = 43 sec.
Therefore the system in the example can be substituted by linking 4 first order time lags all using the
time constant of 43 seconds.

0.8 10

0.7 9

8
0.6

7
0.5
Order; Tu / T

6 n
Tu / Tg

0.4 Tu/T
5 Tu/Tg
0.3
4

0.2
3

0.1 2

0 1
| | | | | | | | | |
2 4 6 8 1 0 1 2 1 4 1 6 1 8 2 0

0 0.28 0.81 1.4 2.1 2.8 3.5 4.3 5.1 5.9

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