CHEN90032

Process Dynamics and Control

Worksheet 10 – Advanced Single-Loop Control

We have seen that for single control loops, in which one controlled variables is
paired with one unique manipulated variable, conventional feedback control
(often using PID control algorithms) provides a satisfactory closed-loop
response in many cases. There are, however, a number of circumstances
where feedback control is not sufficient, and here we need to look to
advanced single-loop control strategies. Cases where this might apply
include processes with slow dynamics and/or large time delays, or systems
that are particularly prone to disturbances, either known or unknown.

This worksheet presents several problems associated with different advanced

forms of control. The first problem examines the block diagram representation
and transfer function for a cascade controller, commonly used to handle
disturbances in manipulated variables. The second problem presents a form
of controller designed to reduce the effects of time delays on PI control. In
question 3 you are asked to derive a feedforward controller, which can be
used to handle a specific process disturbance when an accurate process
model is known. The final two problems are concerned with the direct
synthesis approach to controller design, which uses a process model and a
control objective to define the control algorithm.

W10-1
1) Derive the transfer function relating the controlled variable C(s) to changes
in the set-point R(s) for the following cascade control block diagram:

Ql2 Ql1
Gl2 Gl1

+ +
R + E + + + C
Km1 Gc1 Gc2 Gv Gp2 Gp1
- -

Gm2

Gm1

 τIs + 1 
2) A feedback controller of the form Gc = K c  −θ s 
has been
 τ I s + 1− e 
proposed as a time-delay compensator. Show that this controller eliminates
the time delay term from the characteristic equation for the FOPTD process
 e −θ s 
Gp =   when Kc = 1/Kp and τ = τI.
 τ s + 1

3) Design the ideal feedforward controller for a process with transfer function
−θ p s
K pe K l e −θ l s
Gp = and disturbance transfer function Gl = . Comment on
τ ps + 1 τls +1

the feedforward controller when θp > θl and θp < θl.

W10-2
4) Design a controller for the third-order process
K 1
G( s ) = , where the control objective is Gobj (s ) = .
(τ 1s + 1)(τ 2 s + 1)(τ 3 s + 1) τ mc s + 1
What is the effective controller gain? How would this controller be
implemented?

2e −0.2s
5) For a process described by the transfer function G(s ) = use the
s +1
1 e −θ s
direct synthesis method with Gmc (s ) = to design a controller when
G (τ mc + θ ) s

τmc = 0.2 and 1.0. What are the tuning constants for the resultant PI
controller?

Simulate the control system response using a PI controller and the

settings derived above. How does the set-point response compare to the
implied control objective?

W10-3