Experiment 3 Air Temperature Process Control

EXPERIMENT NO. 3
Air Temperature Process Control (AT 922)

Process Dynamics & Control Lab

3.0 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

OBJECTIVES

3.1 IDENTIFICATION OF MAJOR COMPONENTS IN THE PLANT

1. To identify the important components of the air temperature control system and to

1. Walk around the experimental equipment, IDENTIFY and MARK the following major

mark them in the P&I Diagram.

components of the system in the P&I Diagram provided at the end the lab manual.

2. To carry out the start-up procedures systematically.

3. To determine the values of parameters for a first order plus dead time transfer function
model of a thermal process.

AR90

Air pressure regulator at the process inlet

FS90

Flow switch (cut-off the heater power when very low air is detected)

4. To control the air heater process using PID controller.

MV90A Manual valve at the process inlet

PRV90

Pressure relief valve to prevent excessive pressure from AR90

KEYWORDS

TCY90

Thyristor (installed inside the cubicle, below the control panel)

Air temperature system, PID controller, Dead time, FOPTD transfer function model

TE91

Resistance temperature detector (RTD), measures the temperature of

1.0 INTRODUCTION

TIT92

Temperature indicating transmitter for TE92

This model uses air to simulate a gas or vapor phase temperature process. The

TR91

Recorder

temperature process is a multicapacity lag/dead time process with no noise. It uses a

TIC90

ON/OFF temperature controller

thyristor to adjust the heat flow to the heater. The air flow rate is measured using a

TIC91

PID temperature controller - Loop 1

rotameter. A selective control technique is employed here that automatically select only a

TIC92

PID temperature controller - Loop 2

less heat demanding output to manipulate only final control element (the thyristor/heater).

FI90

Variable area flow meter

This system requires a high gain PID controller.

VT

Process vent

HV90

Heater by-pass

the hot air at the exit of the heater

2.0 EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT

This equipment used in this experiment is the air temperature process control training

3.2 START-UP PROCEDURES

system, Model AT 922.

1. The following steps constitute the start-up procedure. Go through these steps before

2.1 AIR TEMPERATURE PROCESS PLANT (AT 922)

2. Switch the "PANEL, SCADA/DDC" selector switch at the front of the cubicle to

starting any experiment.

The process plant consists of a forced convective annulus electric heater to heat the

"PANEL,SCADA"position. Switch ON the main power supply at the front of the

incoming process air from an external air supply system. The process air is connected to a

cubicle. All the panel instruments will lit up. (Make sure the heater is switched OFF at

air pressure regulator (AR90) and flows into the heater and then to the process vent, VT or
to another air process control training system. By varying the air flow rate at the discharge
manual valve downstream of the rotameter, FI90, the air flow load changes through the
heater can be implemented. The purpose of the the PID control is to maintain the air
temperature (TE91/TIT91) at the heater exit, at the operator setpoint without burning out
the heater.

this point)
3. If any annunciator gets activated, press the ACKNOWLEDGE button to silence the
buzzer.
4. Shut the manual valve MV90A and set air supply regulator AR90 to the pressure
indicated at the air regulator (45 psig).
5. Make sure the heater by-pass valve HV90 and manual valve MV90B are shut. Open the
vent valve VT fully to discharge air to the atmosphere.

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Experiment 3 Air Temperature Process Control

Process Dynamics & Control Lab

6. The followings should be verified:

i) Annunciator

FAL90

9. The slope of the steepest tangent gives the Response Rate (RR).
is

activated

and

should

be

10. The process gain, Kp is equal to the maximum change in the air temperature ( PV)

ACKNOWLEDGED (Reason - No air flow because MV90A is shut at the

moment)

at the exit divided by the % change in the manipulated variable ( MV%).

11.The time constant, is equal to the Response Rate (RR) divided by the maximum

ii) The pressure gauge PG90 reads as atmospheric pressure. If it reads more,
then check and open the vent valve VT.

change in the air temperature at the exit ( PV).

*The air temperature process is governed by a first order plus time delay (FOPTD)

iii)The variable area flow meters FI90 shows no air.

transfer function.

iv) Check the temperature at recorder TR91 is not rising because the heater is

still OFF.

