Computational and Controls Lab

Control of a heating process with dead time

Experiments based on Feedback systems Process
Trainer 37-100
Atul Yadav 11D110044
Avijit Singh 11D110046

ObjectivesTo understand basic principles of closed loop control.

Following concepts shall be reinforced.
1. Closed loop control
2. Characteristics of the controlled system such as gain, lags (transfer & transport)
3. Two-step control action
4. Proportional control action
5. Effect of lag on dynamic behaviour of control systems

Activities Performed1. In the first question we measured the

transport lag and

transfer lag as function of distance away from the heater

2. Analysed a feed control in the two step control case and observed the
variation of time to reach the steady state with change in set value.
3. Analysed Proportional control by varying the proportional band and hence the
gain and observing the variation of time to reach the steady state as a function
gain at different distances from the heater. We also considered the variation
with changes in overlap at a particular set value.
4. Observed the dynamic behaviour of output wave for different gains and
different input waves (Step, Ramp and Sine) at different distances.

Summary of LearningThe Transport lag increases with increase in distance from the heater.
The Transfer lag remains constant for the entire length of the tube.
In a two-step control, more is the set value implies more is the time required to
reach the steady state.
As gain increases, the time required to reach the steady state also increases.
As overlap increases, the frequency of the output wave decreases.
In the dynamic behaviour of the output, we observed that as gain increases the
output wave reaches the input wave more.

Characteristics of the system1. Transport Lag - It is the time lag we get in the output wave from the input
wave due to the distance that the heated air has to travel between the heater
and the point where we are measuring the temperature (output).
The values of transport lag as we move away from the heater are tabulated as
follows
Distance from the
heater
1.5 inches
6.5 inches
11.5 inches

Transport Lag

Air Flow Velocity

120ms
180ms
280ms

12.5 inches/sec
36.11 inches/sec
41.07 inches/sec

Explanation-The values of transport lag increases as we move away from the

heater because the farther the point is from the heater the more time the heated
air would take to reach that point.

Transport lag= 120 ms (Distance

between the two vertical channels)
Distance from the heater =1.5 inches

Transport lag= 280 ms

Distance from the heater =11.5
inches

Transport lag= 180 ms

Distance from the heater =6.5 inches

2. Transfer Lag-It is the time required by the output wave to reach the value
which is equal to 63.2 per cent of the amplitude of the input wave. Ideally it
remains constant throughout the length of the tube.
The values of transfer lag as we move away from the heater are tabulated as
follows
Distance from the
heater
1.5 inches
6.5 inches
11.5 inches

Input amplitude
2.64V
2.64V
2.64V

Lag= 700 ms, Distance = 11.5 inches

63.2 per cent

value
1.68V
1.68V
1.68V

Transport Lag
800ms
760ms
700ms

Lag= 760 ms, Distance = 6.5 inches

Lag= 800 ms, Distance = 1.5 inches

As it can be seen from the above pictures the value of transfer lag remains
almost constant through the length of the tube.

On/Off ControlBefore this point our system was in an open loop. Now we give the output back as
feedback and see the time the output takes to reach approximately the
proportional band in steady state.

Observation- We observe that as we increase the set value the time taken by
the output wave to reach approximately equal to the proportional band
increases. Since this is a two-step control, as soon as the air is heated to the
required temperature the heater is switched off and again switched on when its
temperature goes below the set point and finally goes to steady state.

Explanation- This is so because more is the set value implies more is the
temperature we want for the heated gas. So since the temperature required is
higher, the heater takes more time to heat the air to the required value.

Set value= 30

Set value =50

Set value=70

Block Diagram-

Input Air
Temperature

On/Off
Control

Heater
Output Air
Temperature

Proportional controlNow we take different value of gain and see its effect on the time taken by the
output wave to reach approximately the set value in steady state.
GAIN= 100/PROPORTIONAL BAND
The values of proportional band and gain which we used are tabulated as
Follows
GAIN
PROPORTIONAL BAND
0.5
200
1
100
2
50
5
20
10
10
20
5
We took 18 reading (3 for each gain value at distances 1.5 inches,6.5 inches and
11.5 inches respectively).

Fig 1 to 18 respectively showing proportional control. 1-6 ,7-12 and 13-18 represent the output waves and input waves for
distances 11.5 inches(gains increasing as shown in the table),6.5 inches(gains increasing as shown in the table) and 1.5
inches(gains increasing as shown in the table) respectively

Explanation and Learning- As we can see in the pictures above as the value of
gain increases the time required by the output wave to reach the steady state as
the temperature required to be achieved by the output air is higher as a result of
which heater takes longer time to heat the air. At high values of gain it starts
acting like a switch due to the fact that output fluctuations are large.

Block Diagram-

Input Air
Temperature

Proportional
Control

Heater
Output Air
Temperature

Dynamic Behaviour of the SystemWe recorded the output waveforms at different gain values with varying the input
waves as step, ramp and sine waves.

Observation- As the value of gain increased from 0.5 to 3, the output waveform
followed the same shape more closely but with increased fluctuations.

Gain =0.5

Gain =1

Gain =3

Description- More value of gain implies more time required to reach the steady
state and hence we get more number of fluctuations. At very high value of gains
the output behaves almost like a step function in the above case.
Ramp Input-

Output waveforms for ramp input at gains 0.5,1 and 3 at a distance 6.5 inches

Output waveforms for ramp input at gains 0.5,1 and 3 at a distance 11.5 inches

Explanation- As the distance from the heater increases the transport lag increases
as the air has to travel more before it reaches the sensor.

Also, as the gain is increased from 0.5 to 3 the output waveform follows the input
waveform more closely.
Sine Wave Input-

Output and Input waveforms at different gain values from 0.5 to 3(left to right)

Explanation- The reason for the asymmetrical nature is due to phase lag because
of the nature of sine wave. As the input wave reaches its peak and starts to go
back down, a phase lag is introduced in the output wave thereby giving
asymmetrical output wave.