Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

of SINGAPORE

Chemical Engineering Laboratory III

Experiment C2

Level Control Experiment

Name :

Matric No. :

Group :

Date of Expt. :

GRADE :
Objectives :

To demonstrate the Reaction Curve Method for the design of tuning parameters of a
Proportional + Integral (PI) controller.

To demonstrate the characteristics of a PI controller and the response to a change in

set point or a disturbance in the process.

To design optimal PI controller based on the monitoring of the controller

performance to the set point changes.

Apparatus:

Gunt RT 674 Flow/Level Control demonstration model.

Theory:

After the type of controller has been selected for a given process, we still have the
problem of deciding what values to use for its tuning parameters. This is known as
the controller tuning problem. There are several approaches we can use for tuning a
controller. In this experiment, we will consider one of the popular empirical tuning
methods, known as reaction curve method, developed by Cohen and Coon.

Cohen and Coon observed that the response of most processing units to a step change
of magnitude M in the input variable had a sigmoidal shape (see Figure 1). Draw a
straight line through the point of maximum slope(R) so that the line intersects the
time axis and measure the dead time L (time at which step change is applied to time
straight line intersects time axis).

The initial setting for the PI controller can be calculated from M, L and R.

Experimental Procedure:

1. Switch on the demonstration model at the main switch.

2. Use the selector switch (12) to set the control mode to 1: Level (see Figure 2).
3. Set the drain valve (11) and adjusting valve (8) to 50 o and 0 o respectively.
4. On the control button (15) select the control signal source (external).
5. Start the Gunt RT650-40 control software. Select the experimental model (12)
“Flow/Level Control Demonstration Panel” and click “Charts” (13) (see Figure 3).
6. Set the software controller to the manual mode (7) (see Figure 4).
7. Switch on the pump and set the control valve to give a steady stage level in the
water tank (e.g. Y=2.0 v).
8. Apply a step change by setting a new valve opening (e.g. Y=3.0 v). The step
change will result in a new steady state level in the water tank.
9. After the new steady state level is reached, halt the time characteristic by means of
the corresponding button (8) (Figure 4) and analyze the open loop response in the
following process:

Use the cursor to mark the step range to be analyzed

Cursor position 1: Place a mark on the static starting value of control variable X
before the start of the step in the manipulated variable Y.
Cursor position 2: Place a mark on the static final value of the control variable X
after the step response.
Marking with cursors 1 and 2 by clicking “Display” (12) (Figure 4):
While keeping the left mouse button pressed on one of the cursors in the centre,
drag the cursor to its new position. Once both cursors have been positioned,
evaluation can be commenced with the corresponding button “evaluate”.
Once evaluation is finished, the window displays the variables calculated for the
control system, i.e. rise time Ta, delay time Tu and proportional coefficient Ks.
The turning-point tangent is determined automatically by establishing the
maximum of the first derivative of X. If the turning-point tangent is visibly false
despite correct procedure, the result can be adjusted by shifting the cursors. While
keeping the left mouse button pressed down on each cursor, drag it to the required
new location.

10. Determine the setting of the PI controller via Reaction Curve Method.
11. Close the evaluation window by clicking “Charts” and deactivate the cursors by
clicking “Display”.
12. Set the controller to Continuous Control mode (7). Restart the time
characteristics window (8). Evaluate the controller performance by applying set
point changes with different P and I settings. Determine the optimal control
parameters from your observation.
13. Evaluate the response of the controller to the disturbance by adjusting the valve 8
or drain valve 11. If your controller yields a poor response, repeat Step 12 for
different settings of P and I until a reasonable good response is achieved.

Discussions:

1. If the PI controller designed via Reaction Curve Method perform poorly for the
set point changes, explain why?

2. Based on the experimental results, discuss the effects of both tuning parameters
PB and IAT on the controller’s performance.

3. Does your optimal PI controller give a reasonable response to reject the process
disturbance? Please justify your observation.

4. Briefly discuss the applications of sensors and control valves used in the
experiment you are doing.

Reference:

Seborg, D.E. Edgar, T.F. and D.A. Mellichamp, Process Dynamics and Control,
Wiley, 1989.
Figure 1. Reaction Curve
1 Water tank
2 Pump
3 Float flow meter with electronic signal transmitter
4 Control valve (electromagnetic proportional valve)
5 Control panel with process diagram
6 Flow rate controller FIC
7 Liquid level controller LIC
8 Adjusting valve for flow rate
9 Liquid level tank
10 Level sensor
11 Adjusting valve for drainage from liquid level tank
12 Selector switch for control mode
13 Switch for pump
14 Signal jacks for the control signal y2 from flow rate controller FIC
15 Control button for external / internal control signal
Button pressed (red mark): External control signal
Button released: (no mark): Internal controllers
16 Flow rate controller FIC (controller 2)
17 Signal jacks for control signal y1 from liquid level controller (corresponds to input
signal w2 on flow rate controller FIC for cascade control)
18 Signal jacks for the flow rate signal x2 from flow rate sensor
19 Liquid level controller LIC (controller 1)
20 Signal jacks for the liquid level signal x1 from liquid level sensor

Figure 2. System Schematic Diagram

 1 2 3 4

13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5

1 Current value of the manipulated variable

2 Red = PC as controller; grey = model as controller
3 Indicates the value of the reference variable
4 Indicates the value of the control variable
5 Indicates the path of the measurement file; the path can be edited via the icon
8 Indicates the current time index
9 Sets the measurement interval
10 Specifies the measurement mode
11 Sequential number of the current measured value
12 Selects experimental models
13 Buttons for changing between windows

Figure 3. Software widow for the control system

 1 2 3 4

14

13
12

11
10

8 7 6 5

1 Plot properties can be edited via a left mousebutton click

2 Button for curve printout
3 Button for curve deletion
4 Feed adjustment field (time range on x-axis)
5 The background can be edited via a left mouse button click
6 Controller parameter adjustment field (manipulated variable Y)
7 Selection of the controller and associated parameters:
- None, i.e. model controller
- Manual (control) with specification of the manipulated variable
- Two-point controller with specification of hysteresis
- PID-controller with specification of Kp, TI and TD
8 Feed control with “Start” and “Pause”
9 Returns the cursor to the current centre
10 Cursor control block
11 Cursor selection field
12 Cursor activation (cursor becomes visible)
13 Indication of the manipulated variable Y
14 Indication of the control variable X

Figure 4. Time characteristics window