FOPTD transfer function,

7. Manually open fully the inlet valve MV90A so that the air flow rate at flow meter FI90
reads about 45 Nm3/hr. (Do not alter the air pressure that was previously set at air

Y ( s ) K.e s
=
X (s) s + 1
K = process gain

supply regulator AR90)

= time delay/dead time

8. Check the pressure gauge PG90 should reads slightly above atmospheric pressure.

= time constant

9. Now, press the RCD button on the recorder TR91 to start recording the temperature
response.

3.4 CONTROL OF AIR HEATER SYSTEM

1. Check the vent VT is fully opened.

3.3 DETERMINATION OF PROCESS TRANSFER FUNCTION PARAMETERS

2. The process air supply and flow rate should remain as previously set in Section 3.3.

The following procedures are conducted for determining the process transfer function

3. Set a suitable setpoint, SV (i.e. range from 60C to 120C) at the temperature PID

parameters.

controller, TIC91, say 10C higher than the current setpoint SV. (TIC91 is still in

1. Make sure the air flow rate at variable area flow meter FI90 is 45 Nm3/hr. If it is not
read as 45

Nm3/hr,

adjust inlet valve MV90A.

Manual (M) mode)

4. Set SSW (at the PID2 page) to 1 so that only TIC91 is used/activated. This step

2. Wait for the temperature response to be almost stable. (Red pen - TE91/TIT91 and
Green pen - TE92/TIT92 are almost steady)

makes PID 2, Loop 2 disabled.

5. Access the PID values in controller TIC91/TIC92 and set the first (I) trial values.

3. Note the average air flow rate at the variable area flow meter FI90.

4. With TIC91 in Manual (M) mode, adjust its MV = 30%.

6. Transfer TIC91 to Auto (A) mode and make sure the heater is ON.

5. Switch ON the heater and mark on the recorder chart paper the instant the heater is

7. Observe patiently the temperature response of both the heater surface temperature

switched ON.

PB1 = 10%, TI1 = 100 s, TD1 = 25 s

(TE90/TIC90, Green pen) and the heated air temperature (TE91/TIC91), Red pen).

6. Wait until the temperature response become steady.

Wait until the temperature response is steady at its setpoint value, SV.

7. Stop the recorder TR91 by pressing RCD button and take out the chart paper and
DO NOT FORGET TO MARK THE PID VALUES AND THE SET-POINT ON THE

examine the response.

8. Draw the steepest tangent for the temperature response to intersect the baseline to
calculate the deadtime (DT). (Measure the distance (in mm) between the point of

CHART PAPER WHENEVER THE VALUES ARE CHANGED. ALSO MARK ON

THE CHART THE BEGINNING OF EACH PART OF THE EXPERIMENT.

intersection and the instant when heater was switched ON)

The dead time is given by:

Deadtime =

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Dis tan ce(mm)

3600s

Re cordchartspeed ( 500 mm hr )
1hr

8. Note that the heated air temperature (TE91/TIC91), Red pen) overshoots the setpoint,
SV even when the heater surface temperature (TE90/TIC90, Green pen) has started
decreasing.

Experiment 3 Air Temperature Process Control

Process Dynamics & Control Lab

9. Repeat the experiment with the following disturbances (using first (I) PID trial values):
i) Load disturbance

Switch the controller TIC91 to Manual (M) mode. Increase the control output,

MV at about 10% to 20%. Then, quickly switch the controller TIC91 to Auto

(A) mode. Observe the temperature response.

ii) Setpoint change

Switch the controller to Manual (M) mode. Step increase the temperature

setpoint, SV at controller TIC91 so that it is about the 10 - 15C above the

current setpoint, SV (do not exceed 120C). Then, quickly switch the controller

TIC91 to Auto (A) mode. Observe the temperature response.

10. Repeat Step (9) for the following PID trial values:

Second (II) trial value: PB1 = 20%, TI1 = 70 s, TD1 = 18 s

Third (III) trial value: PB1 = 10%, TI1 = 22 s, TD1 = 5 s

4.0 SHUTDOWN PROCEDURES

1. Stop the recorder chart by pressing RCD pressbutton at recorder FPTR91.
2. Switch TIC91 to Manual mode with MV = 0%.
3. Switch off the heater and let the air flows to cool down the heater for sometime.
4. Switch off the main power supply.
5. Shut off the process air supply at AR90.
6. Shut off the instrument air supply.
5.0 RESULTS
1. The recorder FPTR91 records the results of the experiments. Suitable portions of the
recorder chart paper should be submitted as RESULTS of the experiment.
2. The report should contain:
i) The P&I Diagram with all major components marked clearly.
ii) Using data/results from Section 3.3, determine the parameters of the first
order plus time delay and its transfer function.
iii) The PID temperature control responses for load disturbances and setpoint
changes for different controller settings.
iv) Discussion on the response characteristics for different controller settings.
v) Temperature process is typically slow compared to others (level, flow and
pressure). Discuss the statement.
vi)Temperature process usually exhibits overshoot. Discuss on this matter as
well.

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Figure 3.1: An example of process response for PID controller

Experiment 3 Air Temperature Process Control

Figure 3.2: P&I Diagram for Air Temperature Process

Control Plant

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Process Dynamics & Control Lab