FLOW CONTROL USING PID WITH
SCADA
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
INSTRUCTION
MANUAL
P.I.D CONTROLLER
On-Off Control
This is the simplest form of control, used by almost all domestic thermostats. When the output of
process is below the set-point temperature the input goes to high value which makes output to
maximum, and once the output reaches the set point the input goes low making the output to
minimum value. The variation in output is shown on the graph.
Proportional Control
A proportional controller attempts to perform better than the On-Off type by applying the input
‘W’ to process in proportion to the difference in output of process and the set-point,
where P is known as the proportional gain of the controller. As its gain is increased the system
responds faster to changes in set-point but becomes progressively under damped and eventually
unstable.
Proportional+Derivative Control
The stability and overshoot problems that arise when a proportional controller is used at high gain
can be mitigated by adding a term proportional to the time-derivative of the error signal,
This technique is known as PD control. The value of the damping constant, D, can be adjusted to
achieve a critically damped response to changes in the set-point temperature, as shown in the next
figure.
Too little damping results in overshoot and ringing, too much causes an unnecessarily slow
response.
Proportional+Integral+Derivative Control
Although PD control deals neatly with the overshoot and ringing problems associated with
proportional control it does not cure the problem with the steady-state error. Fortunately it is
possible to eliminate this while using relatively low gain by adding an integral term to the control
function which becomes
where I, the integral gain parameter is sometimes known as the controller reset level. This form of
function is known as proportional-integral-differential, or PID, control. The effect of the integral
term is to change the output until the time-averaged value of the error is zero. The method works
quite well but complicates the mathematical analysis slightly because the system is now third-
order.
The figure shows that, as expected, adding the integral term has eliminated the steady-state error.
The slight undershoot in the power suggests that there may be scope for further tweaking.
Proportional+Integral Control
Sometimes, particularly when the instrument measuring the output amplitude is susceptible to
noise or other electrical interference, derivative action can cause the process to fluctuate wildly. In
these circumstances it is often sensible use a PI controller or set the derivative action of a PID
controller to zero.
TUNING PROCEDURE
This is an attempt to explain PID controller with minimum use of math.
A simple closed loop control system consisting of a controller and a process (or plant) is
shown below.
The input to the system is the ‘set point’, i.e. the desired output. The input to the controller is
the error.
Error = Present Output – Set point.
The two steps in the design of a control system are -
1. Mathematically model the plant to be controlled.
2. Design the Controller.
The block diagram of a PID controller is shown below –
A PID controller consists of a Proportional element, an Integral element and a Derivative
element, all three connected in parallel. All of them take the error as input. Kp, Ki, Kd are the
gains of P, I and D elements respectively.
The best way to understand something is by simulating it. So I simulated a PID controller in
matlab. The matlab code is provided at the end of this article.
Let me assume a suitable mathematical model for the plant and then go ahead with
designing the controller.
Let the transfer function of the plant be 1 / ( s^2 + 20s + 30 ).
The step response of a system is the output of the system when the input to the system is a
unit step. The open loop step response of the above plant is –
It can be seen that the step response output is close to 0.035. The steady state error = 1-
0.035 = 0.965. That’s quite high! Also observe that the settling time is around 3 sec.
Now let see what is the effect of PID controller on the system response.
Let see the effect of proportional element on the system output.
Keeping Kp = 10, Ki = 0, Kd = 0 the step response of the system is
The output is now 0.25. Much better than the open loop response! (The curve in red shows
the open loop step response of the plant)
Now let me increase the Kp further and observe the response.
Keeping Kp = 100, Ki = 0, Kd = 0 the step response of the system is
The output is now 0.77. So it’s clear now that increasing Kp will reduce the steady state
error.
Keeping Kp = 200, Ki = 0, Kd = 0 the step response of the system is
The output is around 0.87. Also observe that the ripples have started appearing in the
output. If Kp is increased further it will only lead to increase in ripples or overshoot. The rise
time also has decreased. Also observe that there is a small steady state error (1 – 0.87 =
0.13).
Conclusion –
Increasing Kp will reduce the steady state error.
After certain limit, increasing Kp will only increase overshoot.
Kp reduces rise time.
Now lets keep Kp fixed. Lets start varying Ki.
Keeping Kp = 200, Ki = 10, Kd = 0 the step response of the system is
The output is now close to 0.99. That’s very close to the setpoint. But observe that settling
time has increased.
Keeping Kp = 200, Ki = 200, Kd = 0 the step response of the system is
Observe that rise time has now reduced and steady state error is very small.
