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Temperature Control of Liquid Tank

Snapshot of the front panel of the simulator:

What is needed to run the the simulator? Read to get most recent information!
Tips for using the simulator.
The simulator: temp_control.zip (unzip, and open temp_control.exe).

Description of the simulated system

A temperature control system for a water tank with continuous inflow and outflow is simulated.
The water is heated by a heating element which controlled by the controller. The temperature is
measured by a temperature sensor which in practice may be a Pt100 element or a thermocouple.

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The process model on which the simulator is based is a 1. order model based on energy balance
under the assumption of homogenous conditions in the liquid in the tank. The processs model also
contains a time delay which represents the time delay which in practice exists between an exitation
of the heating element and the response in the temperature sensor. In addition the simulator
contains a 1. order transfer function representing a time constant in the heating element.

Video
Here are some instructional videos where the present simulator is used as an example:
PID controller tuning with the Good Gain method
PID controller tuning with Ziegler-Nichols' oscillations method

Process model
Knowledge about the process model is not necessary for doing the tasks below. The parameter
values are shown on the front panel of the simulator.
The process model used in the simulator is based on energy balance:
(1) d(c VT1)/dt = Keu + cw(Tinn - T1) + U(Tenv - T1)
where Keu = P is the power delivered by the heating element. T1 is the temperature in the tank
assuming homogenous conditions. In practice there is a time delay between an excitation in the
heating element and the response in the temperature sensor:
(2) T(t) = T1(t- )
We assume that this time delay is inversely proportional to the mass flow w:
(3) = K /w
By taking the Laplsce transform of the model above we can get the following transfer function
from the control signal to the temperature T:
(4) T(s)/u(s) = H(s) = [Ku/(Ts+1)]e- s
Thus a first order model with time delay. The parameters of H(s) are:
(5) Gain Ku = Ke/(cw+U)
(6) Time constant Tk = V/(w+U/c)
(7) Time delay

= K /w

In addition the simulator contains a 1. order transfer function representing a time constant in the
heating element. (This submodel is not shown in the model above.)

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Aims
To get an understanding of how an automatic control system based on feedback works and
which benefits feedback control has compared to control using a constant control signal.
To get an understanding of the features of the PID controller and the on/off controller.
To get skills in tuning a PID controller
To get insight into the importance of different system parameters on the dynamic properties
of the control system.
In other words: You will get knowledge about the basics of control!

Motivation
Control systems are essential in industrial processes since it is important and useful to control
process variables so that they are kept on or close to specifies values (setpoints). The PID controller
is the most frequently used control function in industrial systems.
In the industry temperature control is used on e.g. reactors and heat exchangers.

Tasks
The nominal operating point of the process is defined as follows:
The tank temperature T is 50 degrees C.
The inlet temperature Tin is 20 degrees C.
The default process parameter values are as shown on the this snapshot of the front panel of the
simulator.
Unless otherwise stated it is assumed that the tasks below are executed while the simulator runs.
1. First: Control using constant control signal. Set the controller in manual mode. Find the
nominal control signal uman "experimentally". Then change the distrubance Tin from 20 to 15
degrees C. What is the value of the resulting steady-state control error?

2. Feedback control by you ! Reset the settings of the simulator to its default values (menu:
Operate / Reinitialize All to Default), but the controller shall be in manual mode. Change the
disturbance Tin from 20 to 15 degrees C, and control the process via the nominal control
signal u0. Are you able to obtain zero steady-state control error?

3. Automatic control using a PID controller: Tuning the controller: Tune the controller
using the Ziegler-Nichols' closed loop method.

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In the subsequent tasks you shall use a PID controller with settings as found in Task 4.
Alternatively, you can use the following parameter values:
Kp = 6.7, Ti = 250s, Td = 63s

4. Disturbance compensation: Reset the settings of the simulator to its default values (menu:
Operate / Reinitialize All to Default). Change the disturbance Tin from 20 to 15 degrees C.
What is the steady-state control error?
5. Setpoint tracking: Change the setpoint as a step, say from 50 to 60 degrees C. What is the
steady-state control error?
6. The stability of the control system at parameter variations: Reset the settings of the
simulator to its default values (menu: Operate / Reinitialize All to Default). Check what
happens with the stability of the control system at the below parameter changes. In each of
the subtasks/experiments you can excite the control system using a small step in the setpoint.
The experiments shall be performed independent of each other, that is, the parameters should
be reset to the default values once the experiment is completed.
a. Controller gain Kp is increased (much).
b. Integral time Ti is reduced (much).
c. Derivative time Td is increased (much).
d. Power gain Ke is increased (much).
e. Mass flow w is decreased (much).
f. Measurement gain Km,TT is increased (much). (This gain is the ration between the
temperature measurement in % and the temperature in degreees C. The gain is changed
by changing the measurement range. If you change the measurement range, you must
also change the setpoint range accordingly, otherwise there will be a steady-state
control error.)

[SimView] [TechTeach]

Updated 4. March 2009. Developed by Finn Haugen. E-mail: finn@techteach.no.

http://techteach.no/simview/temp_control/index.php

14/02/2014