#1410 - Application of Feedback Controllers
Course Objective
Upon completion of this course, participants will understand basic controllers, learn
how to tune controllers faster, and provide improved control of their processes.
Participants will understand the use of basic, feedback controllers in the process
industries and the practical, successful methods to tune them.
This course stresses the fact that improved control will provide better productivity and efficiencies.
Who Should Attend
Technicians, engineers, operators, trainers, sales personnel,
maintenance, management personnel, and scientists who are involved in the
processing industries: refineries, chemical plants, power stations,
water plants, etc. The only prerequisite is some knowledge of
controllers in the process industry.
Course Description
This course presents practical, step-by-step, successful tuning methods
that utilize relationships and reaction curve analysis. No advanced
mathematics will be required or used. These methods can be easily
understood and implemented by the individual immediately.
Participants will be able to:
- Understand how a controller works and how it fits into a process
- Know the parts of a control loop
- Understand the fundamentals of
controller gain or proportional band, integral and derivative actions
-
Tune a controller by trial and error
- Improve on trial and error
method by using special rules
- Apply the ultimate oscillation tuning
method to properly tune feedback controllers
- Determine tuning constants by using modifications of the ultimate
oscillation method
- Run response curves on a process
- Identify controller problems by analyzing the response curve
-
Measure gain, dead time, and process lag of a process
- Determine what controller gain or proportional band, integral and
derivative actions are best to control the process
- Understand the difference between set point change and load change
- Apply tuning methods to cascade controllers
- Identify when process
changes may be needed for improved control
The course consists of the following main topics and
subtopics.
- Relationship of controller and process
- Four parts of a process
- Interaction of changes to the four parts
- Benefits of good control
- Definitions of the controller modes: gain, integral, and
derivative
- Rules for improved trial and error tuning
- Analysis of oscillation responses
- Tuning using oscillation techniques
- Analysis of response curves
- Tuning using a response curve generated by a step change
- Tuning using a response curve produced by a load change
- Working with unusual response curves
- Changes that may be required in the process to improve
controllability
- Use of cascade control
The following exercises are included in this course:
- As a class, trial and error measurement will be studied and various
tuning methods will be performed using a
PC-based computer program
- Individual participants will calculate tuning constants using
various methods based on data from handouts (Note: Calculators are
useful)
Course Duration - 1 day