Keeping Kp = 200, Ki = 300, Kd = 0 the step response of the system is
Observe that steady state error is close to 0 now. But increasing Ki has resulted in overshoot.
Further increasing Ki will only increase overshoot.
Conclusion –
Ki eliminates the steady state error.
After certain limit, increasing Ki will only increase overshoot.
Ki reduces rise time.
Now lets Keep Ki fixed and start varying Kd.
Keeping Kp = 200, Ki = 300 and Kd = 10.
Wow! What a response! Where is the overshoot? It has disappeared. There is a reduction in
settling time as well.
Increasing Kd further will only result in response getting worsened.
Conclusion –
Kd decreases the overshoot.
Kd reduces settling time.
So the ideal PID values for our plant is Kp = 200, Ki = 300 and Kd = 10.
The above process is known as manual tuning of PID.
FLOW PROCESS CONTROLLER
1.1 Aim:
To study the performance of PID controllers on flow process
1.2 Apparatus required:
1. Flow Control Trainer Unit
2. PC with Process control SCADA software.
3. RS 485 to USB Converter
1.3.1 Theory:
Flow process controller is used to perform the control action on Flow process .In
this unit flow is the process variable and is sensed and given to controller. A Flow
Transmitter is used to measure the Flow of the fluid in the pipeline.
In this unit, pump sucks the water from the reservoir tank and flows it to the flow
transmitter. Flow transmitter senses the flow and generates 4-20mA output (with
respect to the flow) to the PID Controller. The PID controller controls the output
according the Set value by user.
Observation:
S. No Time (sec) Set Value (SV) Process Value (PV)
OPERATING INSTURCTION
1. The Flow transmitter already connected to the PID Controller and output of the PID controller already
connected to the VFD or Control Valve
2. Connect the RS 485 to USB Converter cable into USB port of the Computer.
3. Connect three pin power chord of the P.I.D controller to main supply of 230.V, 50Hz.
4. Now turn ON the computer and RUN the Innovative SCADA software provided along with the Flow
Control Trainer.
5. Now set the communication port of the PC by clicking over top of the window and select the desired
COM port, then click on the “OPEN” button.
6. Now click on the “Connect” button. After clicking on the connect button, if the bulb starts flashing, now
you are in Online mode with the PID Controller.
7. Set the communication protocol of the PC as below screen shot
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1. (com port should be selected as per your computer setting and remaining parameters should be set as
above screen shot and press Open and then press “Connect” button. After clicking on the connect button,
if the bulb starts flashing, now you are in Online mode with the PID Controller.
2. Now press on “Setting” Mode in the main menu and below screen appears on your monitor.
3. Now set the above Parameters as below
control method: PID (This brings PID Controller into PID Mode of operation)
Run/Stop: Run (This brings PID Controller into Run mode)
Heat/Cool: Heat (This brings PID Controller into Heat Mode. If you set cool mode,
the PID Controller works into reverse operation.)
Com. Write: Enable (we can able to send commands to the PID Controller)
Lock Status: Normal
Auto Tune: Run (the controller will tune PID parameters automatically to achieve the
Set Value. Should be kept on when process starts. It will automatically stops after auto tuning)
PV Offset: 00.00
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Pb: Proportional Band (The auto tuning will set desired Pb value or Manually
user can set the Proportional Band Value)
Ti: Integral Time Constant (The auto tuning will set desired Integral Time
Constant value or Manually user can set the Ti)
Td: Derivative Time Constant (The auto tuning will set desired Derivative Time
Constant value or Manually user can set the Td)
Ctrl. Period1: 00.00
I Offset: 00.00
Input Type: 4-20 mA (The Flow transmitter output is 4-20 mA with respect to flow)
Unit: EV (Electronic Value)
SV: Set Value (User can set the value form above 05 LPM to 35 LPM)
Range Hi: Hi range value of the Flow Transmitter is 40 LPM
Range Low: Low Range value of the flow transmitter is 0 LPM
Point: Decimal point in Set value and process value. Always keep 1
Alarms: Not required
After setting the parameters now user can select the PV Recording Mode. Selecting the PV recording mode the
below screen appears on your computer screen.
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In this mode user can view the PV (Process value of the water flowing in the pipe) and SV (Set value for the
water flowing in the pipe) in the left hand side of the computer screen.
In the right hand side of the screen user can view the data logging of the set value and process value with respect
to time and date. The sampling rate for the data logging is 01 second.
In the bottom of the screen user can view the graph, set value vs. process value.
User can also view the trending by selecting the “Trending” in the main menu. After selecting the trending the
below screen appears on the computer monitor.
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In this mode User can view the trending of the temperature, i.e. set value vs. process value with respect to
time.
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