Integral WindUp

The PID controller plays a major role in controlling the process parameters in process industries. It
consists of Proportional term, Integral term and Derivative term which combinedly reduces the
transient error and steady state error. In steady state condition, i.e when the error tends to zero the
output of PID is equal to the integral term of PID.

If the error = 0, then

PID = Kc * error + Ki(previous integral + error) + Kd(error – last )

= 0 + Ki (previous integral + error) + 0

= Ki (previous integral + error)

by the above analysis it is proved that the output of PID controller at the steady state is equal to
integral term which acts as reset component of the controller. This illustrates the importance of
integral controller in PID controller. With the advantage of reset rate of controller and minimizing
the error to zero at steady state, there is major drawback in the integral term i.e wind-up of integral
component.

Integral wind-up:
Integral windup is the process of accumulating the integral component beyond the saturation limits
of final control element. The formula for integral component in PID is

Integral component = (Ts/Ti) * error

Where Ts = time cycle

Ti = Integral time constant or reset rate

If the set point raises suddenly or the actual value drops suddenly then there will be large error
between the set-point and actual value. This error causes the integral component to accumulate
with the time period to bring back the actual value near to the set-point. As a result the controller
output may exceeds the saturation limits of final control element. The integral component still may
accumulate beyond the saturation limits of the final control element because of error. Whatever the
integral value the final element or actuator cannot open/close beyond its saturation value.

Consider a PI control is placed for controlling the liquid level in the controller which controls the inlet
flow to the tank by adjusting the inlet valve position. Now if the set-point is raised by the operator
from control room then the PI controller calculates the new actuator position according to the error.
The integral component of the PI controller which adds the reset rate will accumulates according
specified time cycles. If the output of PI controller is 120 % to the adjuster which is the above
saturation limit of the actuator because actuator cannot open beyond 100 % position. In full position
of valve also still if the error is existing will further increases the integral component value.
At this time if the set-point is lowed by the operator, the controller cannot close the valve to reduce
the flow because high accumulation of integral value. Once the integral component reaches its
normal value with negative error accumulation than only the PI output will drive the actuator in
close direction. This integral accumulation beyond the saturation limits of the final control element is
called integral windup which gives a poor response of controller under dynamic conditions.

Consider an above example of PI controller used to control the control the liquid level in the tank.

Initial set-point of liquid level = 50%

Output PI controller(steady state) = Promotional term + integral term

= 0 + 60 = 60

Valve position (linear ) = 60 (0-100)

Now if the operator has raised the set-point to 90% suddenly then according to the error the PI
controller increases the output to open the valve to allow more liquid flow.

output PI controller = Promotional term + integral term

= 20 + 80 = 100

The valve is fully opened then also if the liquid level does not reach to its set-point which leads an
input error for PI controller.

output PI controller = Promotional term + integral term

= 10 + 140 = 150

Even the output of PI controller is 150 the Valve can open up to 100 % open only. i.e that is called
the high saturation limit of valve. If the error is still not reduced the integral component will go on
accumulate to limit the error. Let us assume the integral component has accumulated up to 180.
Now if the operator has reduced the set-point to 50% then the error of liquid level is -40 %. Then if
the proportional gain is 0.5 then

output PI controller = Promotional term + integral term

= -20 + 170 = 150

Valve position is = 100 (high saturation limit)

Again the output of PI controller will be less than 100 to close the valve when the integral
component reaches to less than 100. This results a poor control of liquid level. To eliminate this
integral accumulation beyond saturation limits of final control element the anti-windup technique
should be used in design of controller.
 Split Range Control Loop
There are many process control valve applications in the chemical process industry. Many
control valves are used for the response of output of a single controller. Split range control is
widely used in the field of instrumentation to control such output responses. In a split range
control loop, the output of the controller is split in between two or more final control
elements (control valve) where the controller output changes in the range of 0-100 %.

Working Principle:  

 In a split range control system, the valves are split-ranged where one control
valve will be fully closed and the other will be fully open at each extreme end of
the signal range. 

 Figure 1 shows the schematic diagram for the split range control loop of the
pressure control of the separator. PIC-01 controls the pressure of the separator
for hydrocarbon (liquid-vapor mixture), where the output of the pressure
controller is split into two control valves i.e. PV-A and PV-B. When there is an
increment in the pressure of the separator, the fluid will be discharged to flare.
On the other hand, when there is a decrement in the pressure of the separator, the
flue gas is added to the separator to make up the pressure of the separator.

Figure 1: Typical Split Range Control Loop

  In this case, the flue gas valve PV-B needs to close when the pressure of the
separator starts to increase and when the pressure of the separator increases
beyond setpoint, the flare valve PV-A will need to open.
  When the pressure starts to increase beyond the setpoint in the range of 0-
50% controller output, the flue gas valve PV-B will close from fully open to
fully close.

 When the pressure starts to increase beyond the setpoint in the range of 50-100
% controller output, the flare gas valve PV-A will open from fully close to fully
open.

Figure 2: Controller Output vs Valve Opening

Figure 3: Valve Position with respect to output %

Where do we use split range controller?

  Split range control is most commonly used in flare application of refinery and
chemical plants.

  The flare system is used to burn the excess amount of flammable gases in the
vessel or separator. This helps to prevent the explosion due to overpressure in the
vessel. When there is an explosion in the plant, the flare will start to open.

 Split range control is also used for controlling temperature and flow in the vessel.
Where temperature controller is used in heating and cooling mode and flow
controller is used in flow or level increment conditions.
  Wherever there is a need to operate any controller output in two or three modes,
the split range control can be used there to get the desired outcomes.

Figure 4: Split Range Control loop for Temperature Controller

Figure 5: Split Range Control Loop for Flow Controller

 RATIO CONTROL
A ratio controller is a special type of feed forward controller where disturbances are
measured and their ratio is held at a desired set point by controlling one of the streams.

Ratio control is used when two fluids must be mixed together in a specific ratio.  A practical
way to do this is to use a standard control system to control the flow on one line.  The same
transmitter signal is used as a set point for a second controller which controls the flow in a
second line.  The ratio of one flow rate to the other can be changed by adjusting the gain (or
proportional band) of the secondary controller.  Figure shows a typical ratio control system. 
The air to fuel ratio of the fluid going to the combustion chamber is set at 2:1.
 Applying Ratio Control 

 You can get a much better grasp of ratio control by considering some specific examples.
Assume we want a “blender,” that is, to blend two streams, A and B, in
a proportion or ratio R: 

R=B/A

An example for ratio control is given in figure below, the wild flow A is measured, and then
it is multiplied by R to get the required value of B. Thus, as the flow A varies, the set point to
the flow 

controller of stream B will vary to maintain R. If a new value of R is desired, it must be set
into the ratio station. Differential-pressure sensors are shown measuring flow; their output
indicates the square of flow and, therefore, square root extractors are shown to obtain flow.
By using flow, and not its square, the loops will behave more linearly and thus will be
more stable and easier to tune. 

Advantages 

 allows user to link 2 streams to produce and maintain a defined ratio between the
streams
 simple
 no need of a complex model
Disadvantages

 not as useful for variables other than flow rates

 requires a ratio relationship between variables that needs to be maintained