This course is designed to train you in the configuration and tuning of industrial control loops using a minimum of mathematics and formulas. Controllers need to be carefully matched to the process to work optimally; this matching procedure is called tuning. Controllers that are not correctly configured and tuned will not perform optimally and will not reduce variability in the process as they should.
The aim of this course is to provide and/or enhance the skills required to configure and tune a controller for optimum operation. An optimally tuned processed loop is critical for a wide variety of industries ranging from food processing, chemical manufacturing, oil refineries, pulp and paper mills, mines and steel mills. Although tuning rules are designed to give reasonably tight control, this may not always be the objective. Some thought needs to be given when retuning a loop as to whether the additional effort is justified as there may be other issues which are the cause of the poor control. These issues will be discussed in some detail in this course. At the end of this course you will have the skills to troubleshoot and tune a wide variety of process loops.

 

YOU WILL LEARN

• Fundamentals of tuning loops – both open and closed loop
• How to recognise the key characteristics of process plant from a control perspective
• Significance of dead time and transfer lags
• PID controller behaviours
• How to troubleshoot and identify problems
• Differences between ideal/ interacting/non-interacting controllers

 

WHO SHOULD COMPLETE THIS COURSE

• Consulting engineers
• Automation engineers
• Control engineers
• Electrical engineers
• Electricians
• Electronic engineers
• Energy management consultants
• Facility managers
• Installation and maintenance technicians
• Instrumentation engineers
• Mechanical engineers
• Technicians

 

COURSE OUTLINE
FUNDAMENTALS OF LOOP TUNING

• Processes, controllers and tuning
• PID controllers – P, I and D modes of operation
• Load disturbances and offset
• Speed, stability and robustness
• Gain, dead time and time constants
• Process noise
• Feedback controllers
• How to select feedback controller modes

 

FUNDAMENTALS OF TUNING

• Open loop characterisation of process dynamics
• Default and typical settings
• General purpose closed loop tuning method
• Quick and easy open loop method
• Fine tuning for different process types
• Simplified lambda tuning

 

THE DIFFERENT TUNING RULES

• Different rules compared
• Typical tuning settings
• When to use them/when not to use them
• Rules of thumb in tuning

 

TUNING OF VALVES

• Hysteresis
• Stiction
• Characteristic selection and correction
• Positioner configuration and tuning

 

AUTOMATED TUNING

• Self tuning loops
• Adaptive control

 

TUNING OF MORE COMPLEX SYSTEMS

• Cascade systems – tuning of them
• Feedforward, ratio, multivariable systems
• Interactive loops tuning
• Dead time compensation
• Practical limitations

 

GOOD PRACTICE

• Good practice for common loop problems
• Flow control loop characteristics
• Level control loop characteristics
• Temperature control loop characteristics
• Pressure control loop characteristics
• Other less common loops